Navy is the most versatile tone in this four-colourway corduroy shirt range from Childsplay, and it earns that position without much argument. It's the shade that works hardest across different settings — smart enough for a school photograph or a family lunch, relaxed enough for a weekend in the park. Made from a 97% cotton, 3% elastane fine-wale corduroy in Turkey, it combines a classic colour with a fabric that has genuine texture and wears better than plain wovens over time.

The construction keeps things simple: no print, no embellishment, no branding across the chest. The corduroy wale provides all the visual detail the shirt needs. Navy in particular reads well across a range of skin tones and hair colours, and unlike lighter shades, it holds its depth wash after wash without fading noticeably in the early months of wear.

The elastane in the blend means the shirt gives across the shoulders and back, which makes a meaningful difference for boys who find structured shirts restrictive. Wash at 30°C or below, and lay flat or hang to dry rather than tumble drying on a high heat setting, which can cause the fabric to shrink and the wale to lose its definition.