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ema9102 OP t1_iu1kcqr wrote

Reply to comment by Disastrous-Spell-135 in LPT: Bring a spare white button down shirt to weddings or any formal events by ema9102

I meant a button up shirt, up until today I had no idea there was a distinction in names

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Ghostglitch07 t1_iu2zy6y wrote

I just looked it up and still barely understand the difference. Apparently it's about collar buttons? I really don't get how having buttons on the collar or not makes it formal or not.

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securitydude1979 t1_iu3250v wrote

https://www.suitsexpert.com/blog/button-up-vs-button-down-shirt/

Interesting article on the topic. Apparently, the "button down" shirt with buttons on the collar was for rugby players to keep the collars of their shirts out of their faces. Who knew??? The style eventually made it into other men's clothing.

Button up shirts on the other hand are considered "dressier" and are more what I think of when I think of a dress shirt: stiff, almost starched cuffs and collar. No need to button down the collar to keep it in place.

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Ghostglitch07 t1_iu32d21 wrote

Sure, but if you add two buttons to a stiff dress shirt suddenly it isn't formal? I'm almost certain I've owned formal white horribly stiff shirts with collar buttons, I don't see why such a small distinction matters. I'm never looking at someone's collar closely enough to even notice.

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Disastrous-Spell-135 t1_iu3mka4 wrote

Yes, most people do not know how to dress and it shows. Dress shirts don’t have buttoned collars.

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Ghostglitch07 t1_iu4h259 wrote

Some people just don't care about frivolous details like this. I'm not at a wedding to stress about irrelevant things like a few extra buttons, I'm there to celebrate my friends.or family.

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