Button Down or Button Up: What do you call your shirt? (1 Viewer)

[RUSF18]

Let's take the traditional long sleeved buttoned shirt that most men wear when they are putting on a "nice" shirt. It's what I started wearing in college for virtually every night out and have pretty much maintained this way of dressing when going out at night ever since. 

Do you call these shirts a button down, or a button up? And whichever you call it, is your normal practice of buttoning it consistent with how you refer to the shirt? 

This came up last week when I heard a friend refer to it as a "button up" for the first time. I asked him if he called it that because he buttoned it starting from the bottom and working his way up, and he said no...he goes top down. This part really perplexed me. Not only was I curious if others did this sort of reverse approach, but I was wondering if the way people refer to these shirts could be a regional thing (he went to school in Virginia). 

So I'm looking for a completely unscientific poll. Thank you. 

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Not sure I've ever referred to it as either name but I button top down

 

[SameSongNDance]

My guess is that you're going to be hard pressed to find another human being on this planet who refers to button down shirts as your friend does.

 

[TheAristocrat]

It sounds like your buddy is going to need a little help when when gets to the top buttons on his dress.

 

[RUSF18]

My guess is that you're going to be hard pressed to find another human being on this planet who refers to button down shirts as your friend does.

I'd never heard of a person standing up to wipe their ### before the FFA, so I have faith in this community teaching me something here as well. 

 

[mr. furley]

http://www.thebeerspot.com/forum/index.php/topic,17069.msg697499.html#msg697499

button from the top down

unbutton from the top down

it's a button-down shirt

 

[msommer]

Button down shirts are the ones where there are two buttons to pin down the collar.

HTH

 

[RUSF18]

Button down shirts are the ones where there are two buttons to pin down the collar.

HTH

Cool. I specifically hate these kind of shirts and don't buy them. So without those two buttons, you would call this shirt a button up?

 

[msommer]

Cool. I specifically hate these kind of shirts and don't buy them. So without those two buttons, you would call this shirt a button up?

Nope. That would be a "shirt"

 

[the moops]

 have pretty much maintained this way of dressing when going out at night ever since. 

loosen up  man

 

[Mr. Ected]

Button down shirts are the ones where there are two buttons to pin down the collar.

HTH

 

[Juxtatarot]

Do you mean a dress shirt?

 

[massraider]

As msommer explained, button down shirts have the buttons on the collar.  

If they don't have those buttons,  they are not a button down shirt.  No matter which manner you use for securing it to your body. 

Button down shirts are considered more casual, this is what you wear with khakis.  Shirts with out are considered more formal.  I call them dress shirts.  

 

[massraider]

''Button Up Shirt'' sounds like something he made up when he was 6 years old, and never stopped calling his shirts that.  

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

A dress shirt, button shirt, button-front, button-front shirt, or button-up shirt is a garment with a collar and a full-length opening at the front, which is fastened using buttons or shirt studs. A button-down or button-down shirt is a dress shirt which has a button-down collar – a collar having the ends fastened to the shirt with buttons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dress_shirt

 

[massraider]

A dress shirt, button shirt, button-front, button-front shirt, or button-up shirt is a garment with a collar and a full-length opening at the front, which is fastened using buttons or shirt studs. A button-down or button-down shirt is a dress shirt which has a button-down collar – a collar having the ends fastened to the shirt with buttons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dress_shirt

 

[RUSF18]

''Button Up Shirt'' sounds like something he made up when he was 6 years old, and never stopped calling his shirts that.  

So which is it...he made it up, or you agree with virtually every non-collar buttoned shirt truly being called a button up?

Personally right now I am wearing a dress shirt at work...which I button from top to bottom. And on Saturday night I'll wear a more casual button down shirt...which I button from top to bottom. 

Glad I asked. 

 

[ChainsawU]

Your goal should be never having to wear one of these shirts.

 

[Juxtatarot]

A bit of trivia:  Button-down collars were originally invented for a sporting shirt -- particularly so the collar wouldn't fly up on a horse while playing polo.  This is why they are still to this day often associated with a more casual look.

 

[massraider]

So which is it...he made it up, or you agree with virtually every non-collar buttoned shirt truly being called a button up?

Personally right now I am wearing a dress shirt at work...which I button from top to bottom. And on Saturday night I'll wear a more casual button down shirt...which I button from top to bottom. 

Glad I asked. 

I am giving thumbs up for learning something.  I've never heard of button up before. 

 

[lakerstan]

T-shirt.  /problem solved.

 

[avoiding injuries]

I use both terms. I button bottom to top. 

 

[James Daulton]

(FC42) "I button down but the #####** just rip them off me."

 

[Al O'Pecia]

Whenever I get a new clubbin' dress shirt I remove all the buttons and add velcro instead.  Way easier to rip off during sexytime.

 

[eoMMan]

I use both terms. I button bottom to top. 

I have also used both terms.

And I button bottom to top but I do it before I put on the shirt.