The Oxford Shirt and OCBD Guide

The Oxford Shirt or Oxford Cloth Button Down (OCBD) is an American staple that’s essential for every man. Incredibly versatile, it can be worn by men of all ages and styles. When we look back through history at the most famous style icons it doesn’t take long for a pattern to emerge. The Oxford shirt has been prominently worn by Paul Newman, James Dean and JFK. If it’s good enough for a President, it’s good enough for us.

What is an Oxford Shirt?

Unlike many other types of clothing the OCBD meaning is very clearly defined. It is constructed out of an Oxford weave, features an oversized collar with visible button-down and a middle box pleat on the back.

Most will also have a chest pocket and a barrel cuff, but these aren’t strictly required, they are merely ubiquitous. Really, the given weave and collar are the prominent features which set it apart from more formal dress shirts that could never be worn in the same manner.

Oxford Weave

This particular weave was created in a mill in Scotland, likely on the outskirts of either Glasgow or Edinburgh where the majority of mills were located. If that’s the case, why the name? The story goes that the mill named four fabric after the most prestigious universities: Cambridge, Yale, Harvard and Oxford. The other three would fade into obscurity but the Oxford cloth weave would not only survive, but thrive.

The most important feature of the OCBD, this cloth is made out of a thick cotton which was far cheaper at the time than the finer materials reserved for dress shirts. The lower price caused a boom in popularity among the middle-class, and that history combined with the rugged material makes it far more casual than a fine dress shirt.

Casual Barrel Cuff

As with the vast majority of men’s shirts in this era, they will almost always have a barrel cuff which is the most casual type of cuff.

Middle Box Pleat

Traditionally these shirts feature a box pleat in the middle of the back which allows for extra movement. Remember, these shirts were designed for casual use and therefore needed to be practical. Some brands also include side pleats, but these are rare.

How to Wear the Oxford Shirt

While they are an absolute essential in every mans wardrobe, they aren’t appropriate for all dress codes and events. Knowing how and when to wear a button-down is vital so that you can make the most out of it without sticking out like a sore thumb. Most importantly you should recognize that it is a semi-casual piece of clothing that was designed for regular use unlike dress shirts that are best worn with a suit and tie.

Common Rules for Wearing the Oxford Shirt

Let’s be clear, you can wear whatever you want, whenever you want. But certain pieces work best in particular ways and this is no different. Following these simple rules takes the thinking out of getting dressed and will guide you towards looking dapper.

Avoid with Formal Wear

Button down collars are far too casual to be worn with formal wear such as tuxedos, morning coats and even smart business suits. Occasionally a button down shirt can work with a suit, but very rarely and only with less formal colors and cuts. To keep it simple, avoid wearing them with dress pants.

Don’t Wear it to Formal Workplaces

Many would argue that they are perfect for a business casual dress code, which we would agree with, but only in the correct workplace. A traditional corporate environment like a bank is still too formal for the button down. However, for those of us that work in less corporate offices i.e. IT roles, marketing, sales, real estate, the button down can be the ideal choice. Keep in mind the office standards and err on the side of formality.

Avoid Short Sleeved Button Downs

In recent years many lower quality brands have released short sleeved button downs, which not only look odd but don’t provide the versatility that makes these shirts so desirable. Much of the time you can wear a button down with the sleeves rolled up, a fantastic look in spring, summer and even fall.

Short sleeved versions don’t have the same appeal because they have an internal clash of formality via the collar and material with a casual sleeve length. Generally, avoid short sleeved versions and opt for a traditional long sleeve shirt with a barrel cuff.

Wear Primarily for Casual and Smart Casual Events

The OCBD shines when it comes to casual and smart casual events like weekend adventures, coffee shop dates, vacations, backyard events and casual birthday parties. Here it can be worn with a variety of comfy and casual items like jeans, khakis, shorts and sweaters.

For those men who are looking to spice up their wardrobe with a touch of ‘grown-up’ and in turn throw out the t-shirts, the button down is the ideal daytime casual shirt.

OCBD with Jeans

Perhaps the most common example would be to wear it with a pair of jeans. For this outfit you need to be careful as to which jeans you choose, a casual light blue or ripped pair is likely to look out of place next to a relatively formal shirt.

Instead, most men would agree that it looks best with a tailored pair of dark jeans which are the smartest type of denim. The key to a fantastic outfit is balance, it’s okay to match casual items with more formal, but they shouldn’t be too far apart on a scale of formality, and the overall outfit should be balanced between casual and formal pieces.

With this type of shirt you should be resistant to casual jeans and sneakers because it would tip the scale too far in the favor of casual, while looking out of place next to a collared shirt. Instead, smart denim and less casual shoes such as leather dress shoes or professional Chelsea boots. These shirts go perfectly with jeans, especially when you take care for formality.

With regard to color you have plenty of freedom if you are matching to a dark denim because they are relatively plain. White, blue, navy, and pink are all tremendous choices. Most brands tend to produce shirts in a light pastel color instead of a vivid shade because it keeps it casual and makes it easier to match with different pants.

Oxford Shirt with Business Casual Blazer

While it’s advisable to avoid wearing them with a tie, in most cases, a business casual blazer can be a fantastic touch. Blazers can make jeans or even khakis more formal for work and can be quickly shedded for an evening event that is casual.

The only thing to be aware of when matching with a blazer would be the colors of each piece. White and light blue shirts tend to go great with navy and gray jackets, while pink looks better with beige and lighter colored blazers. Although it’s certainly possible to pull-off a button-down shirt with a suit, men tend to look better with a less formal pant such as khakis or smart dark jeans.

Oxford Cloth Button Down with Shorts in Summer

Always versatile, they can also be worn with shorts in the warmer months of the year. However, you need to be very careful about which style of shorts you try to pair them with. Only the smarter types will work (read: khaki shorts and not much else) in most cases.

As you might imagine, rolling up your sleeves and opening up another button or two can dress-down your formality, allowing shorts to become a more acceptable companion. This outfit can be paired wonderfully with boat shoes or even casual loafers, as we’ve seen President JFK do in the past.

The Oxford Cloth Button Down is an Essential

Truly, any man who wishes to dress elegantly and stylishly will need at least a few of these in their wardrobe. Why? Because they offer versatility, they replace more casual items that many of us have left in the past and they allow you to look great without having to think.

Many men treat these how you would a t-shirt when you were a teenager, you grab one out of your wardrobe and throw it on with whichever pants are cleanest and whatever shoes you have. More often than not you’ll look at least presentable.

They are easy and not to generalize, but millions of men value simplicity over everything else. For this reason they are essential and should be a staple of your wardrobe, perhaps even being the most common type of shirt that you have. While a dress shirt or polo is great and certainly has its applications, you’d be hard pressed to find another type of shirt that is as versatile as these. A timeless classic, it’s difficult to go wrong. Grab one in a few different colors and open up your eyes to a new era of style.

The History of the Oxford Button Down

Unsurprisingly many take a glance at them and believe that they are formal, after all, they do have a collar and a placket with buttons. But this style of button-down collar was originally invented for use by polo players who had previously worn collars that would blow in the wind during the match. Worn extensively by these players the trend spread across England where it became stylish to wear a button-down collar.

Brooks Brothers Popularizes the OCBD

American haberdashers from Brooks Brothers noticed the growing trend in the mid 1890’s on a trip to England, before taking the style back to their homeland. Brooks Brothers would release their first version in 1896, combining a button-down collar with Oxford cloth to create a casual piece that became instantly popular across the nation. To this day the company is still one of the more popular producers although in recent decades many other brands have released equal if not better versions.

The Oxford Shirt Thrives in America

At the time of release suits were still the mainstay of American men and for this reason they were almost worn exclusively with formal apparel. However, after the second World War and the subsequent relaxation of previous cultural norms, relatively casual clothing become more popular.

Rather than wearing only with suits and dress pants, it become common to wear them to attend parties, barbecues and even sporting events. Men of all age groups and demographics grabbed as many as they could because they were versatile, smart and yet casual, very affordable and incredibly durable compared to thinner dress shirts. The middle-class majority suddenly had a shirt that spoke to them, a piece for the everyday man that was available in a variety of colors and that could be worn with multiple outfits to reduce the amount of clothes they needed to purchase.

As Hollywood stars were quickly becoming nation heroes instead of just actors, cultural style icons like Fred Astaire, Paul Newman and James Dean shot into the spotlight. All three of whom would be seen in movies and magazines wearing them. Its popularity has continued to grow, or at least not decline, and today men value them as much as they have for decades before. This trend isn’t stopping anytime soon, which makes investing in at least a few quality shirts the obvious choice.

How to Buy an OCBD

Finding one to buy shouldn’t be hard at all, there are thousands of brands making them these days, but that makes it particularly difficult to decide between them. To help you we’ve listed a few of our favorites throughout this article, but we’re also going to cover what you should be looking for. Not all are made alike, and when it comes to fashion cheaper clothes are almost always going to be lower quality. Truthfully, making quality products isn’t cheap but by investing in higher quality pieces that will last you can look more stylish and save money in the long run.