**As I asked so many of you for your opinions on a boys button-up, and promised a review myself of what I tired, I thought I would post that honest review here incase others were also on the hunt for a similar pattern.**
My three boys can be a bit of a wild bunch. They are often found running around outside in the Southern Califorina sun shirtless, shooting nerf guns with all the neighborhood boys, and gathering anyone who wants to our front lawn to play. While I just love their young free spirits and curious/imaginative minds, I can’t help but also love seeing them cleaned up and ready to slay the day!
I had been searching for some time for a button-up boy’s dress shirt, asking sewing friends online and reading pattern reviews. Seeing this amazing 100% Scarab Cotton Fabric on the Minerva website immediately expedited my search for the perfect boy’s button-up as I knew my boys would love “bug shirts” made from this beautiful fabric so much (and I was right!!). After a few weeks of research, I finally purchased the Classic Oxford Button-Up by Peek-a-boo Patterns to give it a try. The reviews were great, and I’d only heard good things and seen great versions of the pattern made up. I am so glad I went with this pattern!
The pattern and directions are simple to follow. The shirt is sewn up to be a solid make, yet with no French seams or fancy finishes for the inside side seams/armscye (which for a boys shirt, I am 100% okay with and even prefer). The yoke is done as in any button-up, and all inside seams are finished. The shirt is classic (if not slightly slender) in fit, yet fit all my boys true to size. The only change I made in sizing was to make my oldest boy’s shirt a bit longer, as he is my most slender and I knew with some added length, I could get more wear out of his shirt as he grows.
The pattern has options for short sleeves or long sleeves, with or without button tabs. It comes in sizes 3 months to 12 years. For a mother with multiple boys, and ever growing boys, I was so happy to see the large size range. I am already making future plans, and cannot wait to make them long sleeve linen shirts with tabs in the future!
The only possible hiccup I came across in sewing up the pattern was with the collar and collar stand. It took me several tries to get the curved edge of the collar stand to land just beyond the center front edge of the shirt, and I had to shave off a good amount of the pattern piece on either end to do so. Not a real issue though as this is really is a step that just takes extra work. The angle of the collar on all three of my boys shirts (angled more down than in) makes putting a button and buttonhole in the collar stand not make a lot of sense, as the collar on either side would be overlapping if buttoned up. This could be user error in making the pattern up (perhaps I shaved off too much of the ends of the collar stand), but I did run into this same issue with all three shirts. It is important to note however, this is only an issue if you plan on using the top button. If that if this is the case, the collar angle can be easily adjusted and the problem easily solved. I didn’t find this to be an issue at all as I didn’t find buttoning to the very top necessary, just something to note. Also, perhaps on the collar wouldn’t overlap if worn and buttoned to the top- as I only laid it flat to try and line everything up.
The shirts were surprisingly fast sews (especially with my track record of how long it takes me to make a decent men’s button-up). The instructions were easy to follow, and the end result looks so professional! My husband even came into my studio, and after looking over the boys shirts said he wanted one for himself! Winning!! This will officially be my go-to pattern for a classic boys Oxford Button-up!
I love this pattern so so much, I made ties to match the three button-up shirts using the pattern Everyday Neckties by Made with Dana.
I think my boys look rather handsome in their matching bug shirts and color-blocked ties. I am so over-the-top happy with the final result that I asked Peek-a-boo Patterns if they were willing to sponsor a giveaway of one of their patterns, so you can make your very own Classic Oxford Button-up as well!
Make sure not to miss a chance to win, and get all the details over on my instagram account found here.
I caught on film my boys doing a group hug (be still my momma heart), which quickly turn into “if we all stand like this, we look like a huge pile of bugs!” The life of a boy mom…
Every Christmas and Easter holiday I like my boys to have matching button-up shirts and my daughter to have a dress that goes along with what they are wearing. Thanks Peek-a-boo patterns for making my matching dreams so easy, endless and fun!
