The Button-Down Shirt Is the Best Piece In Your Wardrobe
Trust me: I’ve worn it in 70% of my office outfits.
I’ve just wrapped up my third week as the newest member of the FASHION team. You’d think I’d have the whole office-dressing thing nailed by now, but my struggle to come up with a cute, chic outfit on most mornings seems to signal otherwise. “I can’t possibly have nothing to wear,” I think, as I stand in the middle of my bedroom with my hair done, makeup on and no clothes on my body.
My solution? The trusty button-down shirt.
A distinct memory I keep circling back to is of me, aged twelve, rummaging through my parents’ closet. Something about the countless hangers of perfectly pressed shirts just felt so… drab. Perhaps it had something to do with my father complaining about work in the same room, but somehow, that moment solidified a notion in my dramatic pre-teen mind: the classic button-down was synonymous to corporate monotony. I swore in that moment that I would never submit to the button-down shirt and the suppression it symbolized.
And yet, here we are. Button-down shirts have become a failsafe in my closet, and quite honestly, I can’t fathom a fast-paced morning of getting dressed without them as a back-up option.
Ironically enough, this obsession likely began with borrowing button-downs from my father’s closet. Just oversized enough, Dad’s Marks & Spencer shirts offered endless styling potential. Since then, I’ve learned that these pieces deserve their style staple status. With enough creativity, they can reinvent any tried, true and, well, tired outfit.
Let me get the receipts out. Since becoming FASHION’s Head of Digital & Social three weeks ago, I’ve reported to the office 10 times. Seven out of ten of those days, I was wearing a button-down. Some highlights:
Day 1: This white balloon-sleeved shirt from Damson Madder, featuring a collar so oversized it demanded I carry myself with confidence.
Clichéd as it sounds, the button-down is anything but basic. Wear it unbuttoned. Wear it crossed over like a wrap dress. Heck, wear two at once! The spectrum of sartorial possibility stretches far and wide. But don’t just take my word for it. Smart shirts were everywhere at Fashion Month:
Pattern play
Styling stripes on stripes can sound daunting, but Fashion Week regular Heart Evangelista offers a down-to-earth approach. The dark pinstripe blazer and patterned button-down just work. The blush necktie is the cherry on top.
Contrast is key
Lemaire is always one of the shows I look forward to most. First, because I’m obsessed with designer Sarah Linh Tran. Second, I always walk away with new styling ideas. This look, for instance, breaks apart a cool, gray palette with a shock of bright red.
Cropped up
Outside the Miu Miu show, all the gals were wearing some variation of this shirt-and-jacket formula. The white cropped button-down is naturally what caught my eye, what with its rounded collar and perfect length.
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