How to Wear a Cuban Shirt: Camp Collar Styling Guide
To wear a Cuban shirt, button it about halfway, leave the flat camp collar open, and keep it untucked over light trousers or tailored shorts with clean loafers or leather sandals. The open collar and the breathable fabric carry the look, so keep everything else simple. A Cuban shirt is also called a camp collar shirt, a revere collar shirt, or a bowling shirt, and the same rules apply whatever name you use for it.
At House of Suave, the Cuban linen shirt comes in three striped shades, Ravenna Noir, Amalfi Sky, and Portofino Dune, each cut in a linen cotton blend that stays cool through an Indian summer. Prices start from Rs 1,949, and every shade is made to order in sizes L to 10XL, so you can buy your size even when stock looks low.
Ravenna Noir striped Cuban linen shirt, from Rs 1,949
What is a Cuban shirt?
A Cuban shirt is a shirt with a flat, notched collar that sits open at the neck and a straight, boxy hem meant to be worn untucked. The design is a simple idea: an open neckline, a loose drape, and a fabric that breathes, so the shirt reads as put together without ever feeling stiff. It is the collar that gives it away, worn open and lying flat rather than buttoned up.
The style has roots in mid century resort and holiday wear, which is why it still reads relaxed today, and it comes in both short sleeve and long sleeve versions. The fabric matters as much as the collar. A Cuban shirt in a linen cotton blend keeps the airy, textured look of linen while the cotton adds a little softness and structure, so the shirt holds its shape instead of clinging. That balance is what makes the House of Suave Cuban linen shirts comfortable to wear from a midday lunch through to a late evening, which is also why they suit the beach and resort look so well.
Cuban collar, camp collar, or revere collar: what to call it
If the names look confusing, that is only because the same shirt has collected several over the years. Cuban collar, camp collar, and revere collar all describe the one piece flat collar that folds open at the neck, while bowling shirt and vacation shirt are informal names for the same relaxed, untucked style. So a camp collar shirt and a Cuban shirt are not two different things, they are one shirt with two names, and you can search either term and land on the same look. What sets it apart from an ordinary shirt is the collar itself, which lies flat and open rather than standing up to take a tie or a buttoned top. If you want the full breakdown of how it differs from a standard shirt, our guide on the Cuban shirt versus a regular collar shirt walks through the collar, the cut, and when to reach for each.
How to wear a Cuban shirt: four easy looks
Everyday casual
For a relaxed daytime look, button the shirt about halfway and leave the collar open and flat. Pair it with straight fit trousers or tailored shorts in a neutral tone, and finish with loafers or leather sandals. Because the collar is already a statement, keep everything else quiet: no busy prints, no heavy jewellery. A striped Cuban shirt over plain stone or white bottoms is a complete outfit on its own.
Smart evening
The same shirt dresses up easily. Choose a darker stripe like Ravenna Noir, wear it with well cut trousers and clean leather shoes, and add a slim belt. The camp collar keeps the look easy rather than formal, which is the point: it is smart without trying too hard. This is where the linen blend earns its keep, since it drapes cleanly for photos and stays cool in a crowded room. If you want it a little more polished, the same moves that take a linen shirt from office to evening apply here too.
Beach and resort
On holiday, the Cuban shirt is in its natural home, which is exactly why it is often called a vacation shirt. Wear it fully relaxed over swim shorts or linen trousers, sleeves as they fall, collar open. A lighter shade such as Amalfi Sky or the sandy Portofino Dune suits bright coastal light and pairs well with sunglasses and espadrilles. Layer it open over a plain tee if the evening cools down.
Layered and transitional
When the weather sits between seasons, wear the Cuban shirt open over a plain crew neck tee as a light layer, or under an unstructured jacket with the collar left outside the lapel for a nod to its retro bowling shirt roots. This keeps the shirt in rotation beyond peak summer without losing its relaxed character.
Amalfi Sky striped Cuban linen shirt, an easy resort and evening option
What to wear with a Cuban shirt
The Cuban shirt is easy to build an outfit around because it does most of the talking. For bottoms, straight or tapered trousers in stone, sand, olive, or navy sit cleanly under the striped shades, and tailored shorts in the same neutral tones work for daytime and resort settings. Denim works too if you keep it a mid or dark wash and slightly relaxed rather than skinny, which suits the loose cut of the shirt.
For footwear, lean into leather: loafers and clean minimal sneakers for city and evening, leather sandals or espadrilles for the beach. On colour, let the stripe guide you. Ravenna Noir pairs with charcoal and deep navy for evenings, while Amalfi Sky and Portofino Dune sit well against tan, off white, and pale grey for daytime. Keep the palette to two or three tones and the outfit looks considered rather than busy.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most Cuban shirt outfits go wrong in a couple of predictable ways. The first is buttoning it to the very top, which flattens the collar and loses the open, relaxed line that defines the style. Leave the top buttons undone so the collar can sit flat. The second is tucking it in fully, since the straight hem is cut to hang outside your trousers, not to be gathered at the waist. The third is over accessorising: because the collar and the stripe already carry the look, piling on chains, a loud watch, and a hat makes it feel like a costume. Keep the extras minimal. Finally, avoid pairing it with tight, skinny bottoms, which fight the loose drape of the shirt. A relaxed shirt wants a relaxed leg to balance it.
Portofino Dune striped Cuban linen shirt, the flexible sandy neutral
Styling the three House of Suave stripes
Ravenna Noir is the darkest of the three, a deep striped shade that works for evenings and city settings where you want the shirt to feel a little sharper. Amalfi Sky is a cooler, brighter stripe that leans holiday and daytime, and sits well against tan and off white bottoms. Portofino Dune is the warm, sandy neutral of the set, the most flexible choice if you want one Cuban shirt that moves from beach to brunch to dinner without a second thought. All three share the same relaxed cut and the same linen cotton blend, so if you are buying your first Cuban shirt, Portofino Dune is the safe all rounder, while Ravenna Noir adds contrast to a wardrobe of neutrals.
Fit, fabric, and sizing
The Cuban collar shirt is meant to sit relaxed, not tight. It is cut to skim the body rather than hug it, with a straight hem you can wear untucked. House of Suave makes each of these shirts in a linen cotton blend and offers them in a wide size range from L to 10XL, so bigger builds get the same easy drape rather than a compromised fit. These shirts are made to order, which means you can buy your size even when stock looks low. If you usually wear a linen shirt fitted, expect the Cuban cut to sit a touch roomier by design. For more warm weather options beyond the camp collar, the wider premium shirts range carries the brand's other linen blend styles in the same generous sizing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Cuban shirt?
A Cuban shirt is a shirt with a flat, open camp collar and a straight hem meant to be worn untucked. House of Suave makes it in a breathable linen cotton blend, in three stripes and sizes L to 10XL. It is a relaxed, resort leaning style rather than a formal shirt.
How do you wear a Cuban shirt?
Button it about halfway, leave the collar open and flat, and keep it untucked over light trousers or tailored shorts with clean loafers or sandals. Keep accessories minimal and let the collar and fabric be the focus.
What is a Cuban collar shirt called?
A Cuban collar shirt is also known as a camp collar shirt, a revere collar shirt, or a bowling shirt, and it is often described as a vacation shirt because of its resort wear roots. They all refer to the same flat, open collar worn untucked.
What trousers go with a Cuban shirt?
Straight or tapered trousers in stone, sand, olive, or navy work well, and tailored shorts in the same neutral tones suit daytime and resort looks. A mid or dark wash relaxed jean also works. Avoid tight, skinny bottoms, which fight the loose drape of the shirt.
Can you dress up a Cuban shirt?
Yes. Choose a darker stripe like Ravenna Noir, wear it with tailored trousers and leather shoes, and it reads smart casual for dinners and evenings without feeling formal.
Should a Cuban shirt be tucked in?
No. The straight hem is designed to be worn untucked. A light half tuck at the front can work with tailored trousers for a sharper evening look, but the default is untucked.
What size Cuban linen shirt should I buy?
House of Suave offers these Cuban linen shirts in sizes L to 10XL. The cut is relaxed by design, so pick your usual size for an easy fit, or size down slightly if you prefer it closer to the body.
Are House of Suave Cuban shirts pure linen?
No. They are a linen cotton blend, which keeps the breathable, textured feel of linen while adding a little softness and structure from the cotton.
Shop the Cuban linen shirts
Browse the full range in the Cuban linen shirts collection to see all three stripes and every size, and read our Cuban versus regular collar shirt guide if you are deciding between the two.
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