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vorknöpfen

English translation: be sure the shirt fits the occasion

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04:17 Oct 13, 2009

German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Textiles / Clothing / Fashion

German term or phrase: vorknöpfen

"Knöpfen Sie sich immer ein passendes Hemd vor."
I am looking for a clever way of bringing this double meaning over, help would be most welcome.

TIA Stephen

Stephen Sadie KudoZ activity Questions: 967 (4 open) (48 closed without grading) Answers: 2709 Germany
Local time: 03:29

English translation:be sure the shirt fits the occasion

Explanation:
Hope it helps!

Selected response from:

Camilla Seifert
South Africa
Local time: 04:29

Grading comment

thanks, this fitted best and it referred to shirt manufacturing
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

snatch yourself the right shirt!

libelulariae

3 +2

be sure the shirt fits the occasion

Camilla Seifert

3 +1

Don't be afraid to push some buttons / pushing all the right buttons.

Michele Johnson

to buttonhole

Lisa Davey

button up (the deal)

British Diana

right on the button

Johanna Timm, PhD

to go for

Yasutomo Kanazawa

button-up accordingly/appropriately

Goldcoaster

Answers

11 mins confidence:

to go for

Explanation:
Always go for the perfect shirt.

How about this one?

Yasutomo Kanazawa
Local time: 11:29
Native speaker of:

Japanese

43 mins confidence:

right on the button

Explanation:
Assuming this is an ad for a shirt manufacturer:

With our shirts you're always right on the button

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 18:29
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 214

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

be sure the shirt fits the occasion

Explanation:
Hope it helps!

Camilla Seifert
South Africa
Local time: 04:29
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in category: 12

Grading comment

thanks, this fitted best and it referred to shirt manufacturing

2 hrs confidence:

button up (the deal)

Explanation:
The word "button" must be used in order to get the double meaning, so why not the verb"to button up" = to complete or conclude something satisfactorily.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2009-10-13 07:22:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To be quite honest, I'm not sure if your suggested usage of "buttoned up" is suitable. "Buttoned up" can also mean repressed or controlled (she kept her emotions buttoned up), which is not the impression we are attempting.
Let'see what others think!

Example sentence(s):

Slip into one of our awesome shirts - this will definitely button up the deal for you

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 03:29
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 6

Notes to answerer

Asker: Be sure the shirt is buttoned up to the occasion ?

5 hrs confidence:

button-up accordingly/appropriately

Explanation:
to stay as close to the original source text as possible: button-up to suit the occasion or dress fittingly

Goldcoaster
Switzerland
Local time: 03:29
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

German

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Don't be afraid to push some buttons / pushing all the right buttons.

Explanation:
"Helping you to push all the right buttons", in the sense of doing exactly what is necessary to get the result that you want.
"It's important to push all the right buttons."
"Don't forget to push all the right buttons."
"Time to push some buttons."
"Don't be afraid to push some buttons"
"We don't mean to push your buttons" (then the text explains why their shirts are so great).
"To succeed in life, you have to be willing to push some buttons."
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/buttons

You could also use a totally different idiom, like:
"Putting our shirt on your success" or "We'd bet our shirt on you".
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/shirt
Or something more creative, with "cut from the same cloth" or "follow suit".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2009-10-13 10:48:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Let us push your buttons" could also have a slightly sexual appeal, which you may or may not want. Are they targeting hip young things or old granddads?

Michele Johnson
Germany
Local time: 03:29
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

13 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

snatch yourself the right shirt!

Explanation:
vorknöpfen has a certain aggressiveness to it that "snatch" captures. I think you should forget about the button. The other choice, a previous comment I made earlier "dressed for the occasion".

libelulariae
United States
Local time: 21:29
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4

18 hrs confidence:

to buttonhole

Explanation:
To buttonhole (someone) means to gain their exclusive attention. You may be able to put a sentence together using this.

"Buttonholing the right shirt for the occasion" or something along these lines... depending on what comes next

Lisa Davey
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:29
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 7

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English translation: be sure the shirt fits the occasion

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English translation: be sure the shirt fits the occasion

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KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

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