The short sleeve button up is an unforgiving piece. It either looks great or terrible – not a lot of room in between. So why take the risk? Well, if you know how to style a short sleeve button up, it can offer a whole new dimension to your warm weather looks – it’s perfect way to add some variety and flair up in spring and summer, while maintaining a dressy casual vibe.
This style can look just as good with a pair of casual shorts as it can with some dressier chinos. You can lighten up your outfit with a fun pattern, add some texture to a vacation or cookout outfit, or add some free-flowing relaxation to a neutral colored outfit.
If you don’t own a short sleeve button up or are not sure how to wear one, we’ll explore the four keys to make sure you style this piece correctly. After all, it’s imperative that you look great rather than terrible in this item (obviously).
Dial in the fit
Getting the fit wrong is the number one mistake most men make when wearing a short sleeve button up. Sure, this item is meant to be relaxed and casual, but that doesn’t mean it should appear baggy and sloppy.
And that’s exactly what happens too often. Many men will mistakenly take this relaxed feel to choose a garment that is too large. While it may seem more comfortable to relax the fit in this way, a shirt that’s too big will not flatter your body shape. Especially if you are in shape. For the thinner gentleman, you will look lost in your shirt and appear even thinner. For the larger gentlemen, you will not hide the extra pounds. In fact, it will make you appear even bigger due to the extra fabric hanging and swaying all over the place.
The ill-effect of wearing this piece too large is often magnified by the louder patterns and prints that can accompany these shirts. So a poorly-fitting shirt in a loud print or pattern will bring extra attention to how poorly fitting your shirt looks. This is one reason why these types of shirts tend to look great or terrible.
Instead, you should aim for a fitted style. Regardless of your body shape. Even though more relaxed styles of this garment have become popular recently, fitted cuts look better with a short sleeve button up. But don’t go too tight. The shirt will not be comfortable, and you will lose all of the relaxed appeal of this style.
Fit specifics
The end of the shirt sleeve should land somewhere between halfway down your bicep and an inch or two above your elbow. If the sleeves are very relaxed, you can roll them up a bit. The body of the shirt should skim your frame without being restrictive. If it looks too loose, try a size down. But don’t go too tight – the shirt buttons should not be pulling at the fabric.
If going untucked, keep the length no longer than halfway between your pant waist and crotch (or it will make you look shorter). Some short sleeve button ups have a flat hem, which is ideal for wearing untucked.
Follow these basic fit rules, and this garment will accentuate your upper body’s masculine v-shape and maximize your height, all while remaining relaxed and comfortable. See the pictures above. With the fit in place, the bolder styles of this shirt can now stand out in a positive way, further highlighting your positive physical features and style IQ.
Match your personal style
If you don’t currently have any short sleeve button ups in your rotation, when thinking of adding one make sure to not veer too far from your established personal style. Some men make the mistake of thinking they need to go with something loud or flashy with this garment. While you can go a bit bolder, you don’t want to make huge leaps and feel out of place in your own clothes.
The best way to integrate this shirt into your lineup is to stay close to your personal style. You can add a bit more color or pattern or texture if you’d like, but staying close to what you already feel comfortable in will help you sport this garment with more confidence. And confidence is the number one factor in your style.
Examples
For instance, if tend to wear more refined clothes and like to dress up, a loud Hawaiian print camp collar shirt will look out of place. Instead, go with something in a neutral color with maybe a little texture (an oxford cloth or cotton-linen blend), some chinos or chino shorts, and a pair of suede loafers or plain white sneakers. You can even throw on a lightweight sport coat to dress it up a little.
If your style leans rugged, a workwear short sleeve button up with utility pockets and a sturdier fabric (cotton-nylon blend or ripstop weave), some jeans or canvas chinos, and a pair of casual work-inspired boots will look great.
For those used to wearing more casual or bolder colors and styles, you can have some extra fun here. Louder prints and colors can add some boldness and grab attention to your style in a positive way. Remember, if you do choose a bolder shirt in this style, you must keep the rest of your outfit neutral. It’s very easy to look overly colorful and clownish. With this type of shirt, it will bring you attention in a negative way.
If you like to sport a more mysterious vibe, then a black short sleeve button up (in a silk or linen blend) paired with some black jeans and black or brown Chelsea boots will give you a killer look. Match these up with some gold or silver accessories (watch, necklace, ring) for a nice little pop of contrast. Do keep the accessories to 1-2 pieces, otherwise you’ll drown out the mysterious simplicity. This look can work well on a summer night out.
And regardless of your personal style, you should never wear one with a tie.
Know the scenario
The great thing about short sleeve button ups is how versatile they can be. You could wear a version of this garment for anything short of a formal affair. But you must understand the scenario and match your shirt style accordingly.
For a very casual situation during the heat of the day, you can go fairly relaxed. Go with a lighter fabric, and don’t be afraid of a print, some texture (linen or seersucker fabrics work wonders in the heat), or some color. If you don’t normally wear bolder styles, go with a more subtle print or color if you want to try it out something a little more eye-catching.
A game changer
Short sleeve button ups can be a game changer for more dressed up events during the summer. Say you have a rehearsal dinner or a beach/outdoor casual wedding, the right short sleeve button up will keep you cool while respecting the formality of the event.
For a casual beach wedding, you can sport a plain or subtle print short sleeve button up shirt with some linen pants and loafers, boat shoes, or espadrilles for a simple yet smart beach look. Have a more dressy summer affair? Use this template, tuck in your shirt, and throw on a casual cotton, linen, or linen/blend sport coat for a very relaxed and much cooler (temperature-wise and stylistically) semi-formal look. Make sure your collar can stand up under the shirt – either a button-down collar or one with collar stays should keep the look clean and your collar from becoming a mess under the jacket.
For any scenarios in between very casual or summer-dressy, use your best discretion. The right short sleeve button up will work for a variety of scenarios. You can cover anything from running some errands, grabbing lunch at a café, happy hour, a casual date, or a night on the town. Just remember to adjust the formality of the outfit accordingly. You can dress it up with nicer chinos, loafers, boat shoes, or chukka boots, and more neutral colored/patterned short sleeve button ups. Conversely, you can dress it down with some fitted chino shorts, some plain colored sneakers or boat shoes, and a shirt with a louder print/pattern/color combination.
If you’re on vacation, feel free to relax the look a step further. It’s the perfect time to experiment with different fabrics, patterns, and colors. If something works, you can bring it into your normal rotation.
Lean casual
You’d typically wear a short sleeve button up in the spring or summer. These seasons tend to tolerate more casual styles, as we must all accommodate the weather. For this reason, you can lean your styles more casual when thinking of how to style a short sleeve button up.
This is true especially when thinking of other pieces to pair with your shirt. If you’re debating two different styles, it’s likely the more casual one will work better. For instance, if you plan to wear a subtle print navy short sleeve button up in a smooth poplin fabric, it would likely match better with a bolder pair of casual chinos vs. a nicer pair of linen-blend slacks. This may not hold true for every situation (the linen slacks could work better for a beach wedding, for instance), but in general you want your outfit to go in a more casual direction if possible.
This shirt style can bring a lot of fun to your wardrobe, give you some stylish casual options, and relax your dressier summer looks. Make sure you follow these rules, especially dialing in the fit, so this shirt style can look great on you. Otherwise, you’ll likely fall into the “terrible” category, which you should hopefully want to avoid.