I love when SCOTTEVEST comes out with new products. I love it even more when I get the chance to review new SeV products right as they are rolling out. This time around the company has finally brought out a button down shirt with SeV’s signature pockets and style. Yes, the new SeV Button Down Shirt is now available!
I was thrilled THRILLED when I heard these shirts were being released. After all, my preferred dress is jeans, boots and a somewhat casual button-down. These looked like they would fit the bill perfectly and would only serve to further my current “practice” of wearing at least one SeV garment at some point every single day. 🙂
Two review samples showed up the other day. Here’s a closer look.
From SCOTTEVEST:
Around the boardroom and around town this is a cool twist on a sharp classic. Whether you wear it under an SeV Sport Coat or straight up, the SeV Button Down will be working right along with you to carry all your daily essentials in effortless and efficient style. Stash your cash and credit cards in the super convenient and hidden mad money pocket, your glasses in one of the side zip quick draw “Jorge” pockets, and… how cool is this? The chest pocket with hidden phone holder and magnetic closure will keep your phone in place for a jostle free ride. We all know the beauty in that – right? No more incriminating butt dials! And don’t think for one second that just because you can carry all your stuff that you’ll look or feel off balance or bulgy.
The pockets were personally tested by CEO Scott Jordan and the team to make sure you look and feel like a million in this impeccably tailored shirt. The SeV Button Down shirt is also perfect for travel and safety as the specialized pockets make it virtually impossible for others to see that you are carrying anything at all!Great patterns and color choices in comfortable, wrinkle free cotton make this the right shirt to go from office to Happy Hour and look the part for either occasion. You won’t find another shirt with the function, comfort and style of the Button Down, and that’s a fact!
Features:
Six cool colors and patterns so you can wear one everyday
Six specially engineered pockets including the famous “mad money” and “Jorge” pockets for covert but “quick draw” access
Tailored fit and button-down collar to keep you looking sharp
Personal Area Network (PAN) for tangle free living
Weight Management System for Zen-like balance
100% washable and wrinkle resistant cotton ’cause ironing is no fun
First things first: I love the shirts. I really do. And I expect I’ll be ordering a few to add in with the two review samples I was sent. The shirts are comfortable, they look good and they strike the right balance between being appropriate to wear most places that don’t require formal attire and not looking too casual. There are two aspects of the shirts that move them a bit toward the casual end of the spectrum (more on that shortly) but that isn’t really an issue. These really are perfect with a nice pair of jeans!
So let’s talk about what makes this a SCOTTEVEST button-down.
Under each armpit there is a nicely concealed zipper. This opens to reveal a fairly spacious pocket that is perfect for a cellphone or wallet. No, before you ask, it doesn’t get close enough to your armpit to be uncomfortable or get damp if you are perspiring a lot. The pocket actually goes back and down a bit away from the shoulder.
At first I thought this was useless. I was wrong. I actually have been keeping my wallet in one of the pockets. I don’t really know it is there when I am on the go and really like the fact that it is on me all the time. The design and positioning of the pocket makes the wallet quite accessible when I need to pull it out.
And here’s the thing- when my new iPhone 4S comes next week the pockets will be even more useful. Thanks to the new Siri integration on the iPhone there will be even less need to take your phone out to actually use it than ever. If I am wearing a headset, wired or bluetooth, all I’ll have to do is tell Siri what to do. It is some great timing and reason enough to wear the shirt.
The single breast pocket is also an “SeV-special”. It is actually two pockets in one. The first is the traditional open pocket that is often part of a button-down. It is kept closed by a magnet. (Note: Like many SeV products this is NOT designed for people with pacemakers.) The second pocket is actually inside the first. It is smaller and is actually the perfect size for a smartphone. The iPhone fits well but so too does the Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 I have here. The SCOTTEVEST PAN (Personal Area Network) extends into this pocket so you can put your phone inside and run the cords up to your ears within the shirt.
The Mad Money Pocket is a nice addition at the lower left of the shirt. It is a great place to stash a bill or two or you can even keep a small music player there since it too is connected to the PAN. It is, however, too small for an iPhone. Then again, I cannot see this as a comfortable place for a phone.
Finally, the shirts have earbud loops, a feature familiar to anyone who has ever worn an SeV jacket. These are part of the PAN. I used them with a pair of wired headphones yesterday and I actually found it quite convenience. The loops are low enough into the shirt that people won’t see the earbuds when you aren’t using them. Translation- you can use the PAN and not look like a total dork.
As I mentioned, I am really liking this new shirt. It is, however, more toward the casual side of things, at least for now, because of two pieces of branding on this initial shipment.
On the back is the SeV logo. It is noticeable on the blue shirt that came but less obvious on the white one.
The same goes for the SCOTTEVEST name which is embroidered on one sleeve. It is obvious on the blue one but not so obvious on the white one.
Initially this bothered me but once I started wearing the shirts that concern waned. I love the shirts and am going to be wearing them… a lot.
The shirt comes in White, Blue, Raspberry Stripe, Blueberry Stripe, Black Blue Plaid and Black White Plaid and has a retail price of $80. Details and ordering can be found here.
MSRP: $80
What I Like: Super comfortable; Love the way the fit and look; Lots of special SeV features that make it much more than a shirt; Perfect “accessory” for the new iPhone 4S and Siri.
What Needs Improvement: I don’t love the branding on the sleeve or back