01Original pattern development

The Button-Down Project

I’ve been developing this self-drafted button-down through multiple versions, making changes to the fit and paper pattern each time.

Blue-and-white striped button-down arranged on grass in direct sunlight. — Latest iteration · full shirt and overall shape

Objective: Create a roomy button-down with movement that does not read as completely oversized.
My role: Pattern drafting, sampling, fitting and construction
Material: Blue-and-white striped cotton shirting
Outcome: An ongoing self-drafted shirt pattern that I am continuing to test and refine.

I wanted to make a button-down that felt roomy without looking completely oversized.

I started with a basic bodice and turned it into a shirt pattern with a yoke, placket, collar, cuffs and sleeves. Each version showed me something I wanted to change, so I went back to the paper pattern, made the adjustment and tried it again.

Initial pattern and mock-up

After trying on the first version, I found that the sleeves and armholes were too tight, there was not enough room across the back and the collar felt too large.

I took those problems back to the paper pattern, then cut this cream muslin to check the changes before moving on to finished fabric.

Lowered the armscye by approximately 10 cm.

Widened the sleeve and added two deep back pleats.

Reduced the collar.

Reis wearing a cream muslin button-down mock-up during a mirror fitting, with pins marking the front — Mock-up fitting · checking the collar, front opening and overall fit after revising the pattern

Close mirror view of a cream muslin button-down mock-up showing the sleeve and shoulder volume — Mock-up fitting · checking the revised shoulder and sleeve volume

Hand-drafted paper pattern pieces for the button-down arranged on a table — The original paper pattern before I began bringing it into Adobe Illustrator.

Iteration 01

I carried the changes from the mock-up into a finished striped shirt. I controlled the extra sleeve volume at the cuff and worked all seven buttonholes by hand.

Reis wearing an earlier blue striped button-down sample outdoors — Earlier finished version · checking the overall fit while worn

Back view of an earlier striped button-down showing the yoke and two deep pleats — Two deep back pleats added to make more room across the shoulder blades

Close view of an earlier striped shirt collar, placket, cuff and hand-sewn buttonholes — Reduced collar, cuff, front placket and hand-sewn buttonholes

Iteration 03: Oxford

For the latest version, I used a blue-and-white striped Oxford cloth and carried those pattern changes into another finished shirt. The lower armscye and wider sleeve give it more room to move, while the smaller collar feels closer to the proportion I wanted. I am still looking at the fit and deciding what I want to change before I call the pattern finished.

Reis wearing his striped Oxford button-down in front of ivy, showing the front fit and open collar. — Iteration 03 · Oxford shirt, front view

Side view of Reis wearing the striped Oxford shirt, showing the collar, shoulder seam and rolled sleeve. — Iteration 03 · Collar, shoulder and sleeve detail

Reis wearing the blue-and-white striped button-down outdoors, showing the shoulder and sleeve volume. — Latest iteration · shoulder and sleeve volume while worn

Close view of the striped button-down collar, front opening and hand-sewn buttonholes. — Latest iteration · collar, front opening, stripe placement and hand-sewn buttonholes

Taking the pattern digital

After drafting and testing the pattern on paper, I started learning how to bring it into Adobe Illustrator. This is the current version, drafted to my measurements and updated based on what I learned from each shirt.

I’m still working through the fit and refining the pattern as I get closer to a final version.

Adobe Illustrator layout of the self-drafted button-down pattern pieces. — Current single-size development pattern, drafted to my measurements in Adobe Illustrator.

Pattern progression and comparison

Seeing the shirts next to each other makes the pattern work easier to understand. The earlier version showed me where I needed more room through the armscye, sleeve and back. The latest version carries those changes forward with a smaller collar and a shape that moves more easily.