Ministry of Supply Apollo Shirt Review

Have you ever met Mormon missionaries while traveling?

I have – on surprisingly many occasions. And frequently those have been in the most remote parts of South America.

While wearing the Future Forward dress shirt by Ministry (formerly known as the Ministry of Supply Apollo shirt) during my recent trip in Ecuador, I couldn’t help but think the Future Forward would be the perfect shirt for Mormon missionaries.

Traveling in South America for 8 months a couple of years earlier, I spotted several pairs of missionaries, all of whom wore the standard uniform of white dress shirts and either black or khaki pants. The Future Forward dress shirt would meet the look requirements, while being easy to travel with, wrinkle-resistant, comfortable, and great for off the grid environments. And the brand’s name is “Ministry”.

Say what you want about Mormon missionaries, they’re a market Ministry could tap into….

They say the best inventions are usually a merge of two items into something even better.

Steel, comprised of iron and carbon. The smartphone, comprised of a computer and a telephone. The Ministry Future Forward dress shirt is the marriage between a dress shirt and a technical moisture wicking t-shirt.

Since getting it, I’ve worn the Future Forward shirt to a trade show, to 5-star restaurants and street food stalls, to church, while traveling and just on normal daily occasions.

Pros

• Comfortable and has a bit of stretch
• Wrinkle resistant, easy to pack
• Presentable and sharp
• Great fit
• Great for hot weather, moisture wicking
• Quick drying
• Easy to care for – no dry cleaning required, just toss it in the washing machine and dryer

Is it travel worthy?

The Future Forward dress shirt has most of the qualities you’d want in a travel-friendly shirt. From a travel standpoint, it’s a massive upgrade from the normal cotton dress shirt.

Though wrinkle resistant, the Future Forward shirt can wrinkle, but not as easily as a cotton dress shirt. After unpacking it, you’d probably still want to iron the shirt out. Also, the moisture wicking material is perfect for hot environments. The dress shirt is so comfortable that I’ve actually slept in it once.

Many white dress shirts are borderline translucent, but the Ministry dress shirt’s material is slightly thicker than that of a normal cotton shirt. Wearing an undershirt is optional.

Fit

The Future Forward dress shirt comes in sizes XS to XXL, and the option of either a “slim” or “standard” cut.

I am 5’8″, 130 lbs and got size XS slim. The shirt turned out to fit my frame very well. According to the Ministry website, “Choose slim if you’re looking for a truly fitted shirt.” I don’t own one of their regular fit shirts, so can’t compare, but I found the slim fit to be just right. A regular fit probably would have been baggy on me.

The shirt length is perfect for tucking, and I would not recommend wear it untucked – it’d be too long. The barrel cuffed sleeves were just the right length.

Cons

• Not like a traditional cotton dress shirt
• Slightly pricey

If you are looking for a conservative, traditional-style dress shirt, the Future Forward is not for you. From afar, it’s hard to tell the difference between a standard cotton dress shirt and the polyester blend Future Forward, but up close, it’s evident that the Future Forward is made from a different material. It’s almost gauze-like. It does not feel like cotton and is reminiscent a Nike Dri-FIT t-shirt.

The Future Forward shirt also does not have collar stays or collar stay slots. That was never an issue for me, though, as the collar is quite rigid and stays in place regardless.

Also, the Future Forward shirt buttons are plastic. Are mother of pearl buttons too much to ask for on a $95 dress shirt? 🙂

The Verdict

The Future Forward dress shirt by Ministry is a high quality performance dress shirt. It’s not for dress shirt purists, but will meet the needs of anyone looking for a modern, technical yet sharp dress shirt.

The Future Forward comes in 8 solid colors: navy blue, medium grey, white (which I’ve tested), lavender, blueberry, black, oxford blue and light grey. At retail $95, it’s a premium price for a premium product.

Where To Get It

• Get the Future Forward dress shirt (formerly known as the Apollo dress shirt) on ministry.co

What are your thoughts on the Ministry Future Forward dress shirt? Leave a comment below.

The Ministry Future Forward dress shirt was provided for this review. As always, this Ministry Future Forward dress shirt review contains only my honest views and opinions. 🙂 Find out more about me and this site here.