Sunday 7 July 2013

Top Button Done Up


The trend covered by this post is one commonly worn by the hipster, that being the top button of a collared shirt done up. Now I know you may be thinking that I said the deep V was the hipster style, but it seems to transpire that the common hipster either likes to bare a lot of chest or none at all.

A quick search on Google for "top button done up style" confirms that this is a trend many people have been wanting to embrace but are never quite sure if it is for them. With this in mind we knew we had to find out. If people hated us then they'd let us know fast and painfully, if they loved it we probably wouldn't find out.  As with most things involving peoples opinions you'll only know if it is bad.


On preparation for this evening I ironed a few shirts in order to be able to match one with my style. However on attempting to do up the top button when trying them on, I found that only one collar fit. The next decision was shirt tucked in or shirt untucked. I plumped for shirt tucked in and sleeves rolled down. On meeting James, he had gone for the sleeves rolled up and shirt untucked. Therefore this blog should be able to report the reaction from both styles.

James and I met in Wetherspoons, a place where many styles meet and a sure place to find some people wearing similar clothing whilst others are wearing completely differing trends. Although there were some other people in the pub with their top buttons done up, they didn't seem to notice that we were of similar neck attire. In fact no one in the pub, not even the bar staff who were getting a good close-up look of the style, were the least bit concerned by our choice of trend for the evening. Having some cheeky shots, we got the hell out of 'Spoons to go find somewhere where our clothing would be appreciated.

This led us to Floyds. Now Floyds is an upstairs club, which is so small that from the bar to the DJ booth is one big (and when I say big, I really mean kind of small) dance floor, filled with what can only be described as; lads trying to get some, and girls willing to be got. Meeting a couple of friends there, we hit the 'bukas hard and got to the dance floor.

The style of the day (chin rolls included)
Once again our stylish accouterment was unnoticed. It seems that the top button done up is just too standard. Maybe it is too much of a norm. We kept dancing the night away, however all the men in Floyds were just scouting for the next available lady to grind onto, and all the ladies were looking away from us waiting for someone to jump aboard, meaning that we couldn't get any real feedback as to the value of our style. 

So on to Live Lounge it was...

James rocking the done up button and rolled up sleeve option
When in the Live Lounge queue, we started chatting to a chap who was telling us all the benefits of Live Lounge assuming that we had never been there before. Now this wasn't your everyday chap, this guy had his top button done right up! Oh yes, he had seen us from a mile away and decided that we were the sort of blokes he could crack a conversation with. In this conversation, whilst still queuing, we told him that we were from Basingstoke and here on a Stag do with one of our mates and he quickly informed us that we were in the right place for a Stag Do. He took our word as gospel, and this is the crux of it Ladies and Gents, albeit the 'top button done up' style is no longer out there or readily noticed, it makes you seem trustworthy. In the picture below you can see this guy (left with his button done up) cheering on our honoury stag (on the right bearing all the chest he wants).

Our new friend and our Stag
The rest of the night was followed by chance meetings with our top button friend, but no notice from anyone else on our choice of clothing set up.
Neck bloatage didn't make things too easy. One definite downside of this trend is that when the dance moves are getting more enthusiastic you are not able to increase your breathing to compensate. This tended to result in a fair bit of stopping followed by unwelcome hugs and banter from various lads and all you can do is breath heavily and drip all over them.

The top button crew, and associated Stag
So what did we make of this trend? Well firstly, no one seems to care about it anymore. Too many people have been wearing their shirts and polo shirts with the top button secure for so long that it is commonplace now, it is hardy worth the effort of doing up the extra button (or buttons if you are risqué). The only added value of the top button seems to be the warm feeling others seem to get, confining their trust in your every word (this assumes that the top button was the reason we were trustworthy as opposed to our brilliant lying skills) and invading your personal space. Of course, as stated at the beginning, this muted reaction could be the ultimate sign that it is well liked and respected by the common club folk.


The Top Button Done Up; Joining of like minds, trust, but altogether boring.

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