All Things Renaissance
www.allthingsrenaissance.com/

Reviewed product: Highlander Shirt

A basic pirate shirt is a rare find - a proper cotton, elastic-free garment shouldn't seem a tall order, but it is harder to find than one might expect. All Things Renaissance offers a small variety of such shirts, though, and while they may not QUITE be Golden Age of Piracy authentic (the tied collars is a bit early), they are pretty darn close.

I ordered the Highlander style shirt, figuring the the standard collar a bit more fitting for my needs than the banded collar (and steering clear of the "musketeer" style, as I wasn't in the market for frilly.) The shirt arrived a good fit - the material is a bit heavy and rough, but in time it should break in nicely. It's a very well-made, durable shirt - the seams are all double-stitched, and the shoulder is double-layered for extra durability. The sleeves have the unusual feature of being able to be buttoned or tied, although both options leave the sleeves a little too loose at the wrist for my own hands. I had originally believed the buttons to be plastic, but on closer inspection they did appear to be organic. I eventually learned they were in fact made from "Palm Ivory," being a nut from New Greneda (an appropriately piratey touch, methinks.)

All told, this seems a very durable, well made shirt. But that said, my experience with All Things Renaissance didn't leave me entirely satisfied.

When I first placed my order online, I expected some sort of confirmation email, but none arrived. Two weeks passed, and no shirt, nor email - so I contacted them asking for some info on when I could expect my shirt - no reply. After another week passed I send a second email. This time they replied two days later, informing me the shirts were backordered, and they would ship it when they could.

Three months passed.

I sent a third email, informing All Things Renaissance that I would either need my shirt sent, or a refund. And so then, approximately four months after placing my order, the shirt arrived.

And so there it is. I know from experience that even the best companies sometimes have a bad patch, and hopefully this is the case with All Things Renaissance. But that they were weak on the communication, as well as the product delivery, leaves me somewhat leary. Still, it's a good shirt, and that fact should not be ignored.