A "button-down shirt" .

[Doc4]

... has this kind of collar.

The collar "buttons down", hence the name. One story I heard was that the style originated with polo players who didn't want their shirt collars coming detached and flying around during matches (back in the day when one wore dress shirts to play polo ... long, long ago.)

Often times, I see this term "button down shirt" being applied to any "dress shirt" or sometimes any shirt at all that has buttons down the front ...

... don't get suckered into making the same mistake. Knowledge is power ... even if it's just the power to avoid sounding silly.

 

[StillShaving]

A related question for the style doc, about which is considered more casual or formal - the button down or non-button down collar? I think the question/answer may not be 100% straightforward and that these different collar styles go in/out of style like the ocean tide comes in/out, with one style never really leaving just the other one gaining favor. I have always considered the button down a little more causal, but I see both styles worn with/without ties so it has never been completely clear when formality vs fashion is winning out.

 

[winstonage]

I always find button down collars less dressy. I only wear them with a sport jacket, or blazer, never a suit.

 

[Tim_McD]

A New England trad staple is an OCBD and it is perfectly fine to wear it with a suit.

Because of "business casual", all but 5 of the approx 30 dress shirts I own have a button-down collars. I dont like the way that collars splay without a tie, so I wear the button-down collared shirts.

 

[lister]

This style was also designed to replace a tie-bar for formal occasions and still should be viewed as a way of keeping taut lines in your shirt. I like the style but sort of cringe when I see button downs on chambray shirt. It's kind of like too casual to dress properly, but I'll slap a tie holder in place to make up for it

good article anyway sir.

 

[musicman1951]

I always find button down collars less dressy. I only wear them with a sport jacket, or blazer, never a suit.

+1

I do have one dress shirt with the collar buttons unseen - buttoning under the collar. It is, however, a bit of a pain to get those little buttons into the loops.

 

[knlgskr]

I always find button down collars less dressy. I only wear them with a sport jacket, or blazer, never a suit.

Do you think the button down collar was designed to be worn with a necktie?

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

One does not wear a button down shirt with a suit, only with a blazer or sport coat.

 

[Tim_McD]

I have been in financial services for over 25 yrs, in Boston and NYC, and from the boardroom to the backroom ops, seen it everyday

 

[jpakstis]

A related question for the style doc, about which is considered more casual or formal - the button down or non-button down collar? I think the question/answer may not be 100% straightforward and that these different collar styles go in/out of style like the ocean tide comes in/out, with one style never really leaving just the other one gaining favor. I have always considered the button down a little more causal, but I see both styles worn with/without ties so it has never been completely clear when formality vs fashion is winning out.

I find the non-button-down collar to be more dressy. As evidence, I would say that the french cuff dress shirt is about the dressiest shirt you can get (as a type); they are never made with button-down collars.

Do you think the button down collar was designed to be worn with a necktie?

I wear a suit and tie every day and I wear a button-down collar every once and a while. I consider it less dressy so when I've got a more "formal" (i.e. court-related; I'm a criminal attorney) event to attend I won't wear it.

One does not wear a button down shirt with a suit, only with a blazer or sport coat.

Honestly, I think the rules are changing. I see it all the time, and maybe my profession is less "formal" while still maintaining the "suit and tie" lifestyle, but, from judges to attorneys, I see button-downs all the time.

 

[Haggises]

I dislike button down collars because they either stand up too straight and rub my neck or they buckle and curve. Tieless at least.

 

[Prince]

You are correct about a button-down shirt, but I've called a dress shirt a button-up shirt as apposed to say a polo shirt.

 

[The Knize]

I have been in financial services for over 25 yrs, in Boston and NYC, and from the boardroom to the backroom ops, seen it everyday

A New England trad staple is an OCBD and it is perfectly fine to wear it with a suit.

* * *

This is what I would say. OCBD shirt is perfectly acceptable with a suit and tie in the NE US and I would say at least Washington, DC. Have a look at what national politicians wear on TV frequently.

Remember, too, that business dress is not formal dress even aside from black tie. I do not think I would wear an OCBD shirt to an elegant evening event. Neither would I wear wingtip shoes nor a Glen Plaid suit to such an event, although both are normal businesswear.

I have seen button down collar shirts with double-cuffs. Not a traditional thing at all and not to my taste.

 

[OriginalCrash]

Yep. To me, a regular dress shirt, sans "button down" collar, can be a button up shirt or a button front shirt. But yeah, button down refers to a collar... It's always been a pet peeve of mine, as well.

 

[Face Bannon]

I always find button down collars less dressy. I only wear them with a sport jacket, or blazer, never a suit.

Me, too. And this is in fact an accurate assessment based on their historical emergence. They are not considered a fully "dress shirt." I don't wear them with suits, and therefore don't buy them.

 

[Face Bannon]

Honestly, I think the rules are changing. I see it all the time, and maybe my profession is less "formal" while still maintaining the "suit and tie" lifestyle, but, from judges to attorneys, I see button-downs all the time.

I agree, it is evolving. But I don't like it. Because I think it evolved out of ignorance, not with a reason. They collar actually looks less dressy, and out of place with a suit.

It's like wearing penny loafers with a suit. Yeah, you can do it. But the penny loafer was a more sporting, casual show. A suit should be worn with a more dressy shoe. (But the urbanites have been wearing very edgy shoes with suits for quite a while. Big hammer toe things).

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

All you may see this everyday but that does not make it correct. The rules don't change, people just disregard them.

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

Have you ever seen the president, bill O'Reilly, Chris Wallace, Brit Hume ever wear a button down shirt with a suit? If you have to wear a suit for work, you owe it to yourself to dress correctly. I guess the next issue to arise will be short sleeve dress shirts.

 

[mhdena]

Not a fan, never did like the way they bow/open up.

 

[Tim_McD]

Have you ever seen the president, bill O'Reilly, Chris Wallace, Brit Hume ever wear a button down shirt with a suit? If you have to wear a suit for work, you owe it to yourself to dress correctly. I guess the next issue to arise will be short sleeve dress shirts.

Perhaps not, but I have seen Fred Astaire, William F Buckley, Frank Sinatra, T Boone Pickens, Warren Buffett and this guy - no fashion slouch


Honestly, this debate rages for pages and pages over in the AAABC forum