When we last reviewed March Tee, they had just one product for men in 4 colours. They now have 5 of them with almost as many colours in each. When a brand I love starts to diversify, I tend to get somewhat apocalyptic because I’m a firm believer in sticking to what one does best. Thankfully, everything that March Tee has done since hasn’t moved an inch outside their niche of high-quality, basic, plain t-shirts. From classic crew they’ve gone onto V-neck, long sleeve and even polo. And lastly, the curiously named ‘Hammo’ – their latest reprise, which we’re reviewing. Let’s dive in.
In a nutshell
Hammo is March Tee’s take on a short sleeve sweatshirt. If you follow the brand, you would’ve seen it in their collection last year too. The time of introduction (reintroduction, rather) is apt as the weather is starting to cool down and the Hammo’s got this lazy-lounge-y character to it, that helps start sloth-mode activation.
After wearing it for a while, I feel that the Hammo nails a certain laid-back vibe rather than going for sharper cuts I’ve come to expect from the brand – It’s part silicon valley and part nonchalant contrarian. This mood is my favourite thing about it. Quality and finish feel very good, of course, with no sign of any corners being cut. The Hammo is a different and very specific product alright, but who’s it for? I’d say streetwear lovers, frequent travellers or, well, nonchalant contrarians.
Sleeves are longer than a normal tee. The Hammo works for most weather conditions that aren’t extreme.
March Tee Hammo: Should you? Shouldn’t you?
Pros
- A different kind of experimental vibe – a half sleeve sweatshirt is an uncommon (but welcome) occurrence
- Versatility and style of a tee, comfort and cosiness of a sweatshirt
- Well constructed and finished
- The relaxed fit and longer sleeves lend it a certain effortless maturity
Cons
- Longer sleeves may not be everyone’s cup of tea (though I’ve personally started to dig them)
- I expected the Hammo to feel a bit softer against the skin
The basics
- Heather grey Hammo
- 3 ply fabric, made from 100% combed cotton
- Ribbed at the neck, waist and sleeve-ends
- Made in India
But what’s a Hammo? It’s a play on hammock, actually, as the sweatshirt is made with comfort in mind, and a hammock is – you got it – comfortable.
March Tee use Supima cotton for all their t-shirts (which is a specific kind of extra long fibre grown in the USA), but the Hammo is made with locally sourced cotton, which is suitable for the specially developed knitting process the material goes through – a slow twisted yarn loop process, I’m told. This makes for a more ‘Made in India’ product, which is something that we always feel happy about at Definitely Curry. Whether the change in cotton type will impact longevity in any way remains to be seen.
Also offered in Matte Black. Photo courtesy March Tee.
First impressions
In theory, a short sleeved sweatshirt shouldn’t work at all. But in a very strange way, it does. There will be some of you who are already quite into the idea, while others will wonder if the Hammo serves any kind of real purpose. My experience is relevant to the latter because when I tried the Hammo, I wasn’t sure what to feel in the first couple of minutes. I just looked in the mirror, trying to make peace with this quirky creation. The sleeves were longer than I thought, the fit was more relaxed than I’d like and overall, it didn’t feel very light either.
But after a while, it switched and I started to ease in to what the Hammo offered. It’s an alternative style of t-shirt that could be nerdy or a power statement depending on how you rock it. Especially because of the sleeve length, there’s a certain been-there-done-that maturity to the Hammo. So while March says the Hammo is all about being Comfy AF, I’d say it also signals IDGAF. The Hammo will feel at home in a number of scenarios – an airport, a tech firm or in a streetwear enthusiast’s wardrobe, to name a few.
The full package
The Hammo comes in a sturdy, rectangular cardboard box. Inside the box is an embossed ivory paper bag – very premium to the touch – which contains the Hammo. The paper packaging is a welcome departure from the plastic (albeit reusable and high quality) in which I’ve received tees from March earlier. The signature March Tee pencil retains its plastic holder, though. I hope this is the next target in their effort to have more eco-friendly packaging.
Which brings to me one very small, but extremely cool detail which shows the kind of thought that March Tee put into the entire experience cycle. Above the point where the paper bag is sealed with glue, there are perforations with the help of which you can easily open it without violently ripping it apart or resorting to weaponry from your stationery drawer. It’s always about the little touches. Always.
The cosy feeling before you even put one on. Visible knit detail and a heavy collar rib.
March Tee Hammo: Details, fit and feel
Onto some details. The Hammo’s fabric is a thicker knit, of course, when compared to a normal tee. This does make it casual-comfortable with a hint of cosiness, but it’s not warm, as such. One can wear it as long as the weather isn’t extreme. Though given that the brand’s marketing line for the Hammo is Comfy AF, I expected it to feel a bit softer against my skin. The weight of it is something I got used to soon enough.
As I mentioned, the sleeves are long and end a little above the elbow. Whereas the length is right for the kind of garment, falling below the waist but not by too much. I found the fit itself to be loose and relaxed in an easygoing kind of way, which works with the comfort orientation. I wear Medium with a slim body type; so given that the relaxed fit is intended, I’d say the Hammo wears true to size. It should wear a bit more snug on athletic body types.
Pairing: What can you wear a Hammo with?
After wearing it a bit and trying different combinations, I came to the conclusion that the Hammo works best in casual settings and it’s quite hard to dress it up. My favourite pairing (for Heather Grey) is dark chinos and sneakers. A Hammo will work really well with joggers too. Moccasins complemented it alright, but try to make it any more dressy and there’s an immediate disconnect.
Also, this is not a sharp fit, so the Hammo isn’t something that’ll lift your outfit up the way other March Tees do. You’ll have to own the look here. So it’s best to keep it as casual as you can, while not losing your personal sense of style. It may sound needlessly profound, but some of you will really get what I mean when I say this – you have to wear the Hammo, it can’t be the one wearing you.
Pricing and buying
The Hammo for men from March Tee is priced at ₹2,300 and can be purchased from their website MarchTee.com. Colours available at the time of writing are Heather Grey, Matte Black and Paper Blue, all of which can be checked out on the product page by clicking here.
It’s hard to find an apple-to-apple price comparison for a short sleeve sweatshirt in the Indian market, but I searched a little. I found that the Hammo’s pricing isn’t too far off from what fast-fashion brands are charging for basic sweatshirts. Except here, you also get top materials and the satisfaction of supporting a homegrown, indie brand.
March have also started a loyalty program and you’ll get a points statement (10% of transaction value) in your email after purchase. You can use these points when buying your next tee.
The Paper Blue Hammo in low light. It looks brighter in natural conditions. Photo courtesy March Tee.
Summing up
The Hammo by March is a commendable effort at inventing and reinventing, and their desire to create nothing short of top quality is clearly felt here too. I’d written earlier that this is a very specific product – it’s definitely not for everyone. But they made it anyway and that’s what’s heartening to see, coming from a young label. The tee itself is unique and really fun to wear because of how it makes you feel. It’s versatile enough to work in most casual situations, subtly different to bring in individual flavour and appropriate for pleasant weather. Fabric is good, details are on-point and everything from the ordering process to unboxing experience is carefully thought through. Wear it whenever, it’s a very chill piece of clothing.
How did you hear about March Tee and their Hammo? Sound like something up your alley? Let us know in the comments below.