Quote Originally Posted by English Bloke View Post
Depends where you buy your shirts Jock. I'm not keen on button down collars meeself, but a lot of the supermarkets now stock them as standard, off the peg, and that's where most folk seem to buy stuff now...

I see a lot more button down collars around UK (Scotland included) in both smart and casual dress, than ever there was and I even have one or two meeself (he confessed, guiltily). To be honest, I don't think many but the keenest eye would notice.

Maybe it's 'cause ASDA is owned by Walmart and the fashions are creeping across the pond. Who knows.
I've noticed a progressive increase in the number of guys who wear button down collars with a tie and it kind of bothers me because my understanding is that this style of collar was designed for keeping things neat when one doesn't wear a tie. Sort of like wearing a belt and suspenders/braces. This combination seems to be gaining social and sartorial currency through (mis)use.

This phenomenon sheds some light for me on the flat cap with kilt debate. Traditionally, the flat cap is not worn with the kilt but enough people do it now that many people probably see nothing wrong with it, or even think it looks great. For anyone who still associates flat caps with other styles of un-kilted attire, it must look, for lack of a better word, wrong.