The basic answer is a button up shirt is any shirt that has buttons running up the front; a button down shirt is the same but has additional buttons on the collar. Simple!
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Button up shirt: A shirt that fastens in the front with buttons – does not have to have buttons on the collar. Button down shirt: A shirt with a collar that fastens in place with buttons.
Button-ups are the more formal of the options. You can wear it for your most dressy occasions. On the other hand, the button-down shirt gives a more casual look and is never appropriate attire for formal wear.
Button ups also known as dress shirts, so next time you’re shopping, you can just refer to them as so to avoid any confusion. A button up shirt is a shirt that you can wear at formal events with a tie, or loosely if you’re aiming for a smart casual style.
1a of a collar : having the ends fastened to the garment with buttons. b of a shirt. (1) : having a button-down collar. (2) : having buttons from the collar to the waist.
The button-down collar is a variant on the point-collar dress shirt and is stylistically appealing for those who want to dress down but. But, in today’s casual world, a button-down with a tie and a sport coat is still quite well dressed.
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.
A half sleeve shirt is also called a camp shirt. It is similar to the classic button-down and often has a full-length front button closure. These shirts are casual, and it is common to wear them untucked.
Button down shirts are a wardrobe workhorse in both women’s and men’s clothing, and yes, they can absolutely be casual, either by styling or by design!
Henleys are basically a rounded neck t-shirt that has a button placket running from 3-5” down the front. You could think of the Henley as a polo shirt without the collar.
How many shirts should a man own?
There you have it! My advice is get the basics, make sure they fit and get the best quality you can afford. Anywhere between 8-12 dress shirts should be more than enough to get you started.
Formal. Formal shirts, or tuxedo shirts, are long sleeve, button-up shirts with a short tipped collar meant to be worn with a bowtie. Often paired with a suit, these are the dressiest of all dress shirts in menswear and rarely worn outside of black-tie galas.
You can certainly button your shirt all the way up and forgo the tie. This look has been gaining more popularity lately and is often best suited for fall and winter as you might find it is too hot to wear your shirt fully buttoned in the summer.
If you don’t want your nice blouses to be full of creases and annoying wrinkles, make sure to keep them on a hanger. “Blouses should always be hung,” explains Reynolds. “This will help to eliminate major wrinkles.”
Due to their origin in sports, button-down collars are less formal than point collars. They tend to be softer and have more of a roll than point collars, which are straight and often stiffened via the insertion of collar stays.
Fitted jeans are usually the right option. You want the jeans to look tailored to your body, so slim and fitted will pair better with a dress shirt than loose fitting jeans. In general, they also cuff better at the ankle for a more tailored look.
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.
Wear the shirt under a well-fitting sweater or over a full-sleeved shirt with cuffs rolled up. Such shirts go well with V-neck sweaters. Another complete look is to wear men’s button-down shirts under a blazer and tuck them into the jeans. Use matching accessories like a leather belt and branded shoes.
How many shirts should I own?
How Many Shirts Should I Have? A regular person should have at least 7 shirts in their closet to have a clean one for each day of the week.
The collarless shirt is also referred to as the grandad collar shirt, and it comes in a few different variations, the most notable of which are band and mandarin.
The Five Types of Casual Button-Down Shirts You Need in Your Closet
- Spread Collar Shirts. A spread collar shirt is the most popular of men’s casual shirts.
- Button-Down Collar Shirts.
- Utility Shirts.
- Shirt Jackets (aka Overshirts)
- Band Collar Shirts (aka Collarless Shirts)