Trying to identify a shirt material

[DMSteed]

Hello, I am very interested in having some custom shirts made, but am really struggling to identify the correct material to use.

I keep seeing older shirts made with a very soft, comfortable, textured material, but which could still be worn with a tie.
I've attached three different examples - I'm wondering if these are just different types of cotton, but I can't find anything similar available (especially the first picture is very soft and comfortable), and I've looked everywhere!

Any help would be very much appreciated!

 

[claireshaeffer]

It's difficult to identify most fabrics from a photo, but the fabric you are looking for is a shirting.
Generally, soft comfortable shirtings are made from a long staple or Egyptian cotton. If you want a pastel color, the batiste fabrics used for French handsewing would work. I always go to Britex because they are in SF, but Jennys in MN is another source for high in fabrics. I'm not as familiar with the NY stores.

 

[MagsRags]

My favorite men's vintage shirts are often rayon gabardine. Rayon is the fiber, and gabardine is the weave. Modern dress shirts are generally either 100% cotton, which wrinkles, or a blend of cotton and a synthetic for fewer wrinkles.

This Gabanaro shirt on my website is rayon gab. I included pics of original 1950s Gabanaro ads from Arrow for historical purposes.

For a modern equivalent, you might be happy with tencel - it generally has the soft draping quality I think you might be looking for.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

You might look for fabrics called broadcloth or perhaps poplin, (cotton versions) both of which are similar and are often used for men's shirting. Also chambray.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

You've got some good suggestions here, to which I'll only add that your tailor or seamstress will likely have some suggestions and may even have some good fabric on stock, or suppliers who offer discounts. So I would ask them for their opinion as they will likely have preferences too.