OK, it's summer and everyone seems to be wearing a t-shirt . I have no problem with t-shirts - they definitely have a time and place to be worn, but I wanted something more "stylish." So I went on a quest to find a great shirt -- my motto was "Thou Shalt Avoid T-shirts."
And thus, my discovery of the guayabera shirt , also known as a Mexican Wedding Shirt . Wikipedia offers this fun factoid regarding the name: "The origin of the name Guayabera may come from a Cuban legend that tells of a poor countryside seamstress sewing large pockets into her hubsand's shirts for carrying guava (guayabas) from the field."
So I picked one from Kapo Trading Company , my favorite online Hawaiian store, and found out they have 4 pockets. 4! Pockets! Crazy!
After the shock of having so much storage space on a shirt (not that I'm a geek who needs to carry stuff in shirt pockets anyways), I did notice the construction and aesthetic appeal do stand out. The details are incredible; a row of three vertical buttons at the hem on each side of the waist, rows of pleats (called alforzas) on the front and back, embroidered patterns.
All in all, these shirts offer both comfort and an impeccable style that can move from formal to casual and back without missing a beat. The pockets even add to the charm. Guayaberas , then, have proven to be cures for the common t-shirt and a worthy addition to any man's wardrobe.
