Guayabera Shirts

The first time I ever saw a Guayabera shirt was as a little kid in Cuba. My family lived in a small town in the eastern part of the island. At that time Cuba was a large sugar producing country and the town where we lived had a large sugar processing plant. My grandfather had a somewhat important position at this plant and in our town. He would often have to attend meetings of one kind or another and that’s when I first saw the Cuban Guayabera shirt.

The shirt was white with long sleeves. It was heavily starched and worn over the pants. This was considered formal wear. Being in the tropics this shirt took the place of formal business attire. Instead of wearing suits and ties man would wear a Guayabera shirt to formal functions.

The history of the Guayabera shirt has seen a number of transformations since the  time of my grandfather. Guayaberas today have a slight more casual style but can still be considered semi-formal wear. Today’s Guayabera shirts come in a variety of tropical colors with many different embroidered patterns. The most popular shirts used today are short sleeves.

Today Guayabera Shirt designers are using linen and poly blends instead of  cotton. With linen, the way it  is processed  makes it one of the most elegant and durable fabrics around. It is 2 to 3 times stronger than cotton. Linen is smooth and lint free. The more the fabric is washed its properties become more soft and subtle.

The Guayabera shirt is characterized by its mix of pockets, buttons and embroidered patterns. the shirt is ideal for summer wear. They are light and cool and perfect in humid conditions. The embroidered front panels and buttoned pockets make them extremely popular for ceremonial events.  You would be surprised to know who has worn the Guayabera.

These shirts have come to be known by several different names. They have been known as Mexican Guayabera shirts, beach wedding shirts but its most popular name is the Cuban Guayabera shirt. The reason for the many different names depends on the country that claims the shirt’s origin and to this day that origin remains a mystery.