I have a photo from every trip I've taken in the last two years, and in every one of them I'm wearing the same shirt. Nobody has noticed. That is the highest compliment I can pay a piece of clothing.
It's the Relaxed Signature Button-Up in Dark Turquoise. A deep, saturated blue that photographs beautifully against sea, stone and sky, in a 45% linen, 55% cotton blend that's cut to be relaxed on purpose. It has never been ironed, and it has never needed to be.
Here's why it's the first thing into my bag, and why this week is the time to get one.
It comes out of a suitcase looking like it came off a hanger
The trick isn't that it doesn't wrinkle. Everything wrinkles. The trick is that linen wrinkles softly and the relaxed cut turns those creases into part of the look. Shake it, hang it, wear it. The blue is deep enough that any texture reads as richness rather than mess.
This is the difference between a shirt you pack and a shirt you pack around. I've never once had to plan my morning around getting this one presentable.
The color does the work for you
Most travel clothes are beige, gray and navy for a reason: they're safe. This turquoise is the opposite of safe and somehow easier to wear. It goes with white jeans, black pants, a denim skirt, a swimsuit. It looks good on every skin tone I've seen it on, and it makes a simple outfit look like a decision.
You'll notice it in the photos. So will everyone else.
It's four outfits, which is how I pack so little
Buttoned and tucked, it's a shirt for a nice restaurant. Open over a tank, it's a light jacket for the evening breeze. Knotted at the waist, it's lunch by the water. Thrown over a swimsuit, it's the walk to the beach.
The long shirttail hem is what makes all four work. It tucks properly, knots at the waist rather than under the bust, and covers what you'd rather cover when it's open.
It's flattering at 60, and at a 3XL
The cut is boxy through the body with dropped shoulders, so nothing pulls across the bust or clings at the middle. The sleeves cover the upper arms and roll to a neat three-quarter. A small pleat with a button at the back gives it shape from behind.
It runs from S to 5XL. Your usual size gives you the relaxed look; go down one if you'd like it neater. Exchanges are free, so there's no risk in getting it wrong.
It survives a hotel sink and a hot afternoon
Linen and cotton breathe, wick and dry fast. In 90°F it keeps you cool. In a cold museum, buttoned up, it's a layer. When it needs washing on the road, cold water and a squirt of shampoo in the sink are enough, and it's dry by morning.
At home: cold gentle cycle, hang to dry. Every wash makes it a little softer. Mine is two years in and better than new.
What I used to pack vs. what I pack now
I made this list for a friend who packs four blouses for a weekend. She bought the shirt. She still packs four blouses, but she wears this one.
| Relaxed Signature Button-Up | My old travel blouses | |
|---|---|---|
| Ironing on arrival | None | Every morning |
| After 9 hours in a suitcase | Looks intentional | Looks slept in |
| Breathes in heat | Linen and cotton | Polyester, clings |
| Outfits per shirt | Four | One |
| Sink-washable | Yes, dry by morning | Stiff and marked |
| Sizes | S to 5XL | S to XL |
How I pack it, every time
Ninety seconds, no folding, no creases that matter.
- Sleeves in, roll from the hem up, tuck in a corner of the bag
- Wear it on the plane if it's the nicest thing you own (it will be)
- Hang it in the bathroom while you shower on arrival
- Rinse in the sink if needed, dry by morning
The color everyone asks about
Tap to check your size. This shade sells through fastest in M and L.
Readers who took it traveling
Signature shirts sold and counting
Wore it for two weeks in Portugal, washed it twice in a sink, never ironed it. The blue is even richer in person. My sister has ordered one.
I'm 61 and I've never had so many compliments on one shirt. It's cool in the heat and it hides a multitude of sins without looking like it's trying.
Runs big, as described, so I went down a size and the fit is perfect. The little button on the back is lovely. Ships fast, looks exactly like the pictures.
This is the shirt in every one of my vacation photos and I'm not sorry. Buttoned for dinner, open for the beach. Half price is silly for what it is.
Half price on the shirt in all my vacation photos
The Relaxed Signature Button-Up in Dark Turquoise normally sells for $99.90. Readers can get it for $49.90 this week, sizes S to 5XL.
This color runs low in M and L every time it's featured. If the button below still works, the price is still $49.90.
Questions readers ask
What is it made of?
45% linen and 55% cotton. Natural fibers only. Light, breathable and softer with every wash.
Does it really not need ironing?
Correct. The relaxed cut and linen texture are designed to be worn as they are. Hang it in the bathroom while you shower if you'd like it smoother.
How does it fit?
Intentionally oversized with dropped shoulders and a long shirttail hem. Take your usual size for the relaxed look or go down one for neater. Sizes S to 5XL, free exchanges.
How do I wash it?
Cold gentle machine cycle or hand wash, hang to dry. A hotel sink works fine. No tumble dryer, no bleach.
How fast does it ship?
Orders ship within 24 hours with tracking. Delivery estimates are shown at checkout.
The bottom line
Eleven trips, one shirt, no iron. It's the most reliable thing I own and it's the color I get asked about most. If you travel even twice a year, you'll get more wear out of this than anything else in the bag.
At half price, it's the easiest yes of your packing list.
P.S. Order the size you'd wear on the plane. That's the one you'll live in.
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