Fashion

[NYCLatinaMe]

I don't know why this is being addressed here, but the length between the shoulders and the waist is part of the torso.  The term torso refers to the human body apart from the head, neck, arms, and legs, it extends from the end of the neck to the perineum, so it includes the length between the shoulders and waist.  Those who want to disagree, feel free.

[wilma]

@NYCLatinaMe 

Personally, I have always used the phrases button down & button front as 2 separate things. As others have stated the usage of fashion terms change over time and/or are used incorrectly. 

My DH hates button down shirts that don’t have button down collars. It is becoming more difficult to find button down collars on men’s dress shirts. I had to wear white button front Oxford cloth shirts with button down collars for my school uniforms growing up. We also wore them with our khakis & jeans for a preppy look. 

[insomniac2]

Andreatoo, having less inches along a torso makes the torso shorter.

Short-waisted women do not have long torsos! (Although they wish they did.)

[insomniac2]

Button-down has always referred to the collar.

[Caaareful Shopper]

I've seen retailers use the term button-down, but more frequently use button-front.  

When I do my own buying search for these types of shirts, I always use the term button-front women shirt.  The search results always show results with both button-front and button-down in the item's name.  

So it's just one of those terms that have morphed to be more descriptive.   

[depglass]

I was a men's clothing buyer for 9 years.  Button down meant the collar, period.  That's in men's, so it took me a couple years of double checking to learn what QVC meant with their "button down."  It means down the front placket.  

[Sooner]

Goes to show you how much people don't know now.  A button down shirt is a shirt that the collar buttons down.  It is a less formal type of dress shirt that would be worn with khaki pants and a blazer, not a suit.

People call dogs pups now.  A pup is a puppy, not a grown dog.

Pretty soon nobody will be able to understand what anyone else is talking about but I guess it won't matter because people don't listen or care any more.

[Sadiesadie]

@NYCLatinaMe : It's been years but I remember it being referred to as "button up shirts" around here maybe since there were women's button down shirts meaning that button at the collar. I had some.