Even if you’ve never heard the term “rayon” before, chances are there’s actually at least one item made out of the fabric that’s already hanging in your closet. The silky material makes up many of our favorite button-down shirts, which are often a great option if you’re searching for a fun, patterned piece.
What Is Rayon?
Its invention dating as far back as 1846, rayon is credited as the first synthetic fiber that permeated the fashion industry, and it made its way to the U.S. in 1911, most often used as an artificial silk.
The introduction of rayon in clothing was monumental for consumers because it meant an increase in accessibility to the soft, lightweight sensation formerly found in silk but at a more affordable price.
Why We Love Rayon Shirts
We think the fact that rayon fabric imitates the look and feel of silk probably has an inherent appeal that speaks for itself. Everyone can use an extra boost of luxury and comfort. Rayon shirts often come in the form of a button-down, which are extremely versatile in that you can easily dress them up or down.
On top of that, there are several other reasons we love button-downs:
- They often come in fun prints and patterns.
- They transcend gender boundaries.
- They make for great stand-alone statement pieces.
- They’re awesome when it comes to layering.
All this is to essentially say that rayon button-downs make for an interesting addition to anyone’s wardrobe because their versatility will really let you play around with different looks and styles.
Oftentimes with rayon, you can wear the same top to a restaurant, on the beach, or out to the club. You can take the same shirt and wear it buttoned up over a pair of jeans or left open over a fitted tank top for two distinct looks.
Because rayon button-downs can often be loose and drapey, they fall right in line with the “oversized” top trend that we often see in modern fashion, and they hold the potential to suit all body types.
Shopping Vintage
That all being said, you may find yourself asking, “But where do I even find my next rayon shirt?” Thrilling is an online, vintage marketplace that allows you to easily search for exactly what you’re looking for. This will save you the time of searching clothing tags for fabric descriptions, and more importantly, shopping vintage guarantees you’ll find an especially unique piece.
We mentioned earlier that rayon has a rich history, and retro clothing items are in some ways authentic time capsules. Snagging vintage finds often means owning patterns and prints that you’d never find in production today.
How To Incorporate Rayon Shirts Into Your Next Look
As we already touched on briefly, rayon shirts are versatile and can be styled in many different ways. We’re here to take you through a different variety of pieces, all with exciting and spunky potential, that fall into a few different categories:
- Short-Sleeve Button-Downs
- Abstract Prints
- Patchwork Patterns
- Hawaiian Shirts
- Long Sleeve Button-Downs
- Shirt Dresses
- Matching Sets
Depending on what you want to add to your collection and your own style preferences, you can explore the fun, colorful world of rayon to find the best piece for you.
Abstract Prints
Many retro, rayon shirts come in a lot of abstract and often quirky prints. If you’d like to add a visually interesting piece to your collection, these shirts are the way to go. Whether you like a lot of color or something more simplistic, there are options out there for you:
- This ‘90s multicolor, abstract, floral rayon shirt incorporates bright, vibrant shades of pink and green into its funky pattern. A design like this really pops off the fabric and would make for an eye-catching conversation starter at your next party.
- If you like minimalistic designs, shirts like this ‘90s gray, geometric print, striped shirt are made up of more neutral tones, and their power is in their subtlety.
Patchwork Patterns
Still falling into the abstract category, “patchwork” style patterns give off the illusion of being almost like a fun, retro quilt. Unique shirts like these are eye-catching and really transform you into a walking art piece.
- This ‘90s patchwork, martini print shirt, is the perfect choice for your next trip out to the bar. Patchworks lend themselves well to being really colorful and pleasantly geometric.
- We love the brown, blue, and olive green shades in this ‘90s multicolor patchwork shirt. When you’re looking to wear something like this open over another fitted top, match the color of your base layer to one of the colors you find amongst the patchwork.
Hawaiian Shirts
Hawaiian shirts made their way to the mainland in the U.S. in the 1930s and were notably loved by men and women alike. They were donned by many celebrities, including Elvis Presley, in the 1960s. If you’re looking for a particularly beachy, casual item, this shirt is the choice for you.
- This ‘50s tiki, aloha, rayon shirt is a classic Hawaiian print distinguished by its colorful floral pattern.
- Again, there are neutral color options out there, like this ‘80s tropical, brown, and white print shirt, and they may be a great option if you’re hoping to pair them with non-neutral bottoms.
The Long Sleeve
This category is pretty self-explanatory; just apply everything we’ve said thus far to the case of longer sleeves.
- While a lot of prints and patterns similar to those we looked at above come in long sleeve varieties as well, we want to highlight this ‘90s oversized, metallic blouse for its uniquely glossy sheen that we have not yet looked at.
The Shirt Dress
Branching out a bit from the button-downs we’ve discussed thus far, we also have to point out the awesome advent of the shirt dress. This takes the term “oversized” to a whole new level because these clothing items are crafted as purposefully lengthy shirts intended to be worn as stand-alone dresses.
- We love this ‘90s colorful, striped shirt dress, as we haven’t really covered a simple, striped pattern yet. This dress is bright and fun, and it’s perfect if you like a lot of color.
- If you love your Hawaiian shirts, dresses like this ‘90s fruit print dress are really reminiscent of an extra-long, aloha print.
Matching Sets
If you want a super unique, full-body look, consider searching for a matching set, like this ‘80s pastel floral set to cover yourself in rayon from head to toe.
Raking In The Rayon
Judging by all of these items and their bright, abstract, funky prints, you can see that rayon shirts make for really cool, quirky additions to your vintage collection. When you’re looking to really spice up your next party outfit, throw a dazzling, floral button-down over your outfit for an added boost of vibrance.
It’s no wonder that rayon shirts and fun prints have been around for decades and decades. They make for several interesting style options, and they’re just plain fun! Summer is truly for catching some rays(on).
Sources:
Rayon And Its Impact On The Fashion Industry At Its Introduction, 1910-1924 | Iowa State University
Mens Button-Downs Are A Quarantine Fashion Trend 2020 | Refinery29