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Original Polo Button-Down (OCBD)
About Brooks Brothers’s button-ups: Brooks Brothers literally invented the button-down collar (the OCBD) in 1896 — its oxford remains the reference point for the style.
Is the price honest?
Our take
Brooks Brothers invented the button-down collar in 1896, and its OCBD remains the reference the rest of the category is measured against. Owners praise the substantial oxford cloth, the famous soft roll of the collar, and the heritage construction. Reviewers consistently cite it as the benchmark OCBD, with the caveats that quality dipped during the brand's ownership turmoil (recent reviews are improving) and that the traditional fit runs full. The collar roll is the detail enthusiasts care about most.
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No owner reviews here yet — and we don't fake them. If you've actually worn these, tell us how they held up: fit after washing, wear over time, where they fell short. Named, honest, with a photo if you've got one.
Write the first honest reviewThe details
- Material
- Substantial cotton oxford cloth, mid-heavy weight.
- Fit
- Traditional full fit (slimmer cuts available), true to size; size down if you want trim.
- Quality
- Heritage benchmark — substantial oxford, the signature soft collar roll, durable construction.
- Best for
- The classic OCBD look, smart-casual and office wear, and collar-roll enthusiasts.
- Care
- Cold wash and hang or press; the oxford softens and the collar develops its roll with wear.
How Brooks Brothers button-ups hold up overall
Reviewer sentiment splits by line. The oxford button-downs earn real affection — the return to an unlined collar is widely called an improvement and the cloth described as sturdy without feeling stiff — but long-time buyers complain about price increases and quality control, including a widely discussed report of a collar fraying and a seam splitting within ten washes. The non-iron dress shirts draw the most consistent criticism: owners describe the treated fabric as rough and stiff with an unnatural drape, and note stretch fibers added in recent years.
- Strengths
- The unlined-collar oxford's cloth and collar are what fans keep coming back for.
- Watch out for
- Non-iron fabric reads stiff and artificial to many owners; recent quality control lapses are a recurring complaint.
- Sizing
- Three fits run roomy to trim (Traditional, Regent, Milano), and recent re-cuts are slimmer than the older versions of the same fit names.
About Brooks Brothers's button-ups line as a whole. Sources: New Brooks Oxford, 10 Washes Old — A Review Revisited — Ivy Style · Hands-On with Brooks Brothers' New OCBDs — Put This On · Defective? Brooks Brothers Non-Iron Shirt — Styleforum · Brooks Has Killed Off The Oxford Shirt — AskAndyAboutClothes forum
How Brooks Brothers compares to Charles Tyrwhitt → · How Brooks Brothers compares to Banana Republic →
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