Quick tip: Unbutton that second button when you go tieless

December 19, 2011 · 25 comments

in Quick Tip

Quick tip for you guys: when you’re wearing a dress shirt without a tie, unbutton both the collar and the second button.

This is something I notice a lot. When guys let loose, they rip off that tie and unbutton the collar… and that’s it.

Don’t be afraid to unfasten one more button. Cmon, you can do it! I believe in you.

Why unfasten the two top buttons? Because if you only unfasten the collar, you look a tad stuffy, a bit closed up. You kinda look like you’re choking a little. Let that neck breathe!

Here are some common objections to undoing that second button:

My undershirt will show.

Okay, then wear a v-neck undershirt, or a deep v-neck undershirt if necessary. Or, grab an A-shirt. Whichever you decide to go with, they should all be heather grey, don’t forget.

I have a forest of chest hair that will be unleashed.

So? You’re a man, man. Let that rug of yours breathe. Nothing wrong with a little windswept chest hair.

If you’re still conscious of it, maybe you need to do some manscaping. Trim yourself with scissors, or grab a body hair wrangler and get to work! It’s okay if you need to tame your unwieldy body hairs. Your lady will love you for it.

I feel like Fabio if I have that many buttons unbuttoned.

Dude, be real. Unless you have a dress shirt with weirdly positioned buttons (or a majestic steed, or long flowing locks), you won’t look like Fabio. If anything, you’ll look less stuffy with one more button unbuttoned.

Two should be your max though, any more buttons unfastened and shit just gets weird.

Be aware that the position of the second button on a shirt depends on the shirtmaker. Some are positioned higher, while other shirts lower it a bit.

In any case, two buttons unfastened is the sweet spot when wearing a dress shirt with no tie.

That’s this week’s quick tip!

Are there any widely-accepted, yet potentially incorrect ways of wearing clothing that you wonder about? Feel free to leave these below; maybe we’ll use them in future quick tip articles.

Oh and, while you’re at it, why not join us on Facebook?

About

Barron is the founder and editor of Effortless Gent, a site dedicated to helping dudes figure out what looks best on them. He also co-founded Fifth&Brannan, a menswear label based in San Francisco. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

  • Stefan

    I always unbotton the 2nd button, never wear undershirts and have been using the philips bodygroom for a while lol

  • Anonymous

    just remember: stretch and cut. always stretch.

  • Dan

    Really, there are guys out there who don’t want to look like Fabio? What has this all been for, then?!!

    My widely-accepted, yet potentially incorrect way of wearing clothing that I wonder about: light-colored jeans. I still feel like a bit of a style newbie and even I’ve learned that they make you look like a soccer mom.

  • http://twitter.com/AStylishGinger Sean Fitzgerald

    I don’t agree with the chest hair point. I really don’t want to see your chest hair and neither do the women: 
    http://dappered.com/2011/07/one-or-two-unbuttoning-with-chest-hair/

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Dravus/100000603880267 Christopher Dravus

    Great tip on the shirt. An open neck like that adds to the perception of casual and confident. One button gives the impression, to me at least, that the wearer just took his tie off. Two buttons lets me know unquestionably that this neck was never wearing a tie. 

    As for more articles I’d do something on skin care. I see a lot of guys in Chicago here getting their faces destroyed by the winter cold. 

    Great read as always. thanks.

    Christopher
    The-Approach.org

  • Dan

    She doesn’t speak for all women. I’m just gonna go with “all women want me to look like Austin Powers.”

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    That’s why I mentioned the body groomer, if the shirt wearer is conscious of the body hair looking like a man carpet.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Admittedly, skin care is something I don’t know much about, other than the limited number of things I use and do for myself. I’ll have to enlist the help of some friends w/ skin care sites and blogs. Thanks for the suggestion.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Sounds like you’re up to speed then :)

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Light colored jeans can be done, but dark just always looks better. Attached some examples of lighter denim looking pretty good.

  • Dan

    Dang, I’m a newb.

  • http://twitter.com/Arkhangael Angel

    i’m cool about the 2nd button needs to be freed, except my boss is against it.. so i simply put back a slim tie instead of looking like a fool..
    the only ways to swim around the shark is to wear button-down shirts, where the collar doesn’t fall open, and allows you to look cool without a tie. 
    or..
    my favorite, wearing a waistcoat, the best way to prevent my open shirt from revealing a torso no one apparently should see.
     
    the simplest thing remains to wear a (slim) tie. 
    @james_a_michael and sir mick jagger usually do the right thing the right way..

  • http://twitter.com/Arkhangael Angel

    a t-shirt under a nice shirt wouldn’t look nice either, unless it’s a v neck.. but then, where;s the point? the skin will still show.. aren’t we allowed to open our shirts?

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    It really depends on the shirt. Most of my shirts look perfectly fine with the top two buttons unfastened. I’ve seen some shirts, however, that look disproportionately exposed when the second button is unfastened. In that case, yep, I’d keep a tie on.

  • Ronald Paek

    how many buttons would you say to unbutton for a polo shirt? im currently wearing jcrew ones they only have 2 buttons total i usually always unbutton one.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    What do you personally feel comfortable doing? To me, it depends on how deep the neckline goes when everything’s unbuttoned. Most standard polos only go so deep, and I tend to not button any. Personal preference, though.

  • Matt

    Except for the fact that I have ugly keloids on my chest that people can’t stop staring at haha..

  • Mike

    Shirt collars on the outside of sweaters!!!! Thats THE worst look ever.

  • restaurant manager

    I wear a collared shirt with a suit jacket for work. I unbutton the shirt only one button and keep my suit jacket closed. My collar often falls down under my jacket and I am forced to continually pop it up during the night. Is this because I don’t have enough starch or should I be buying better shirts? Please advise.

  • Jwedel1231

    The best rule I’ve eevr heard is to always unbutton 2 buttons on polos. If its got 2, don’t button either. 3? Leave one buttoned. 4? Buy a new polo, because those look kinda odd.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

     That’s a good rule of thumb. I can second that.

  • Aaronlws

    Disagree completely on this. Most of the time, two buttons look sloppy, though it depends on the shirt. If you are at work, showing hair is beyond inappropriate. Showing too much undershirt also looks foolish.

    Better to not get a button down that has the top button up too high as that is often what gives a stuffy / need a tie look with only the top button undone.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    It’s probably because the shirt isn’t a true dress shirt with a stiff collar. Your shirt collar needs to be stiffer to sit upright and so it doesn’t fall underneath your jacket lapels.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    It definitely depends on the shirt, though in most cases, the men who walk around with only the collar button unbuttoned look like they could use a little extra breathing room in the neck area. The placement of that second button is too high, and should be lower… or they could just unbutton it.

    If the second button is SUPER low, then it’s not always necessary. And you’re right, best to not get a shirt with the second button (the one right below the collar button) too high.

  • erock1

    I’d love to go 2nd button undone as I don’t need a tie for work attire but I do wear a dress shirt and slacks. only problem is I can’t find a v- neck undershirt that doesn’t show. I’ve tried Hanes, nautica, Calvin Klein, 2xist, uniqlo… none are deep enough in the V. any brands, suggestions or solutions? I still want to wear the undershirt and not a fan of wife beaters.

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