Dungaree shirts” are often confused with denim shirts and chambray shirts. Although many people are aware of the fact that a dungaree shirt is a denim-like shirt, surprisingly few are able to clearly distinguish between the two. In this issue, we introduce the definition of a dungaree shirt and a selection of recommended items!
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“Dungaree” is a type of denim fabric, and it is widely believed that the name comes from the Hindi word dungrī. Dungaree fabric is said to have originated in Western India (around Mumbai) and may be derived from the name of a place called Dongri, one of the districts there. The term has also been used in English since the early 1600s to refer to thick, coarsely twilled cotton cloth. Since most of them are dyed blue, they are considered a type of denim, which is an indigo-dyed fabric made of cotton woven in twill weave. In American English, the term “dungaree” refers to a pair of work pants made of this fabric and tailored to be sturdy, while in British English, it refers to overalls with a breastplate, regardless of the type of fabric. In Japan, it is often incorrectly called a “tangerine shirt” due to pronunciation problems.
Shirts made of dungaree fabric are popular as strong and durable cotton work shirts and are dyed indigo blue in color. It is also a standard item of American casual style, and is a familiar shirt item in Japan, where American casual fashion is widely popular. Dungaree fabric is characterized by the use of white threads for the warp and colored threads such as blue and black for the weft. The twill weaving process increases the amount of white threads that show on the surface, giving the fabric a slightly whitish, pale blue look.
Denim shirts and chambray shirts are often confused with dungarees. How do they differ from dungarees? Let’s take a look at the different characteristics of each.
Denim.
Denim” is a weave that is the exact opposite of dungarees. Dungarees use white threads for the warp and colored threads for the weft, while denim uses colored threads (mainly indigo blue) for the warp and white threads for the weft. In a twill weave, the warp threads have a larger surface area, so denim fabric is characterized by the darker colored threads. As the jeans are worn, the color of the warp threads fades and the texture changes with time.
Chambray
Like denim, “chambray” uses colored yarns for the warp and white yarns for the weft, but there is a difference in the way it is originally folded. While denim is made with a twill weave, chambray is made with a plain weave to create a thin fabric. In plain weave, the colored and white yarns are woven evenly, so the amount of yarn on the surface is the same. Since each yarn is mixed half and half, chambray has a lighter color and a lighter impression.
Not many dungaree shirts in circulation?
We have introduced denim and chambray shirts along with dungarees, but while many brands offer the latter two, dungaree shirts are not widely distributed. Since dungarees are a type of denim shirt, one would think that denim brands such as Levi’s and Lee would carry them, but it seems that they are not currently available, and even if you search for them on major fashion e-commerce sites, you will rarely find them. However, L.L.Bean is the only denim brand we could find, so we introduce it here.
L.L.Bean “Dexter Dungaree Shirt
L.L.Bean’s “Dexter Dungaree Shirt” is a model from the JAPAN EDITION collection, designed by a Japanese design team to suit Japan’s climate and trends. It is a dungaree shirt with a relaxed, modern box silhouette. The material is a blend of cotton and polyester, which dries quickly and has a dry texture, making it easy to throw on and off even in warmer weather.
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