JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<a href="#" class="button"><span>a > span</span></a>

<a href="#" class="button"><span>a > span</span></a>

<a href="#" class="button"><span>a > span</span></a>

CSS

.button {
  overflow: hidden;
  white-space: nowrap;
  display: inline-block;
  vertical-align: top;
  -webkit-user-select: none;
  font-family: Arial;
  font-size: 13px;
  color: black;
  text-decoration: none;
  text-align: center;
  cursor: default;
  padding: 2px 6px;
  margin: 0;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  border-radius: 2px;
  border-top: 1px solid rgb(166, 166, 166);
  border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(148, 148, 148);
  border-left: 1px solid rgb(157, 157, 157);
  border-right: 1px solid rgb(157, 157, 157);
  background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAAcCAAAAACFNooQAAAAHUlEQVQI12P4wfSfiYHpP9N/KP0Pyv6Pxobw4CoBqcYYFT1E4a0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=);
  background-size: contain;
}

.button:hover {
  border-top: 1px solid rgb(123, 123, 123);
  border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(110, 110, 110);
  border-left: 1px solid rgb(116, 116, 116);
  border-right: 1px solid rgb(116, 116, 116);
}

.button:active {
  border-top: 1px solid rgb(166, 166, 166);
  border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(148, 148, 148);
  border-left: 1px solid rgb(157, 157, 157);
  border-right: 1px solid rgb(157, 157, 157);
  background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAAcCAAAAACFNooQAAAAHUlEQVQI12O4y8TIxMDEyMQIpZmgbAhkQmPDVQIAOFkBLhpTdQIAAAAASUVORK5CYII=);
}

.button {position:relative; height:100px;width:100px;}
.button + .button {height:200px;}
.button + .button + .button {height:50px;} 
.button span {
  display:block;
  left:0;
  right:0;
  position:absolute;
  top:calc(50% - 9px);
  text-align:center;
}