Outback Shirt

Sold from Spring 1985 to Summer 1986, they came in several different colors. See the catalog thumbnails below. The striped, collarless design of this shirt would be revisited in the 1988 Journeyman’s Shirt.

From the catalogue: “India is famous for its hand-loomed fabrics but its equally superlative milled textiles are often overlooked. Made of longer (thus stronger) fibers, these cottons are soft and lustrous, yet amazingly resilient to fraying and other signs of wear. We had one of India’s premier textile mills weave a silky cotton for us in stripes adapted from patterns of turn-of-the-century men’s dress shirts. Then we designed a shirt inspired by the collarless, loose-fitting shirts worn by Australia’s early jackeroos-the cowboys of the Outback. We think you’ll be as pleased as we are by its handsome looks, its creamy feel, and its staunch dependability.” 

Photos from an eBay auction, thanks for the tip, Blake!

Mocha

Note: Made in Sri Lanka

Manila

Note: Made in India.

About The Author

Robyn Adams
Robyn's fascination with Banana Republic began in 1984 when her Alaskan adventurer father began buying the clothing and giving her the catalogs. She loved the clothes and as an artist she was drawn to the illustrations. She went on to study illustration at art college in BR's hometown of San Francisco and worked for years as a background artist for animation. She is now based in Oakland, CA as a graphic designer and illustrator with Secret Fan Base . She's been collecting and archiving at Abandoned Republic since 2011.

1 Comment

  • Jonathan on December 15, 2020

    I owned one of these shirts for years until it finally turned to shreds about 15 years after I purchased it. One of my favorite shirts…..

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