The Menswear Bible: Oxford Cloth Button Downs
A Staple of Prep
The exact origin of the oxford cloth button down is debated. A leading theory is that John E. Brooks (of Brooks Brothers) attended a polo match in England and observed that the polo players had the points of their collars fastened down to prevent the collar from flapping in their faces while riding.
Brooks brought one of the shirts back to America to be replicated, and the American legend of the OCBD begins. This strikes us at TNBC as the most credible version, so we will stick with it for the purposes of this article. Brooks, to this day, calls certain button downs “The Original Polo Shirt.”
The origin of the name of the fabric also has a few theories, however the generally accepted one is that the name originates from textile mills in 19th century Scotland. Rumor has it that a mill introduced four fabrics named after the four prestigious universities of the time: Yale, Harvard, Cambridge, and Oxford.
While the three others have faded into history, the oxford cloth alone survived the test of time. The durability of the oxford cloth was a major selling point for it in its early days, with a revolutionary weave that created a breathable fabric that was still hardy enough to be worn during physical activities like polo.
Materials and Fabrics
Standard Oxford Cloth
All oxford cloths are a distinct basketweave pattern, which lends a heathered look to the fabric and can often lead to seeing small white flecks in colored garments. This strengthens the material and maximizes airflow to help wick moisture away from the body.
Pinpoint Oxford Cloth
Utilizing a tighter weave and a finer fabric, pinpoint oxford serves as the dressier cousin of the standard, rougher oxford cloth. When shopping online, this can easily be confused with cotton poplin, especially in the button-down collar format. While not as durable, the finer fabric helps maintain an air of sophistication while easily substituting for a classic, stiffer dress shirt.
Styles
There are only a couple styles with an oxford shirt that differentiate between the season they might be best worn in, although no strict guide exists. In the summer tighter fitting shirts can feel suffocating so it is best to find a shirt that lends some room to breathe. Many of the lighter weight fabrics will naturally have more space, especially the shirts tailored for summerwear. We see this with the Ralph Lauren shirts that we reviewed in our very first eBay Chronicles #001. You will definitely see them again in our outfit-photo frames come the summer months.
For the most versatile and timeless look, looking somewhere between fitted and billowing is the best option. The breathability of Oxford fabric allows the shirt to be worn for four seasons, especially in pinpoint; a shirt cut slightly away from the body allows for airflow in the summer.
We always advise that a looser fitting shirt is better than a fitted one, as extra fabric can always be concealed under a sweater, blazer, or coat. The roughness of the OCBD’s basket weave also ensures that the shirt will not slip out from underneath your waistband should it be worn on its own in the summer. This creates a cleaner and more streamlined look. The slickness of poplin dress shirts often have the opposite effect, and can look messy and unkempt.
While all OCBDs have the button down collar, hence the name, not all collars are created equal. A term heard and written on many menswear blogs is “collar roll.” The roll of the collar is the signature look of the OCBD, and is a great measure of quality in a shirt.
A larger, more substantial roll is generally thought to be of higher quality and of greater esteem for the wearer. It shows others that you know a thing or two about a good shirt when you see it. There is a certain panache that comes with having a large collar that rolls elegantly in a way only achieved through consistent wear. This is a sign of good taste and the discernment to know that a good shirt should be worn and given a good life.
Buyers Guide: Fit, Quality, and the Wardrobe
Fit
OCBD fits and silhouettes have varied wildly throughout the decades, but the enduring style of the shirt ensures that it has never been out of fashion. British polo players were the first to adopt the late 19th century fit, which would have likely been a large, flowy silhouette before being covered with tight waistcoats. This fit largely remained the same until the 1960s, when nearly all men’s clothing slimmed up to remain visually cohesive. Today, you can find more faithful recreations in relaxed fits from specialty brands, as well as modern slim cuts from the likes of J. Crew.
Quality
The easiest to spot hallmarks of quality with not just OCBDs, but virtually all dress shirts: stitches per inch and connection point stitching. Most mass produced dress shirts fall between 12 and 14 SPI, while many premium brands come in at 16 to 20. While not the easiest to measure while in-store, this metric showcases a brand’s willingness to pay attention to the small things that will ensure a long lasting garment.
Connection point stitching will also be a great marker of a brand’s investment in quality. Many oxford shirts will fit more snugly in the shoulders and back, major connecting points for the collar and sleeves. How these areas are secured will be a key detail when determining what the longevity of the garment will be.
You will notice the different stitching approaches across the brands in the photos. J. Crew opted for a mass manufacturing route with a visibly lower stitch density than the other brands. The stitching is also noticeably looser with a small amount of give around the seams. While this will likely unintentionally help with snagging it is not great for durability although for the price, especially on sale, you can’t expect as much.
Kamakura is a brand we hold in high regard. The stitching on the Kamakura shirts is quite dense, right up there with Brooks Brothers. The stitching also blends into the garment much better than the other options. This is most likely due to the smaller stitch length although overall the small differences and attention to detail are noticeable around the garment.
Brooks Brothers has continuously offered high-end cloth button downs for years and have generally been made the standard.
It is worth noting that we have seen some harsh reviews online recently about the quality from their Asian-made offerings although the Made-in-USA products seem to have been unaffected. We do not have any recent Asian-made OCBD shirts from Brooks Brothers to confirm this.
Another important figure of quality on a shirt is the button stitching. As we covered in our J. Crew review, button stitching is not always easy to get right. While it cannot tell you the quality of the whole garment it is a telltale marker of a quality shirt when done right.
If the button stitching is exposed well-above the button indent itself, we would recommend finding a different shirt. We recently praised Kamakura for their excellent button stitching, although genuine manufacturing defects do occur, if you notice a consistent theme, it may be best to look elsewhere.
Wardrobe
The oxford cloth button down will no doubt be one of, if not the most versatile piece you will ever own. The same shirt can be worn in any season and on almost any occasion or time. From a fancy dinner with some of your well-dressed friends or special someone, to a summer gathering, you will never feel out of place.
The wider fitting oxford shirts make a perfect companion in summer to allow some breathing space for your body and the slimmer ones are a more comfortable option in winter. The Ralph Lauren shirt shown in the photos is incredibly lightweight in comparison to the Brooks Brothers shirt, showing the vast differences in materials available during the different seasons.
Perhaps find some different weights (listed below from the ones we tested) and styles or even a linen shirt with a button down collar for those days you just can’t take the heat (honorable mention to J. Crew here and shown in photo below).
Weights
Kamakura - 288-295 grams
Ralph Lauren - 249g
Brook Brothers - 329g
J. Crew OCBD- 251g
No matter what you might be wearing on a given day, there is no doubt you can find a place for the oxford cloth button down. It may not be the most flashy part of menswear but after all, it is a perennial essential of the prep look.
What I’ve been up to... (Jack)
Listening - Louis Armstrong plays W.C. Handy / Atlantic City by The Band
Reading - Bluegate Fields by Anne Perry / The Robb Report magazine
(re)watching - Scorpio (1973), Laura (1944), Game of Thrones