Post: #1

Is it just an American thing? I've seen blogs and articles on how cool "OCBD" (Oxford cloth button down) shirts supposedly are. I was getting fashion tips from some dude who owns a store in the US and he advised me to go for that too. Pretty sure button-down collars don't fly in Europe, Asia or Australia, no matter what GQ says or what the thread count of the cloth is. You just look like Poindexter from Ohio.

Post: #2

I hate button down collars. Don't get them. They're trying to make them popular.

Post: #3

...

Post: #4

Depends on what activity you're doing.

On a yacht? Then it will work. A pressed white button down oxford shirt with button down collar paired with linen paints and boat shoes is a classic win-win.

Roll the sleeves up, pair with shades and a leather bound watch and you're golden.

To a club? Hell no.

Post: #5

(02-03-2014 08:35 PM)Christian McQueen Wrote:  Depends on what activity you're doing.

On a yacht? Then it will work. A pressed white button down oxford shirt with button down collar paired with linen paints and boat shoes is a classic win-win.

Roll the sleeves up, pair with shades and a leather bound watch and you're golden.

To a club? Hell no.

This +1.

Don't wear them to a job interview in a "stuffy" industry either.

Post: #6

Metal collar stays and magnets have been my go to for any collared shirt in any situation basically. Collars are always perfectly how you want them. Without magnets if I am wearing a tie. I don't own any linen shirt, but if I were on a beach wearing one I'd consider going without rigid support. I hate collars with buttons on them.

Post: #7

Yeah, OCBD's are more casual wear. Not something I'd wear to impress.

Post: #8

Can we get some visual examples?

Post: #9

May be of use to some...

Wurkin Stiffs Magnetic Collar Stays

These can allow the collar to stand strong and tall.
The positive aesthetic effect that this creates is that of serving to frame your face.

Post: #10

Old thread on stays.
/thread-25108....ollar+stay

I don't have the Wurkin, but you can buy the stays and magnets separate and get more for less.

Magnetic metal stays. Not all the metal ones are magnetic I guess. It should say I think.
http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Collar-St...llar+stays

First comment on the reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Applied-Magnets-Ea...6%22+Discs

Post: #11

Pastel shirts with button down collars will get you laid in the South. They also work in certain preppy strongholds in the North, like the Hamptons or Martha's Vineyard during the summer.

Definitely wouldn't wear them to a club in NYC.

Post: #12

I think they were considered part of the "Ivy League" style back in the day, no?

Post: #13

I have a couple of these. They're all pretty plain looking, "fit in with the crowd" type shirts.

Great for funerals of people you don't know too well.

Post: #14

When not paired with a jacket, what type of collar do you go for?

Post: #15

Yeah where I'm from (New England) the OCBD is a staple for guys my age as a casual shirt.

Wouldn't wear it in a club, but it is a great casual shirt. If you think you're going to wear a dress shirt out and around town/on the water/to casual house parties, then talk to me once they are all stained/ripped.

Post: #16

@cMcQ- hey, dont hate on my steez! hahah

This wknd, I wore a blue gingham flannel OCBD, buttons blown open, charcoal suit and yellow/blue paisley square. Fashion is all about breaking rules.



The girls love it. I doubt they really even see those tiny buttons.

Experiment and you'll see if it works for you. It was a smashing hit for me. For formal events (suit+tie), Id play it more conservative.

Post: #17

I had a light blue gingham seersucker button down that I loved. Great for hot bkk nights. Might get another from the tailor. Maybe I'll go for a spread collar?

Post: #18

(02-03-2014 11:29 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  I had a light blue gingham seersucker button down that I loved. Great for hot bkk nights. Might get another from the tailor. Maybe I'll go for a spread collar?

Nothing beats a seersucker suit in a hot climate.

Post: #19

(02-03-2014 11:25 PM)DVY Wrote:  @cMcQ- hey, dont hate on my steez! hahah

This wknd, I wore a blue gingham flannel OCBD, buttons blown open, charcoal suit and yellow/blue paisley square. Fashion is all about breaking rules.



The girls love it. I doubt they really even see those tiny buttons.

Experiment and you'll see if it works for you. It was a smashing hit for me. For formal events (suit+tie), Id play it more conservative.

That's right, now I remember talking shit about your button down collared shirt Saturday night, because you were wearing it to the club.



DVY always dresses sharp, so I'll chalk it up to him being in a rush.

Post: #20

It depends on the kind of places you're going to but I love OCBDs, wear them all the time when I'm going out.

Post: #21

Every time I see a guy wearing an OCBD with a suit and tie, I just want to slap him across the face and ask him what's wrong with him.

Post: #22

Well it depends on your build.

Don't reject something because it may be associated with a caste that isn't typically pro-manosphere. Wear what looks good. The fit is ALWAYS the most important thing with clothes.

Ray-bans are associated with pretentious Indie bands from New York. It doesn't bother me, I wear them every day because they are the ones that give the look that will drop women's panties the most frequently (I wear fake ones though as it's a matter of shape not brand).

It works both ways too. Don't just pop into an Armani store and spend $2000 on a suit because it's Armani and that's what Bradley Cooper wears. A $2000 suit that doesn't fit is a crap suit. A $200 concoction that does fit is a better suit.

Forget brands, forget castes and don't reject anything because of societal implications (And just as equally, don't just buy something for the purpose of breaking them like a hipster does)

Run around boutique stores for 8 hours and iteratively find the best look for yourself. If you're not satisfied, go back and do it again for day two until you're happy. This is how YOU look and how you present yourself. You should be picky and demanding, this is important.

Does it fit? Does the material make the garment sag too much? Does the material make the garment look cheap? Is it too garish? Is the colour tone correct for my hair colour? Will it match my belt? Is it making my figure look masculine? Is the piece appropriate for the setting (Asia and America will have big differences in what decides an attractive look).

It's a decision which depends on the person.

But, I'll add my opinion:

If you're big, open your buttons up and flap the collars out, it'll accentuate your wide abdomen and will look very Alpha. (Tbh, big guys get a lot of lee-way with clothes you could wear a white t-shirt out and get a lot of IOI's where a skinny man would look ridiculous.)

If you're skinny though, a button-down collar is an absolute must if you want to achieve a masculine shape.

I'm skinny, and the way I spot a dorky skinny guy in a club is by how much he opens his collar.

You want no attention drawn to your skinny abdomen. If you open your top buttons up and let the collars flap out you'll draw attention to your xylophone ribs.

The result is a Harry-Hill-like affect where your head is tiny and you look like you're trying out for amateur Tango lessons. All you need is a rose and you're there:



If you're skinny, keep your abdomen compact, it'll make your neck look wider and your jaw look more streamlined:

Post: #23

have always hated them. Then I bought a couple. Then one night I noticed one of the buttons was unbutton when I was out. Needless to say I ripped apart and burned that unlucky shirt. No more dorky prep shirts.

Post: #24

I have a few of these, I'm not really understanding the hate for them.

The presence of those two buttons are of little import compared to fit, color, pattern, fabric, etc.

Post: #25

(02-05-2014 01:43 AM)EisenBarde Wrote:  I have a few of these, I'm not really understanding the hate for them.

The presence of those two buttons are of little import compared to fit, color, pattern, fabric, etc.

I think it has more to do with what a OCBD is associated with, and not so much how the collar looks. Kind of like how polo shirts and boat shoes give off a certain image.