Wednesday, January 25, 2012

If You Learn Nothing Else From Dapper District, Part 1: The Bottom Button

Never button the bottom button on 1) single-breasted suit jackets, blazers, odd jackets, etc.; 2) vests; 3) overcoats.

Ever.

For nearly 100 years, men's businesswear has been cut based on the specific assumption that you will not button the bottom button.  What started as a fad now undergirds our entire enterprise.

You may consider buttoning the overcoat's bottom button if it's really damn cold and precipitating, but your scarf had better coordinate immaculately.

If you decide to button the bottom button on a suit jacket, I'll be expecting a 1,000-word essay from you 24 hours in advance explaining why.

5 comments:

  1. This seems right to me.

    Regards  —&nbps; Cliff

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  2. It just feels wrong buttoning the bottom button of my overcoat or suit jacket. I guess I was properly conditioned to feel shame at such things.

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  3. I am delighted to hear these affirmations from my dear readers.

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  4. I agree completely with the suit jacket, but this is the first time I've heard you aren't supposed to button the bottom button of an overcoat. Admittedly, we didn't wear many overcoats during my youth in Florida.

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  5. You'll notice that the bottom half of your overcoat drapes much more nicely and naturally if the bottom button isn't buttoned, especially if the coat has a lower button stance.

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Questions, comments, and style ideas welcome, provided they are expressed respectfully.