Prana Men's Salem Shirt : Plaid is Rad

I have a confession to make. When a box of Prana gear arrived for my tester Andy, I realized that the Salem Shirt would look awesome on my boyfriend. I also knew that if it ended up with my boyfriend, I'd get to wear it, too. So, I broke protocol, and Andy got one less shirt to test.

So, here's what my BF has to say: "this is a thoughtfully crafted shirt that's stylish and comfortable. I like the weight of the fabric and the fit. It's not baggy or too tailored, and it fits perfectly. I also like the contrast stitching on the chest, side seams, and shoulders. When I turn the shirt inside out I can see what a well-constructed shirt this is."

Now, here's what I have to say: there's just something about a guy in plaid! I like the black, grey, blue color palette of the Merced Blue shirt.

I also appreciate that Prana uses organic cotton in this shirt (55% cotton, 45% polyester). Normally, I prefer 100% cotton, but this shirt is so lightweight and washes up so well, that I don't remember the poly part. I'm not saying that I do my boyfriend's laundry (not that I wouldn't because he's super nice and does lots of things for me) -- just that I put it through the wash several times before handing it over.

I, too, can see that the Salem shirt is well made. Good. I also can see, because I pay attention to these things and most guys don't, the tiny message printed on the inside of the collar: "We have more possibilities in each moment than we realize." So true.

Sizes: S-XL in three colors: Cinder, Tobacco, and Merced Blue. This shirt is on sale at several online retailers; see links below.

Bottom Line : A nice every day shirt that men and the women who like looking at them can both love. Plus, free mantra!--E.D. (Jan 10)

BUY ONLINE : $60, 25% off at Backcountry ($44.96) , $34.95 at RockCreek , on sale at Amazon

Manufacturer's Site : www.prana.com