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Is it acceptable to wear a button-down oxford with a tie?

Harold falcon

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Originally Posted by KObalto
He also wore women's underpants. CG wasn't much for the "Rules" of men's dress.
That said, I like button-down shirts with suits.


No judgments.
 

onix

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Acceptable? sure. But I don't like button down shirt, period. Why? Personal taste.
 

Manton

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p1030268i.jpg
 

gorgekko

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Add me to the list of people who say with an odd coat and not a suit -- unless great-granddad made a family fortune in widgets, you summer on Cape Cod and you're part of "the tribe". Then you can do whatever you want.
 

was385

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I'm probably the odd one here, but sometimes I don't have a problem with it with a suit. I don't like just a plain white button down with a suit but gingham or a less formal patterned shirt I'm okay with.
 

Ianiceman

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Originally Posted by Twotone
It's OK, but to be really cool don't button the collars.

Twotone


NOT this. Just wear a traditional collared shirt instead, otherwise by trying to look like you don't care you actually expose yourself as trying too hard.
 

F. Corbera

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Originally Posted by gorgekko
Add me to the list of people who say with an odd coat and not a suit -- unless great-granddad made a family fortune in widgets, you summer on Cape Cod and you're part of "the tribe". Then you can do whatever you want.

Ridiculous, and on more than one level.
 

gorgekko

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Originally Posted by F. Corbera
Ridiculous, and on more than one level.

Well, I've been chastened.
 

Redwoood

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more than acceptable, mandatory imho.

I hate the look of a buttoned button-down without a tie.
With the top button open, instead of framing the face and pointing towards it, the collar points away from it. With the top button closed... ugh, do we really need to talk about this?
And an unbuttoned button-down is borderline idiotic.

Hence, the only acceptable way to wear it -- to me at least -- is with a tie.

Disclaimer: I own a total of 0 button-down shirts.
 

JLibourel

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I would unhesitatingly wear a BD with one of my casual suits.

With a more conservative business suit, I probably wouldn't as a general matter (but then I only rarely wear conservative business suits). However, a great many well dressed American men have done so and will in all probability will continue to do so. Hell, the great Fred Astaire even rocked a BD with with a DB suit. It is fine for conservative business dress.

If people weren't taking this seriously, I'd say this would be a good candidate for DT.

(And aren't I abbreviation happy this AM?)
 

DocHolliday

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Originally Posted by Manton
p1030268i.jpg


Nice, Manton.


BD collars look good with a tie precisely because many people will tell you it's just not done. It is, at worst, a venial sin, at least in the U.S. I'd rather look carefree, even a bit sloppy, than fret about every tiny detail.

That said, to achieve the proper effect, you have to have the other details right. If you're wearing an oversized suit, a blousy shirt, black squaretoed bluchers, and an ugly tie, the buttondown will do you no favors. But as a contrast to a well put together outfit, I find it very pleasing. Maybe that's the Trad in me.

If you really want to get SF posters in a tizzy, wear it with a tie and the buttons undone.
 

Frihed89

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I can't imagine anything else. For many of us there was no other choice, except briefly, the rounded collars with a gold safety pin and then the tab collar.
 

F. Corbera

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Originally Posted by JLibourel
If people weren't taking this seriously, I'd say this would be a good candidate for DT.

Exactly. It's like a "why 3 roll 2?" thread or "why cuffs on pants?" thread.

Respondents who are not American are excused.

For respondents who are American, however, there are no excuses for being ignorant of a century of casual elegance in your own culture, particularly something as basic and influential as the polo collar shirt.
 

Manton

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The buttons are undone in my pic above. Saw that all over Naples too.

I can't understand how anyone in America could think BD + tie is wrong. It is so quintissentially American.

The English I know never do it, but the Italians do. I even see it in France sometimes. Seems to me there are more traditions in which it is acceptable than not.
 

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