The Complete Guide to Buck Mason Essentials

This perennially popular shirt is unsurprisingly a bestseller. When you hear rave reviews, it’s the worn-in softness that’s always praised (you can thank enzymes in the garment wash process for that) as well as the style. The design team didn’t just stumble upon the perfect design — in their own words: “We revised that first pattern for our signature Slub and Pima styles dozens of times before we got it right.” While you can opt for the classic Straight Hem, Buck Mason’s signature design is the Curved Hem. The shape was inspired by vintage baseball tees and the design team boasts, “We developed our fabric and cuts ourselves, so there’s attention down to the very last detail and an unparalleled quality as a result.” This tee is available in 13 different colors, four of them in the Venice Wash, which I will get into with our next piece.

As great as it would be to wear a T-shirt every single day, some days (Zoom meetings) call for a bit more polish. This polo has an elevated look but the same comfort you’ve come to love in your favorite Pima tees. What makes this polo special is the custom-developed treatment that Buck Mason uses for its Venice Wash garments. To achieve a “salty, weathered appearance and feel,” the polos are dyed in small batches and then rinsed with natural enzymes that are non-toxic and biodegradable (making the process safer for the environment). This treatment gives each piece a subtle color variation that makes it look authentically time-worn.

If you’re wondering about the PCH reference in the name of this jacket, it’s a reference to the classic highway rider’s leather jacket. Even if you’re not a motorcycle (or convertible) type of guy, you can coast down the PCH in full-grain sheep suede in your electric vehicle. The design team says this soft and supple (but durable) piece gets better with age and can stand up to wear and tear. After some time, you’ll notice that the topical dye on the exterior (the second part of a two-part process) will gradually fade, giving the jacket a beautiful vintage look.

The design team notes that these chinos are “as much a nod to our California roots as it is to the original military officer’s pants,” which were worn by “everyone from servicemen to young Hollywood celebrities.” With a mid-rise fit and a touch of stretch in the cotton twill, you’ll find yourself reaching for them during every season of the year. You can also expect a more flattering fit thanks to a Hollywood waistband stitched directly into the pant (rather than a separate cut-and-sewn waistband) that offers a cleaner and less restrictive fit.

Another Buck Mason bestseller, these water-repellent shorts (also available in the beloved Venice Wash) will be your best friend this summer. The design team notes that “four-way stretch makes them comfortable” and the hybrid fabric (a cotton/poly combination) is water-friendly. Those who are extra active will appreciate the drawcord at the waist (hidden on the interior) to keep you snug whether you’re playing spike ball or BBQ-ing.

“This is a year-round, everyman kind of sweater,” says the design team. With a classic crewneck cut and homespun cotton rib, you’ll want to wear it every season. Hand-finished details like double-layer ribbing at the collar and racking stitch detailing at the cuffs make it extra special and worthy of gifting. You can pair it with denim for a rugged look or wear tailored pants for a more refined style — both aesthetics perfected by Steve McQueen, who the design team point to as the brand’s style icon. “[McQueen’s] approach toward the clothing he wore is still an inspiration behind our clothing: rugged, simple, effortless, with a timeless charm and the confidence to match.”

Buck Mason’s women’s collection started with the Slub and Pima tees and has steadily grown ever since. The design team explains that the T-shirts were “developed independently from our men’s collection, using the same yarns but slightly different fabrics and cuts to ensure that we were creating the best possible versions of these tees for our women customers.” This style is cut from 125 GSM cotton with a light slub texture and like all of Buck Mason’s tees, produced at the Buck Mason Knitting Mills in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.

I’ve always loved the idea of a ribbed tank dress but they’re often too thin and only work as bathing suit cover-ups. According to the design team, this dress is “an extension of our best-selling tank,” which is made from a dense 295 GSM stretch cotton so you won’t struggle to find undergarments that look good beneath it. I loved the buttery soft feel of this dress, but the best part is the cut. It hugs your body until about mid-thigh then flares out. The fabric is luxuriously heavy but you don’t have to worry about it sagging (on your figure or the hanger) because it’s designed to “softly hug against your body instead of having all its weight hinged on your shoulders.”

A great jumpsuit has a cut that looks good on different body types, and Buck Mason has figured out how to achieve just that with this cotton herringbone twill design. “The waist is slightly fitted to keep a flattering silhouette,” the design team says, “and there’s a self-belt to add a little accentuation there when necessary.” I love a utility jumpsuit for the androgynous look and the relaxed fit of this one strikes just the right balance with a touch of femininity.

For an “absolutely seasonless” jacket, the design team recommends this canvas piece. It was “built to be roomy, so it can be worn with layers making it a true 365-day piece in your closet.” The cotton canvas is 310 GSM (for comparison the slub tee is 125 GSM) making it denser than most modern canvas work clothes. The design team suggests pairing it with “a tee in the spring or layered with a chunky alpaca turtleneck in the fall.”