A button down is (in my humble opinion) a closet staple. Perfect for an interview, cute on a night out and always impeccable thrown over a tee. But, alas, finding the perfect one is a often a challenge. Too fitted, too loose, too frilly, big in the shoulders or not quite long enough, shopping for shirts can be, at the very least, a trying experience. In comes Peau De Loup, a shirting company founded in Vancouver by two tomboys who struggled to come by a shirt with their ideal fit.
The “Alpha” shirt reflects, not imitates, the classic menswear shirt. Purposefully designed, Peau De Loup uses a closed loop sourcing process to create a button down for the contemporary renegade. In short, it’s a damn good shirt, designed for those of us who are tired of tailoring menswear to fit. With a myriad of both classic and eclectic colorways, it’s a shirt for everyone. And yes, in case you were wondering, they’ve got flannel.
“It’s about creating clothing that makes you feel the same on the outside as you do on the inside,” say the founders Adelle Renaud and Beccy Anderson.
Peau De Loup is offering 30% off for A+ members, so y’all are one step closer to that shirt of your tomboyish dream. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE. Autostraddlers: you can get yourself one of these fine shirts FOR FREE. Yep. Free shirt. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling us about your favourite Peau De Loup shirt, and one lucky winner will get it for free. How would you style your PDL pick? We’ll pick the winner on February 5th, 2015.
I’m all about that Crosby.
Styled with some nice black jeans and combat boots, and a cute yet functional sidebraid.
Oooh, these shirts are so cute! I love them! I love buttondowns so much. My favorite of these is the Crosby, because I love the deep blue color and the little white paisley designs. The paisley is kind of femme and the buttondown is more tomboy; the perfect tomboy femme shirt! I would probably wear it alone with jeans, or with a solid grey or black sweater over it. I love a sweater with collared shirt underneath look. I would also wear it with black or grey slacks for job interviews! I’m on the job hunt, so I haven’t been spending money on clothes at all and certainly not work clothes. This shirt would be great because it can be dressed up for work or dressed down for going out with friends for drinks.
The Taylor for sure. The short sleeve button-up is both fancy and a little silly. I’d be the maximum genderqueer by wearing it with yellow shorts (short-shorts?), black over-the-knee socks, some gold accessories, and round sunglasses for a gay-cation kinda look.
I love the Chilco short-sleeved shirt! I would wear it to work so much that my coworkers would start to wonder whether or not I owned any other shirts…. But I would trick them by wearing it with a different pair of pants every day! I think it would look good with all of my pants. I feel like a light blue/teal shirt can go with blue jeans, purple pants, green pants, pretty much anything. I would definitely wear either my black or red Converse high-tops with it.
Also…I love the idea of button-down shirts that actually fit! I’m always struggling with shirts that either will not button up past the chest, or are so big I’m drowning in them.
It’s all about the Hudson. I mean I’d ship it.
I dig the Costello! It’s bright, sophisticated, and slick!!
The Buster paired with some dark jeans and Sperry’s.
Astaire baby!
This is so rad. I’m in love with the Astaire for so many reasons. It’s my favorite shade of blue, and I love the subtlety of the polka dots. I adore all polka dots big and small, but I like that these aren’t too aggressive so it could be worn on more serious occasions or be super casual. That’s why I like button-UPS in general, really; they’re totally my aesthetic but I currently only have one that’s getting too small for me which makes me sad.
But with a button-up, there are plenty of things I could do. On my dapper days I’d pair it with jeans, my favorite hat, and one of my grandfather’s vintage ties that my dad keeps in his closet. I’d wear it unbuttoned over one of the dresses I’m sewing right now, or with a really tight skirt and heels and dangly earrings. I’d try to wear it with every skirt in my drawer, and it’d motivate me to get some pants like I’ve been wanting to. Or I could go pantsless at home one time, because it’s a lovely feeling sitting around in your boxers and your favorite shirt with absolutely nowhere to go. I’d be wearing it right this very minute probably, because despite having lived through sixteen Minnesota winters so far, I have a horrible deficiency of shirts with actual sleeves on them. I could even wear several layers under it and no one would be the wiser. Alternatively, I could roll the sleeves up and wear it unbuttoned in the summertime, probably with a tank top and really short shorts or capris. And I’d keep it in my bag all year round, in case I get cold, which is often. And it would pair very nicely with some of my socks. (This is so much longer than I planned but I just kept thinking of ideas)
SO MUCH DROOLING.
I want the Costello!
Love it!
It’s winter so I want to be wearing flannel ALL THE TIME. I love Ole Jack, but, as a Canadian, one can never have too many classic lumberjack shirts…Bring Bunyan Back!
Oh, man. These are great. My favorite shirt is the Abbot, for sure. Can’t argue with the classics.
ALSO using crowdfunding (with refunds if goals aren’t met) to fund new styles / ideas is SUCH a good idea.
I am loving the Lancaster. LOVING! And checking out the size chart, it looks like these shirts might actually fit me, which is great!
Alllllsoooooo, how do we get the 30% off? Is there a code?
the discount code is apluspeau30, the click through ad should show up on the sidebar on the homepage!
Lololol, thanks! I usually don’t log in unless I want to comment or am specifically reading an A+ article, so I don’t often see the homepage in A+ mode!
I love the Hepburn! I’ve never actually bought a short-sleeved button down because I’m a little nervous about being able to pull it off, but I love the look, and this stripey situation in particular.
Team Ole’ Jack. Ole’ Jack for president. Because green flannel is the flannel my heart and I accidentally read “Olé Jack,” thus verifying that I find “Ole'” tricky but believe in the festivity of flannel.
I love my Bacall! Unlucky me, I finally snapped out of my indecision and bought two shirts just a week before the A+ discount. (I wish we could know which companies AS will pair with!)
I’m waiting for the spring to pair it with straight-leg white pants, a black vinyl belt, and a messy bun.
MADE IN VANCOUVER. <3
I'm all about the Monteferrand. Classic flannel, with nice jeans, boots, and maroon scarf. Done.
The Astaire is lovely – the stitching details really stand out on that perfect blue.
And, even though I haven’t ventured much into short-sleeve button-ups yet, I love the print on the Fonda.
Although I would love to say I have super-creative styling ideas, the truth is that they would probably always be paired with my favorite black skinny jeans and boots. Predictable, maybe – but I would feel pretty damn good.
I like the Bardot–lovely for the femmes in the crowd (i.e. me) who like wearing button-down shirts.
UGH UGH UGH I NEED MORE FLANNEL IN MY LIFE
I just moved to Oregon from Arizona and I would wear that Ole’ Jack over every single one of my t-shirts that I felt so clever cutting the sleeves off of when it was over 100 degrees back home. Please send help, I don’t know how to dress in cold weather and my mom keeps sending me awful and baggy womens clothes!
Monteferrand.
*awkward dancing* I´m too sexy for my shirt.Too sexy for my shirts. So sexy it hurts.
So sorry.
oh damn! how i´d style it!
hmmm, I´m thinking black on black on black on black. Shirt, jean, DMs and locs swaying :D
I just thought your dancing would be your only accessory, which honestly sounds like a solid plan to me
Oh, these shirts are beautiful! I especially like the Hepburn – although there’s loads of lovely prints – it’s hard to choose! It’s my birthday is on Monday too – just saying. :)
Ooh, this is so wonderful! I like the Cooper and Lancaster– both would looks good over a white t-shirt. I love seeing masculine clothing coming on the market for those of us who can’t shop in the boys’ section for our shirts :D
AHHH in love with the Heston! Also in love with the fact that these are from Vancouver! Is there a physical store I can take a ferry to come and drool over everything at??
The Hedson short sleeved is my fave. So handsome. <3
It's difficult to find short sleeved button ups in my experience, despite the fact I live in Australia where you'd assume it was mandatory. :P
Clearly I meant the Heston. Sleep deprivation problems. :/
I need more flannel in my life, so the Monteferrand is speaking to me. To dress it up, I’d wear it alone or over an A-Camp shirt with grey skinny jeans and my heeled Oxford booties–I like to go super femme everywhere else whenever I incorporate a more masculine piece in my outfit. For a lazy day, I’d just wear it alone with jeans–it looks so comfy!
oh wow, this post could not have come at a better time for me. how funny.
I was watching Transparent for the first time last weekend – when Amazon was streaming it for free – and the last episode I watched was when the youngest sister goes shopping with Carrie Brownstein (sorry, am horrible at names!). And Carrie Brownstein is explaining to the sister what “high-femme” is, and gestures to herself, and says “see? I’m low-femme.” And she is wearing a lovely pale blue button-up, slightly loose, with white buttons, and I thought “wow she looks so nice”. and then I thought, “I would love to dress like that”. and then I thought, “well, why don’t I?”
and I started thinking about how I dress. I think that how I dress and how I like to think I dress are slightly different. I’m a size 10/12 in the States: so some people see me as fat, others don’t. I grew up around people much skinnier than me so I definitely see myself as fat.
As part of my growing consciousness of queerness/feminism/etc (always growing! always learning!) I came across a lot of fat femme power aesthetics. And I thought they were so cool! So cool and so inspiring. Kind of like the cool girls that I never was in high school, but also way cooler than them. I love the politics of high-femme in itself: I find it so intense and so radical and so feminist and cool!! And a lot of images that you see of empowered fat women embrace a femme look, which has its own awesome politics to it, and that is great.
So for a while I really wanted to be this kind of empowered, proudly fat, hyper-femme woman. I bought lots of clothes that were tight and brightly coloured and strongly patterned and femme-y (lace, skirts… etc). But I didn’t often wear them: partially because I don’t have great style and I couldn’t figure out how to wear them and look cool, and partially because I often wouldn’t feel comfortable in them.
Anyway, watching the beginning of that episode, I realised that I actually would feel so much more …me.. in more casual clothes. I don’t know if they would be “androgynous” or “low-femme” or whatever (and I don’t know if I care…) but I want to move towards slightly looser, much simpler clothes. I respect the strong fat women that are high-femme, but ….. there is also more than one way to be empowered, fat, and babely :) :) :) And it’s taken me a long time to realise that. I think I’m scared that I can’t be an attractive fat woman if I’m not high-femme. But of course I can.
I don’t have the time/money to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe, but I guess – I will start changing how I approach my clothes, in what clothes I choose to wear, what I decide to put together. Yeah!
Well – I know this is way too long – but this post really did coincide with this powerful moment of self-awareness that just happened for me, so I wanted to share.
Thank you! :’)
oh, and – with that (and Carrie Brownstein!) in mind, I am in love with the Cooper shirt. It’s beautiful!
The Bardot is my favorite!
I’m all about the Cooper. Chambray is my dream fabric.
and since my favorite outfits are sans pants, I’d rock the Cooper with some cute boxer briefs and cozy socks for the best at-home snuggle style :)
As a person who has finally embraced my varied gender-expression–and my occasionally varied gender identity–thanks so much for cluing me in. As a poor grad student, I’ll have to save up for my first shirt, but I really, really wish I could crowd-source fund that Bring Bunyan Back. Instead, I’ll save up for the Monteferrand and hope others bring Bunyan to fruition.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that pocket, though it’s a little sad that I can’t see it on the version on the model.
Oh, also, can anyone direct me to a place to buy the equivalent of women’s extra-small (I’m a size 0 or so) in men’s style clothing? I feel like I need to find somewhere that caters to smaller men or perhaps teen boys, but that would carry decent “dress” style items as well. Occasionally for something like a cardigan, I can shop men’s XS at the Express, but they run quite a bit too big if I want something more fitted.
Damn, it was hard to choose, but I really like the monteferrand.
Gable + nice dark jeans + black boots = stylish Carmen. Ladies would actually find me wearing that
Ole Jack! So green, so perfect.
As for styling, obviously the only way to bring the best out of a shirt is to wear with only boxers on, after you roll out of bed. So that is what I’d do. Like *ooh look at me looking perfectly MoC and sexy and cooking breakfast* and *ooh now I am oozing smart casual perfection whilst watching Netflix on the sofa*.
Oh wow, these are so good. Personally I’m all about the Ole’ Jack.
I am obsessed with all of these! My favorite has to be the Ole Jack, flannel is amazing and honestly I would probably pair it with sweatpants and cozy socks while watching Friends on Netflix and drinking boxed wine. Probably.
Oh, I’m drooling over these! I’ve always found it challenging to really pin down my “style,” but I think I’m settling into a slightly dapper tomboy femme sort of look. Button downs are basically all I want to wear right now, but I do find it challenging to find properly fitting ones. My favourite is the Crosby, for sure. I’m always in jeans, so I’d pair it with jeans and my new pointy-toed Doc Martens.
<3 Ole Jack <3 <3 <3 Bring Bunyan Back! I do like wearing button downs over tank tops, always with boots. Always. I would like to look like I live on a ranch even though I work from home on my computer all day.
crosby!
Also, do they have a physical place I can go and try things on?
I suppose I should just email them :)
Oh man, the COSTELLO. It screams refined fun and makes me want to make important decisions in it.
EKG waves on the HESTON? What a simple but strange pattern. It looks like the perfect conversation piece for any activity. I’d love to have one!
The Amoux!
Wow, how to choose? But if I had to, I’d say Flynn because, you guys, it’s middle of winter, there’s snow outside, and that is the exact time that you need ukuleles and pineapples on your shirt.
Wow, this is wonderful! It is hard to pick, but my favorite is the Astaire. The blue is really beautiful, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the dot details in the close up view. Lovely.
I just started working at a ballroom as a dance instructor. This would be perfect for the “dressy casual” vibe for public dances and lessons, but still appeal to my tomboy needs. I did ballroom dance when I was younger, and its been interesting to return to it with a different queer self/queer view. I find that I don’t want to do latin skirts and ballroom heels anymore, at least not all the time. I want to show my fellow midwesterners that I can be professional in a different way (a queer way?).
So for some dance styling, this shirt, sleeves rolled, my grey pants with a black tuxedo stripe, black dance shoes. Aw yeah. And then, change to comfortably baggy dark jeans and boots for the after party.
Also I have to point out, how great is it that this is called the Astaire for a dance shirt?
I really dig the Bring Bunyan Back! I’m just recently starting to feel more comfortable wearing andro-styled clothes but I feel like I could rock it… nervously.
Oooo I love how they’re named after old movie stars!!! I would def love either the Crosby or the Costello. I’d wear it with my new cream opal collar chain, my satiny black blazer, and corduroy burgundy jeggings, with sharp toed black flats. <3
I love the buster!
The Cambie is sharp. I’m diggin’ it.
I’ve had the Bardot and the Brando open in tabs ever since I noticed the sale on the sidebar! Nice contest idea.
I’m going with the Monroe. I love those particular colors in the plaid. It’s long-sleeve, but the soft colors would be great for spring or to wear open over something in summer. If it’s not too long on a short person, I’d wear it untucked, buttoned, and belted over either one of the many long-ish skirts I’m lusting over on ModCloth (sigh), plain black pencil* pants with flats, or this pair of soft-blue pants I have.
*pencil: thank you, Autostraddle community for supplying this term
I’m really liking the Bardot :). I’m thinking about how to femme it up.
The Bardot! Such a gorgeous colour.
I love the pattern on the Catalonia — it reminds me of galaxies. Runner-up is the Hudson because I’m a sucker for nautical themes.
Definitely the Templeton–look at those bby stripes! I would have said I’d wear it with my favorite black jeans, but I just ripped them at a house party! :( So probably I’ll just wear the shirt with denim shorts, after all I live in the bay area and pants aren’t ever that necessary
Hands down the Heston! I’m really into nifty patterns this year.
Most definitely the Fonda. With just-smart-enough trousers and comfy shoes, I’d wear it to teach smallish children about the world!
I could totally make use of the 30% off, if their shirt sizes went above a size XL. :/ Hooray for having your body type excluded by pretty much all queer/dapper/andro clothing.