Tips on how to wear a classic button down collar shirt. (2024)

FAQs

Tips on how to wear a classic button down collar shirt.? ›

Most often, classic button down collars are worn without ties. Having the collar buttons still fastened will keep the collar standing up, helping the shirt still look crisp, yet casual. For a more business causal look, pair your shirt with a jacket.

Button-down collar shirts truly shine when they're dressed down relative to a suit. You can certainly throw one on with a pair of jeans and call it a day, but a button-down collar shirt works quite well with a sport coat and odd trouser combo too. They even pair nicely with a classic navy blazer.

And while you could argue that the Oxford cloth button-down never went out of fashion, it certainly was pushed to the back of the closet for the last few years. But, with '90s normcore and prep on the rebound for 2024, the OCBD is officially back on the list of “essentials” you want for spring and summer.

The button-down collar is likely the second most-common style in your wardrobe. But, whereas the spread style has a monopoly on your formalwear, the button-down design was made to ground both your collar points and your fashion — and is ideal for more casual get-ups.

Best way to get your shirt collar to stand up and look crisp is by using two products: Collar Stays and the Slick Collar shirt collar support. You typically need both products to get your shirt collar to stand up and look crisp. Both are super easy to wear with any of your buttoned down shirts.

Most often, classic button down collars are worn without ties. Having the collar buttons still fastened will keep the collar standing up, helping the shirt still look crisp, yet casual. For a more business causal look, pair your shirt with a jacket.

The hidden button collar is the cousin of the more well known button-down collar. As the name suggests, the buttons and buttonholes are hidden under the collar meaning you enjoy the benefits of a button-down collar while maintaining the more formal appearance of a button-less collar.

Formality of Button Down Collars – Casual Or Formal? The button down collar is casual by nature. If they are paired with a tie, it's usually worn with a casual suit or blazer/odd trouser combo. It's rare to see button down collars worn with formal suits, and also a little odd of style.

However, the button-down shirt soon gained popularity in the fashion world and has since become a very common item that we see today. The shirts are usually made of more casual fabrics like cotton or flannel and are available in a wide range of styles and patterns.

Conversely, button-down shirts will never look formal. You can dress them up with a blazer or a relaxed, casual suit, but choose your time and place appropriately. They will never be appropriate with a tuxedo or at formal events and in tough business environments.

Can you wear a button-down collar unbuttoned? ›

The only exception to the rule.

That said, some men do choose to leave collar buttons unbuttoned for an artfully casual and carefree style.

The point collar (also known as the forward-point collar or straight-point collar) is the most traditional of all collar-types. It has the narrowest distance between collar points (1.5” - 3.5”), to meet the lapels on both sides. It also means your tie will fit snugly without any gap either side.

A button-down or button-down shirt is a dress shirt with a button-down collar – a collar having the ends fastened to the shirt with buttons.

The first of these would be collar tips, which are occasionally worn in classic menswear as a way to give the collar some adornment when not wearing a tie.

Iron collar to the inside

If you're not a fan of spray starch or it's still not working, iron it the opposite way. Fold the collar to the inside and iron. Let it let cool completely before moving or wearing. The trick is to pop just the back of your collar and have it angled down toward the front.

As tight or snug as possible without being uncomfortable. You should be able to fit 1-2 fingers between the collar and your neck when it is buttoned. You should not have a large gap showing between the collar and neck. Heavier men should make sure their necks are not puffing out over the top of the collar.

The history of button down shirts dates back to 1869, in England. Polo players often found that when they were charging around the field on horses, the collars of their shirts would flap up in the wind, and impair their vision. So they attached buttons to their collars, in order to hold them down for matches.

That kind of aesthetic can work if you're wearing shorts or headed to the beach, but, for the most part, you're better off keeping the collar buttoned and the roll firmly in place. And if you decide to wear the shirt with a tie, you should never even consider leaving the collar buttons unbuttoned.