The Iconic Oxford Button Down
A thought piece on the J.Crew secret wash shirt.
Words By Foli Creppy
FP
It is safe to say that when it comes to menswear, no more iconic article of clothing is synonymous with the Prep Classicism movement than the Oxford Cloth Button Down or “OCBD”. Prep Classicism can be roughly defined as a style movement that aims to maintain the image of preppy style but in a more restrained way, (think of the outfits that one would see the characters wear in the TV series “Succession”). The origins of the OCBD come from the days when polo players would add buttons to their polo shirts to keep the shirt collars from flying into their faces as they raced up and down the field on horseback. After a trip to England, employees at Brooks Brothers took notice of the trend and decided to add it to the third line of shirts. From 1896 onwards, the once utilitarian piece of fashion worn mostly by polo players became a worldwide trend worn by the Hollywood elites to the blue-collar workers in small-town America.
“No matter the situation, it has always come through for me when I needed a button-down shirt the most”
My favorite thus far has been the Secret Wash Shirt from J.Crew. With its soft, worn-in feel that feels like the shirt you’ve owned for years since college, the Milano is at home equally with a suit as it is with a pair of shorts. Although I have gone through quite a few style changes over the years, The J.Crew Secret Wash Shirt has been a mainstay in my wardrobe. No matter the situation, it has always come through for me when I needed a button-down shirt the most.
One of my main style mantras is that every man owns a secret wash shirt for casual occasions because of its durability and versatility. Here are a couple of reasons why. Due to its lightweight nature, it can easily be thrown into your suitcase for a weekend or longer excursions to be worn as a solo item or to be layered under a crewneck sweater. An OCBD is one of the few clothing items where it is acceptable to wear rumpled/wrinkled in the most casual of environments
It’s the more formal cousin of the plain white tee and the less formal brother to the button-down dress shirt. If you don’t own one it could add a bit of variety to your closet and versatility to your casual outfit choices, (You can also pair an OCBD to take the casual/formal look up a notch. Paired with a linen or seersucker suit to make it a bit more formal but still maintain an air a casual nature). As my style has returned to a more menswear-focused look. I find myself not only reaching more for this staple shirt but purchasing more variations of this particular shirt, (my favorite being the striped options).
My favorite way of styling an Oxford cloth button down if the occasion calls for a casual look is to pair a white and light blue OCBD secret wash shirt from J.Crew with a pair of dark blue swim trunks from Stone Island, a solid navy blue knit tie, a fisherman’s vest from Columbia and a pair of dark brown belgian loafers. For a more formal look for an event that is more forgiving than the attendee's dress down, you can pair a white button-down oxford shirt with a pair of tailored navy blue seersucker pants and a pair of dark brown penny loafers.
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