Under 5’10 Tech Button Down Review
The newest entry for the brand in the tech shirt world. Comfy, but can it pull off nicer dinners out?
Under 5’10 Tech Button Down Review Introduction
Under 5'10 , hot and heavy on the releases in 2025 - rolled out another expansion line towards the end of the Summer. They’ve seen some success with their Performance Pique button down - a shirt I own two of - and they decided to come up with a slightly dressier shirt that still incorporates some of today’s modern fabrics.
A tech dress shirt, to me, is never going to truly replace a real dress shirt. That said - I think they can certainly cover off on at least 50% of the scenarios, while being way more comfortable. If a brand can pull that off, that’s a win in my book. Can Under 5’10 pull it off? Let’s find out.
This is my review of the Under 5'10 Tech Button Down shirt. I reviewed this shirt on a couple of short trips where I wanted a nicer shirt to wear, but still wanted tech properties. So, a 3 night trip towards warmer weather where I had a fancier dinner to go to, as well as a work trip where I wanted a professional looking shirt but again, was hoping to still have some comfort while wearing it and while flying.
As always for full transparency, in this case I purchased this shirt with my own money and this is not a sponsored article. I do use affiliate links which help to support the site if you decide to use them to make a purchase, but you’re under no obligation to do so and there’s no additional cost to you. This review was written 100% by a Human - I do not use AI for my writing. Thanks for stopping by!
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Tech Button Down Overview and Features
Macro of the fabric.
Dress shirts can only have so many features, but we’ll give you the run down here. The shirt is meant to be slightly more elevated than the aforementioned Performance shirts (which are a pique material and therefore more like a collared polo). And is really designed more for that in-office and post-work socializing or for a night out.
The material is lightweight and extremely soft. It’s very stretchy, and described to resist wrinkles. The lightweight nature of the material makes this a good candidate to bring on travels, as it will help keep the weight down and won’t wrinkle as easily (though remember as I always say - virtually nothing except the Roswell crash material is 100% wrinkle free; if you know, you know).
The brand isn’t too specific about proprietary fabric or anything, so here’s how it’s listed on the site:
Materials:
100% polyester
From a feature perspective, you’re going to get nice stretch, moisture wicking due to the qualities of modern polyester, and you’ll get their signature, more modern fit meant for shorter folks. That typically means better fitting arms (no more Pirate blouses or too-long arms) and a good choice of room around the waist hem vs. too slim.
They retail for $65.00 though you can often find them on sale for around $55.00. These are also offered in white and black. White is always a classic choice but for traveling, I find white shirts a BIT too risky. We’ve got the light blue for our testing which I find to be the most versatile and classic color for a travel capsule.
The Fit of the Under 5’10 Tech Button Down
I was really happy with the fit on this shirt. It stays true to form on the fit profile described in the previous section, and that works well for me. I like a slimmer sleeve, but am not what I call “climber slim” in my waist and mid section, so I do like a little flare or room there. Not too much however as I think that kills the “elevated” or fancier fit. There have been a shirt here and there from them that also has a little more room in the lower back as you size up, and I’d rather that not be a thing. So I like the balance they used here. This really does look like a slightly casual dress shirt. It’s clean looking and very minimal.
I would choose to always wear this untucked. That really is just because I think the hem is a perfect length for that look, but at the same time that means it MIGHT be a little short to stay tucked, depending on your torso length. Easier to rock it like this, which in most cases these days is completely appropriate.
I wore it with navy chinos to dinner and a nice pair of suede loafers. It also goes great with many of the cords offered by Under 5’10 as well (Under 5’10 Corduroy pants review).
Use the photos to see the proportions, they aren’t meant to be fashion photos, lol. Can’t always get shots from out in the city! Based on how you’re standing/positioned, because the fabric is soft you might notice a different drape. It’s not going to be the same as a crisp dress shirt. Keep that in mind. Example being where it caught on my pocket - but that’s more about being a bit clumsy in how I stood for the photo.
The Good
Under 5’10 uses the term “minimal” in their page copy and I think it’s true to form there. This is a very minimal, more dressy shirt with really clean lines that sits pretty well on the body. As the fabric is pretty smooth, though not shiny mind you, it’s not really obvious that it’s a tech fabric unless you really pay attention. That’s a win in my book.
I found it great to bring on a trip. It’s a great option for a night out when you want to look more put together, but still want to be really comfortable. I did find it to be fairly wrinkle resistant, but if you're folding things, be prepared because long days of travel, folded up in your bag or suitcase, a shirt is going to pick some up. I think if you had it in a garment bag however, it would do quite well.
While it’s somewhat easy-care, I’d pay attention to the specifics. A cold wash and air dry will make this a great candidate for those sink-washers as they travel. I found it able to dry within a couple of hours hanging, even on the cuffs and collars. That’s key when traveling. I will note they say not to iron this shirt, however. After a wash that might be fine, but after a travel day, I found I did need to use an iron. Just be VERY careful and either steam only or use very low heat. You never know what kind of janky iron you’re going to get in hotels, and the brand does say to not iron it. So, the risk is on us there if we choose to. Again, low heat. Low. Got it? I think this material might do OK with the old “hang while showering in a steamy bathroom” trick. But that can only get ya so much.
The Bad
Can’t really complain about much on this shirt. Maybe they can offer up a navy option, which I also find to be the most versatile color for travel (Personal choice here - I don’t like wearing black).
I think as they grow, I’d like to see higher quality buttons and stitching around the buttons. Nothing wrong with them mind you - but the nicer a brand gets, the nicer those kinds of details get, too. Usually. So perhaps a faux ‘shell’ style.
On their next iteration - would be good to see them find a fabric with the same properties as the current version, but that can be tumble dried. I think that makes it more versatile in terms of care, and easier to use services (like hotel laundry) when you’re on the road because the more instructions you need to give those folks, the more ways they can screw it up and maybe mess up your clothing. So I’d keep this as a “hand wash only” shirt while on the road, OR self-laundry scenarios (like in AirBnBs or a lot of Japanese hotels) so you can control the process and make sure your shirt stays nice for the trip and long haul.
I don’t see this replacing a shirt under a suit or jacket (not sure it’s meant to - I just don’t want YOU to think it will, then get mad if it can’t). It’s not crisp enough for me.
Final Thoughts On My Under 5’10 Tech Button Down Review
I really liked the look of this shirt. While I like the comfort and casual presentation of the Performance Pique shirt, I like this more minimal-dressier shirt for those scenarios that require it. It’s better looking for a dinner out or bar night out, and it’s better looking for work scenarios, too. Like more traditional office settings like banking or finance jobs - I think this shirt is more appropriate for day to day or casual Fridays there rather than the Performance Pique shirt. Good marks on this.
I also think it was a handy shirt to have while traveling. It dries really quickly, is super comfortable and soft, and also really lightweight. It worked well to wear on the plane for a work trip and still arrive looking decent/professional to meet coworkers, but also to be really comfy during the actual travel since the shirt can stretch and really move with you.
Keep in mind the care instructions, because you’ll want to make sure that works for you. I find it CAN be ironed, but be careful and bear in mind the brand says not to - so do with that what you will.
I think this is definitely a shirt you can bring with you on your next travels - bring it for dinner with your partner, a night out for friends, or just to look nicer at breakfast at the bougie resort. It’s going to fit right in and keep you looking comfortable while you do it. Most importantly for the short folks out there - the fit and look was meant for us, so you’re going to get a pattern here that’s much better for us right off the rack. No alterations needed.
You can only get them direct, so head on over and check them out and see if they are right for you, too.
Wander more - and wander smarter everyone.
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