A shirt, either button down or button up, is a dress shirt with a front opening and a collar usually with a full length opening in the front. They have become more popular over recent years, as they are easier to style and wear. Although there are variations of button down shirts such as reversible shirts (for the person who likes to change their shirts), the button up version is the most common type. It is also the easiest to find, since it can be found in any department store or even online.
Button down shirts were originally designed as an alternative to collared shirts (which had large buttons that pushed up the neck). Collars made the wearer’s neck look longer, and buttons were thought to make a man look tougher. However, because button down shirts were uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, they became popular as sports attire. During the 1950s, this type of dress shirt became known as the “blue jacket” and was used by many athletes such as the surfer, truck driver, trucker, and even tennis players.
The traditional style of button down shirt is without a neckline. There are various collar styles available such as: crew neck, V-neck, baseball neck, shawl, and cable neck. Some shirts feature a V-neck that can be unbuttoned to reveal the wearer’s neck. In recent years, a new style has emerged, with shirts that feature buttons located in the middle of the shirt along the neckline.
Button down shirts are available in a wide range of fabrics, including silk, cotton, polyester, and linen. Some are printed with logos and pictures, while others are simply plain and demure. For informal events, tees are often made from cotton and chiffon with buttons located in and around the waist and sleeves.
One button down shirt design that is very popular today is the sport shirt. The sport shirt consists of two separate pieces: a short-sleeved shirt (often polo or sport) and a sport coat. Typically the shirt goes down over the shoulder with a single button or a set of buttons at the neck. The buttons at the neck to allow the wearer to wear either a baseball style or cable knit sweater, depending on the weather. Many sport shirts feature snap front plackets which allow a closure of the shirt in seconds.
A button down shirt collar can be fashioned into several different styles, depending on the shape of the neck and the style of the wearer. The traditional button down collar design features one button or a group of buttons down the neck. There are also models that feature two buttons down the neck and an opening in the center of the collar. These models tend to be more casual and have a smaller interior than the models that feature one button down and a large opening.
