Men Short Sleeve Dress Shirt Button Down
Collar

From LoveToKnow Men's Fashion

While a men’s short sleeve dress shirt with a button-down collar is more stylish than some other incarnations, it’s still a casual shirt and is best treated as such. Yes, they are worn for business when the environment is casual, but this is still the exception, not the norm.

A short sleeved dress shirt is acceptable in a more casual office.

Men’s Short Sleeve Dress Shirts Jokes

Part of the reason why men’s short sleeve dress shirts, even with button-down collars, are still frowned upon in some business circles is because of their use in popular culture. They’re worn most famously by nerds. Dilbert of the eponymous comic strip first popularized them (or not) and they have gained new laugh power as the wardrobe of uber-dweeb Dwight on the TV show The Office. It doesn’t help that Dwight’s shirts slope in the shoulders and are usually an unfortunate shade of yellow. But even with the best fit and most flattering color, it’s very hard to wear one of these shirts in a business setting and not be laughed at.

The other problem with these shirts is that they can be infantilizing. They are the shirts worn by school boys, especially in Britain, as part of their school uniform. Traditionally, a boy marked his entrance into adulthood both with graduating from shorts or breeches and from short sleeves to long. So when a man chooses to wear a short sleeve dress shirt, it can look like he’s still at school.

Arguments for Short Sleeve Dress Shirts

There is no denying the comfort a men’s short sleeve dress shirt with a button-down collar, and that’s the first and foremost argument in their favor. When it’s both hot and humid, it’s not enough to roll up sleeves. A man is going to sweat, and he’d rather have as much circulation under his arms as possible. The button-down collar creates a crisper, more professional look, so that if the shirt fits well and is accompanied by a good tie, its inherent casualness or dweebiness is completely offset. Staying cool while still paying attention to style is absolutely acceptable, especially where there is no air conditioning.

Additionally, the modern office has grown more and more casual, so that a short sleeve shirt is a good compromise between a professional and loose look. They can even be worn to daytime summer events like outdoor weddings if the invitation indicates that it’s a more casual affair.

Buying Men's Short Sleeve Dress Shirt with Button-Down Collar

As with a long-sleeved shirt, you want to be sure a short-sleeved dress shirt fits well in the shoulders and along the chest. When buttoned, the collar should sit nicely around the neck, neither loose nor tight. The shirt should be long enough to tuck all the way in and the buttons across the chest should never be stressed. Since you are buying the shirts to keep cool, stay away from blends that don’t breathe and opt for cotton, linen or silk shirts. These will also have the most flattering fit.

Short-Sleeved Dress Shirts and Undershirts

If you’re wearing a good dress shirt, whether custom or not, you may want to wear a T-shirt or undershirt to keep the shirt in better condition and guard against sweat stains. Or, of course, the shirt may be thin and require another layer for good taste. In any case, be mindful of the sleeve length of the undershirt you wear with a short-sleeved dress shirt. When they are the exact same length, the undershirt is visible and this looks tacky. If you’re in any sort of professional environment, however casual, you would do better to avoid this look. A tank shirt will solve the problem if you can’t find a shorter sleeved T-shirt. You want to be comfortable, but you should still look good.

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