The Problem with Button-down Shirts

Something I have touched on before- and probably will again- is the contrast between the guy who is dressed well versus the guy who is stylish. Take my opinion on blazer and shirt cuffs, for example.

Look, fellas, I know we are not all of the barrel chest, slim waist mold- chiseled and strapping, or even the slim and fit models with 30-inch waists and shoulders practically just as narrow. But please understand that another example of poor style, again to do with shirts, is the excess material yielded by a traditional button-down shirt (often called "Classic Fit").

Unless you are literally filling out every last stitch of your "Classic Fit" shirt, please man, for the love of your pants (that are under duress from the constant tucking in by the way), trim that shirt! Buy a "Fitted" shirt (sometimes called "Athletic Fit"). The bonus? It also makes you look trimmer! Observe a simple diagram.


That's all it takes to accomplish the following:

• A better fitting shirt with less material hanging out of your pants.
• A slimmer silhouette.
• Less abuse on your pants (no more constant re-tucking, no more puffy waist-lines or bulk around your hip area).
• You can wear layers. A slim-fitting v-neck sweater or cardigan over a slim-fitting button-down, even together under a blazer or suit jacket. Now you're starting to resemble someone who cares a little instead of that guy from the office Christmas party who looks like Santa in his red cable knit sweater and "Classic Fit" Oxford that adds about 20 pounds to his frame

Again- being stylish versus being well-dressed (or not so well-dressed in this case) is all about the details. In this case, like the description says, it is all about "fit". I'll save the lecture about shirt sizing (sleeve length/neck width) for another time. Class dismissed.