Some AAF units and bases had their own baseball teams and their athletic apparel was often military-spec. and government issue.  Our baseball shirt is the type typically worn on cooler days under the short-sleeve, button-front baseball shirt and has the classic three-quarter sleeves in the team color, in this case red.  These "undershirts" have been forever popular worn on their own as just an outer shirt, and the detailing found on this copy is one you'll want to be seen wearing and not have mostly hidden under a baseball outer shirt.

The vintage baseball undershirts were manufactured to a standard back in their era that was very much the norm, utilizing circular tube-knitting machines that produced shirts with a perfect tube body and no side seams.  Tube-knitting machines can only weave one set diameter per loom; this means the factory needs a different loom for each size - very expensive - which is why you hardly ever see true tube construction in modern-day garments. Even the most expensive designer sweatshirts will usually have a side seam - sometimes two seams!  Tube construction ensures true shape is maintained, not only during its construction, but during its life of wear.  This is the proper way to make a sweatshirt; in the good old days, the proper way was the only way.  It's cheap and easy to make shirts from a flat piece of cloth, and most customers would never notice the difference, though they may wonder why their not-so-cheap sweatshirt seemed to lose its shape after only a few washes - but now you know.

A year of meticulous research and development has gone into this baseball shirt that was copied from a vintage example.  Japan is home to the masters of tube-knitting and we enlisted the great John Lofgren, master of vintage American clothing, to help bring this shirt to its insane levels of vintage perfection.

Please note the following vintage features found only on a shirt of this pedigree:

• Heavy-weight, all-cotton fabric for years of enjoyment under hard use

• All-cotton thread used throughout construction

• TUBE-Body construction utilizing vintage, wartime circular-knitting machines - there are no side seams

• Set-in sleeves

• #18 Toppushi yarn perfectly matched to the original vintage fabric

• The fabric is produced using a combination of two dying methods - sakizome (pre-dyed before weaving) and atozome (woven then dyed)

• Dying is performed in one location and sewing in another - very costly

• Exact copy of the original-style, printed-on-cotton labels

• True vintage fit for flattering appearance, not a sloppy, relaxed fit with droopy shoulder seams

Take a bite of old-time machismo and see how true baseball undershirts used to look and feel.  Limited quantities available.

Sizes:  36 - 46.   Please note that the individual modeling the shirt in the photos has a 38" chest circumference and he is wearing a shirt in size 40.  Please our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan

The Henley is a classic vintage-style tee shirt if ever there was one.  This is produced exclusively for ELMC by the John Lofgren workshops of Japan. The expertise in making such a garment is really only found in one place in the world these days – Japan - and John Lofgren is the master.

These Henley tee shirts are created using a thread that was developed in Japan that replicates the look and feel of vintage fabric; because these cottons all have different length staples (fibers), the thread has a distinctive texture that is similar to vintage fabric. This specialized thread is called ‘Raffy’, which is a combination of American Supima cotton, Egyptian cotton and Turfan cotton.  The body section is produced by one company and another makes the ribbing - each specializing in their own field of expertise. The cost is, naturally, much more expensive than regular mass-produced material, but the finished product is superior.

Of course, all of the authentic detailing is incorporated in the design, thus these classic, vintage Henley tee shirts have  the vintage fit, which is sensibly trim and lacking sloppy, droopy shoulders, excess blouse in the body width and length, and no sleeves hanging down to your elbows. Both over-lock and flat-seam sewing are deftly executed in this design as per the vintage garments.  Lastly, genuine, seashell buttons are employed at the neck closure and the labels in the neck are woven on vintage shuttle looms for the correct vintage look and feel.

The Henley tee is often duplicated but we offer the real deal - a sleek-fitting classic styled to vintage perfection and built to last.

Available in sizes 36 - 46.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

LAST one left 50% off retail price of $90.00!

The Henley is a classic vintage-style tee shirt if ever there was one.  This is produced exclusively for ELMC by the John Lofgren workshops of Japan. The expertise in making such a garment is really only found in one place in the world these days – Japan - and John Lofgren is the master.

These Henley tee shirts are created using a thread that was developed in Japan that replicates the look and feel of vintage fabric; because these cottons all have different length staples (fibers), the thread has a distinctive texture that is similar to vintage fabric. This specialized thread is called ‘Raffy’, which is a combination of American Supima cotton, Egyptian cotton and Turfan cotton.  The body section is produced by one company and another makes the ribbing - each specializing in their own field of expertise. The cost is, naturally, much more expensive than regular mass-produced material, but the finished product is superior.

Of course, all of the authentic detailing is incorporated in the design, thus these classic, vintage Henley tee shirts have  the vintage fit, which is sensibly trim and lacking sloppy, droopy shoulders, excess blouse in the body width and length, and no sleeves hanging down to your elbows. Both over-lock and flat-seam sewing are deftly executed in this design as per the vintage garments.  Lastly, genuine, seashell buttons are employed at the neck closure and the labels in the neck are woven on vintage shuttle looms for the correct vintage look and feel.

The Henley tee is often duplicated but we offer the real deal - a sleek-fitting classic styled to vintage perfection and built to last.

Available in sizes 36 - 46.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan

This classic, vintage-style tee shirt was produced exclusively for ELMC by the John Lofgren workshops of Japan. The expertise in making such a garment is really only found in one place in the world these days – Japan - and John Lofgren is the master.

These tee shirts are created using a thread that was developed in Japan that replicates the look and feel of vintage fabric; because these cottons all have different length staples (fibers), the thread has a distinctive texture that is similar to vintage fabric. This specialized thread is called ‘Raffy’, which is a combination of American Supima cotton, Egyptian cotton and Turfan cotton. The fabric is then woven on rare, vintage, circular knitting machines, so the body is a complete tube with no side seam and known as “body-size.”

Tube-knitting machines can only weave one set diameter per loom; this means the factory needs a different loom for each size - very expensive - which is why you hardly ever see true tube construction in modern-day garments. Tube construction ensures true shape is maintained, not only during its construction, but during its life of wear.  This is the proper way to make a tee shirt; in the good old days, the proper way was the only way.

The body section is produced by one company and another makes the ribbing - each specializing in their own field of expertise. The cost is, naturally, much more expensive than regular mass-produced material, but the finished product is superior.

Of course, all of the authentic detailing is incorporated in the design, thus these classic, vintage tee shirts have shorter sleeves than most contemporary tee shirts, which was known back in the day as quarter sleeves. And our shirts have the vintage fit, which is sensibly trim and lacking sloppy, droopy shoulders, excess blouse in the body width and length, and no sleeves hanging down to your elbows. Lastly, the labels in the neck are woven on vintage shuttle looms for the correct vintage look and feel. This vintage tee shirt design is the exact type seen being worn by Marlon Brando in the famous cult-classic, “The Wild One,” where a renegade biker club holds a small town hostage and the image of the biker bad boy was solidified in the public’s mind.  

Available in sizes 36 - 46.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from Japan

BLOWOUT clearance sale while our stock lasts - $35.00 off retail.  

This classic, vintage-style tee shirt was produced exclusively for ELMC by the John Lofgren workshops of Japan. The expertise in making such a garment is really only found in one place in the world these days – Japan - and John Lofgren is the master.

These tee shirts are created using a thread that was developed in Japan that replicates the look and feel of vintage fabric; because these cottons all have different length staples (fibers), the thread has a distinctive texture that is similar to vintage fabric. This specialized thread is called ‘Raffy’, which is a combination of American Supima cotton, Egyptian cotton and Turfan cotton. The fabric is then woven on rare, vintage, circular knitting machines, so the body is a complete tube with no side seam and known as “body-size.”

Tube-knitting machines can only weave one set diameter per loom; this means the factory needs a different loom for each size - very expensive - which is why you hardly ever see true tube construction in modern-day garments. Tube construction ensures true shape is maintained, not only during its construction, but during its life of wear.  This is the proper way to make a tee shirt; in the good old days, the proper way was the only way.

The body section is produced by one company and another makes the ribbing - each specializing in their own field of expertise. The cost is, naturally, much more expensive than regular mass-produced material, but the finished product is superior.

Of course, all of the authentic detailing is incorporated in the design, thus these classic, vintage tee shirts have shorter sleeves than most contemporary tee shirts, which was known back in the day as quarter sleeves. And our shirts have the vintage fit, which is sensibly trim and lacking sloppy, droopy shoulders, excess blouse in the body width and length, and no sleeves hanging down to your elbows. Lastly, the labels in the neck are woven on vintage shuttle looms for the correct vintage look and feel. This vintage tee shirt design is the exact type seen being worn by Marlon Brando in the famous cult-classic, “The Wild One,” where a renegade biker club holds a small town hostage and the image of the biker bad boy was solidified in the public’s mind.  

Available in sizes 36 - 46.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from Japan

BLOWOUT clearance sale until our stock is exhausted - $25.00 off retail!

This vintage tee shirt design is typical of those used by sports teams back in the day, where the trim color on collar and the entire sleeve denoted the team.  Our classic, vintage-style tee shirt was produced exclusively for ELMC by the John Lofgren workshops of Japan. The expertise in making such a garment is really only found in one place in the world these days – Japan - and John Lofgren is the master.

These tee shirts are created using a thread that was developed in Japan that replicates the look and feel of vintage fabric; because these cottons all have different length staples (fibers), the thread has a distinctive texture that is similar to vintage fabric. This specialized thread is called ‘Raffy’, which is a combination of American Supima cotton, Egyptian cotton and Turfan cotton. The fabric is then woven on rare, vintage, circular knitting machines, so the body is a complete tube with no side seam and known as “body-size.”

Tube-knitting machines can only weave one set diameter per loom; this means the factory needs a different loom for each size - very expensive - which is why you hardly ever see true tube construction in modern-day garments. Tube construction ensures true shape is maintained, not only during its construction, but during its life of wear.  This is the proper way to make a tee shirt; in the good old days, the proper way was the only way.

The body section is produced by one company and another makes the ribbing - each specializing in their own field of expertise. The cost is, naturally, much more expensive than regular mass-produced material, but the finished product is superior. Of course, all of the authentic detailing is incorporated in the design, thus these classic, vintage tee shirts have shorter sleeves than most contemporary tee shirts, which was known back in the day as quarter sleeves. And our shirts have the vintage fit, which is sensibly trim and lacking sloppy, droopy shoulders, excess blouse in the body width and length, and no sleeves hanging down to your elbows. Lastly, the labels in the neck are woven on vintage shuttle looms for the correct vintage look and feel.  

Available in sizes 36 - 46.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from Japan

The tee shirt is surely the most ubiquitous item of clothing that exists in our society today.  It fills the wardrobes of billions and is available in all shapes, sizes and colors, and its had just about every logo, slogan and advertisement put upon it known to man, but its lineage is one of humble utility, being nothing more than a basic, white undergarment that functioned as underwear.

Sailors and Marines of the U. S. military in WWII were issued with these white tee shirts, officially known as a Quarter-Sleeve Undershirt, or known in military slang in conjunction with under drawers - "Skivvies."  These service personnel were often seen stripped down to just this basic garment when working in hot environments or relaxing on a ship's decks; though such casual use of the undershirt didn’t begin in WWII, it was never before seen so worn in such great numbers as it was in WWII.  In the decades that followed the war, especially the ‘50s, this casual style was solidified by the youth who unconsciously made it fashionable, which was further inspired by Hollywood; silver-screen icons such as Brando and Dean and a host of other heart-throb stars could be seen attired in a classic white tee shirt.  Like flying jackets and jeans, the white tee shirt has secured its place in the classic-clothing wardrobe forever.

Over the years, the tee shirt has gradually evolved from its original ancestor in terms of cut, construction and quality, but it is only the original, white, military tee shirt of the late 1930s – 1940s that we identify with as markedly distinctive and more flattering than those typically encountered these many decades later.

This U. S. Navy WWII Tee Shirt we offer was copied from a new-old-stock vintage example, stitch-for-stitch.  Even the nomenclature stamp in the neck with U. S. Navy contract number is reproduced exactly from the vintage example.  Crafted from a fine- quality “slub yarn” cotton, they are constructed as per the original in terms of cut, seam style and color shade.  The neck opening, for example, is the correct style, which is slightly bigger than most modern-day tee shirts and has no ribbing; rather, the neck is opening is simply taped in the same fabric as the shirt.  The sleeves are of the true shorter, quarter-sleeve length of that era, which is much more flattering than so-called short sleeves we see today that hang down to your elbow.  The shoulders are correctly proportionate to most body types relevant to chest measures and don’t droop over onto your arms as typically seen in tee shirts of the current era.  And the torso is slim but also not gripping, and is long enough to be comfortably tucked in and not come out, yet also not long enough to be considered a dress as is the case with too many tee shirts on the market today.  Although we refer to the shade of this shirt as "white,” actually it is an off-white color as per the original; we have matched everything exactly.

The original tee shirts were made on loop-wheel, “body-size” looms which yield a shirt with no side seams, thus weaving a perfect tube.  To do this requires special looms that are only used by specialist manufacturers these days; subsequently, the looms are hard to source and expensive to produce garments on because you need one loom for each size you want made - but it's the proper way to make a vintage-style tee shirt, and it's the only way they were made for the U. S. military in the 1930's- ‘40's.

The expertise for making such a garment is largely only found in one place in the world these days - Japan.  The Japanese have become renowned as world experts in vintage-style garment manufacture and home of body-size construction, being able to produce super-accurate, vintage-quality fabrics.  Needless to say, we were only interested in producing the very best that could be achieved, so our U. S. Navy Tee Shirts are made in Japan.

For those who appreciate the fine details and quality of a vintage garment and, therefore, the absolute authenticity of a high-end reproduction, the Eastman U. S. Navy Tee Shirt is sure to delight.  This is the definitive, classic, white tee shirt of all time.

Available in sizes 36 - 44.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan

This is the classic undershirt of the USMC throughout the later phases of WWII. These Tee Shirts along with the corresponding under drawers were commonly known in the slang of sailors and marines as “Skivvies.”

The USMC entered WWII with off-white “Skivvies” identical to those worn by the U. S. Navy, but after lessons learned in combat amidst the green jungle landscape of Pacific battlefields, it became clear that anything white made the wearer a good target for enemy fire, so a directive was issued to contract for green “Skivvies” beginning in 1943. The shade of green was unique to the USMC, being something like bottle green, and due to various production and supply priorities and problems, these new “Marine Green” Tee Shirts and drawers didn’t see large-scale issue until the spring of 1944.

This “Marine Green” Tee Shirt copy has been meticulously researched, developed and manufactured in Japan by the best in the business. They’re produced with a special thread called ‘Raffy’, which is a combination of American Supima cotton, Egyptian cotton and Turfan cotton, which replicates the look and feel of vintage fabric; because these cottons all have different length staples, the thread has a distinctive texture that is similar to vintage fabric. This specialized thread is then woven on rare, vintage, circular knitting machines, so the body is a complete tube with no side seam and known as ‘body-size’ - just like the vintage “Skivvies.”

Finally, the dying and sewing construction are impeccably matched to original examples, rendering a recreation that is second-to-none.

Available in sizes 36 - 44.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan

Since 2007, we have been selling these vintage-style tee shirts to only our clients with whom we have enjoyed a personal relationship, but so strong is our love affair with these tee shirts, that now we are making available to everyone one of our most favorite items!

The Whitesville brand is a long-defunct sportswear label from the "good old days" in American clothing that was resurrected by the same manufacturer that brings us the world-renowned Buzz Rickson's, Sugar Cane, and Sun Surf brands.  Whitesville tee shirts take us back to when tee shirts were not moo moo dresses outfitted with short sleeves that flirt with our elbows; rather, these are vintage-style tee shirts of the 1950's - 1970's that are trim fitting, short in the body length, and with quarter-length sleeves.  The trim design with quarter sleeves lends itself well to reducing excess fabric and bulk when worn as an undershirt or just as a tee shirt, and the short body length affords a flattering look when worn untucked, typically stopping near the trouser pockets, though tucking in remains anyone's option.

The original tee shirts were made on “body-size” looms which yield a shirt with no side seams, thus weaving a perfect tube.  To do this requires special looms that are only used by specialist manufacturers these days; subsequently, the looms are hard to source and expensive to produce garments on because you need one loom for each size you want made - but it's the proper way to make a vintage-style tee shirt, and it's the only way they were made in the 1950's - ‘70's.

The expertise for making such a garment is largely only found in one place in the world these days - Japan.  The Japanese have become renowned as world experts in vintage-style garment manufacture and home of body-size construction, being able to produce super-accurate, vintage-quality fabrics.  

These Whitesville vintage-style tee shirts are produced from fine-weave cotton with a high stitch count, have a reinforced rib-knit neck tape, and come in vintage-style packaging with two tee shirts per pack, thus the price you see on this page is for two tee shirts, not one.

We cannot endorse these tee shirts any more highly; they are a staff favorite, and we're sure you'll want to make them a wardrobe staple!

Available in sizes Sm - XXL.  Shrinkage should be expected.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan