The Legend of Baron Raglan

Have you thanked your lucky starts for Field Marshal FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, the First Baron Raglan today? If you haven’t you probably should. Just stop whatever you are doing and take a moment, possibly even a knee if you feel it necessary. The debt of gratitude you owe him is enormous, the moment you take should be solemn yet joyous, for Baron Raglan helped invent your favorite fall garment-the Raglan. You know, the thing you wear under your shirt in baseball that your girlfriend keeps stealing? Yeah, that’s the one.

The legend of the First Baron Raglan is not the kind of thing you can make up. No really, it’s that weird. After some moderate early military successes he Joined The Duke of Wellington’s staff and distinguished himself in a number of the Duke’s campaigns from the siege of Burgos to the giddy Battle of Toulouse. Whilst serving on Wellington’s staff during the famous Battle of Waterloo he had to have his right arm amputated and immediately demanded to have it back. It seems that the doctor had taken it off with a ring his wife had given him, obviously of some sentimental value to the Baron. His dastardly plan foiled, the old saw-bones returned the limb, still wearing its ring. Undeterred by the missing limb or the gold-digging doctor Baron Raglan continued to serve in the British army and the promotions kept on coming, although the arm never actually ever grew back as hoped; which is where you come in.

Fitz found that he was unable to ”swing a sword properly” after the amputation and his standard issue gear just couldn’t afford him the kind of leverage he needed to really get some speed behind his saber. The Baron immediately approached the famous British coat-maker Aquascutum (that great overcoat Bogey wears in Casablanca-that’s Aquascutum), to make him a coat with a new kind of sleeve which allowed more freedom of movement. Aquascutum delivered, with a sleeve which doesn’t join at the shoulder, but rather up at the neck, allowing unrestricted movement and giving the wearer a range of motion uninhibited by traditional shoulder joins. They named it for him-a ”Raglan Sleeve,” and the rest, as they say, is raglan history. This unique sleeve construction is one of the principal reasons the raglan t-shirt is favored by baseball teams as the unrestricted range of motion allowed at the shoulders is more than that which a traditional t-shirt gives. With all the reaching, swinging, pitching, diving and catching that goes on in any one game it’s hardly surprising that the raglan earned a place as an easy favorite undershirt for baseball teams everywhere. Not a fashion item at all, the baseball raglan is pure function over form, comfort over compliments and saber swinging over dashing silhouettes.

SpectraUSA’s raglan line has updated this classic garment in a way which even the Baron would approve of. The SpectraUSA baseball raglan is constructed with a cleverly scalloped hemline to afford that little bit extra room in front and back and to give a really dynamic shape to the slightly tailored side seams which shape this classic into a modern, fashion staple without giving up its historical roots. We like to think its the kind of thing the Baron would have demanded, by George! This unisex cut gives a respectful nod to function over form and will ensure that you can get two, a his and hers set, just in case your partner decides to ”borrow” some of the silky-soft goodness hanging in your wardrobe.

Available in both 100% cotton (Black & White only) or in our proprietary Bi-blend fabric for ultra-softness, strength and stretch, these high-fashion colors are sure to add a real pop to your fall closet. The cut of this exclusive garment sports a scalloped, curved hemline with slimming side-seams to further enhance it’s truly unisex look. The sleeves follow the traditional length favored in baseball season with a three-quarter length drop, the perfect pitch.ÊÊÊ