Welcome back to the gentleman's Gazette!
Today's video is all about how to button a suit jacket properly including your vest and
overcoat, and we also talk about the white tie or the tuxedo.
If you make an effort to dress up, you want to look your best.
Now sometimes if you button your suit the wrong way, it sends the signal I don't know
anything about conventions and how it's done and how it flatters me the most, unfortunately,
most people never ask why the rule is a certain way and because of that we decided to create
the ultimate guide on how to properly button a suit jacket.
Keep in mind that buttoning conventions have changed over time and what you wore in 1901
is different than what you wear today.
First let's talk about the single button jacket.
It's rare to see a single button jacket outside of evening wear, but it exists.
Usually, it has a peak lapel, sometimes notch lapel, but when you have that and it's a two-piece
suit or a combination with a jacket and pants, you simply button the button, when you sit,
you unbutton it.
If you wear it with a vest, maybe in a three-piece suit, you simply leave it unbuttoned.
It doesn't matter if you stand or sit, it's just unbuttoned all the time.
If you have a two button two-piece suit or jacket and pants, you simply button the top
button when you stand, and you open it up when you sit.
Generally, it's a faux pas to button both buttons because it simply looks odd.
Yes, it was something you would see in the 1920s, but men's fashion has gone away from
that.
If you go back to the 60s, you can see JFK wearing suits with both buttons buttoned however
they were way too low and just make it look odd.
To learn more about JFK's style, please check out this in-depth guide here.
An exception to this rule is the paddock coat or paddock suit.
Those paddock coat and suits were made to be worn on a horse and so they had a central
vent and much higher buttoning points and because of that, you could button both buttons.
Basically, it was a three button jacket with a button row simply left off.
In this day and age, 99.99% of two button single-breasted jackets are tailored, so you
only button the top button.
That also means you should never just button the bottom button of the coat unless you have
a paddock coat or suit with a lower button that is as high as your waist level.
If you decide to wear an odd vest or a matching vest to make it a three-piece suit, you always
leave the jacket unbuttoned.
If you have a three button single breasted jacket things are even a little more complicated.
On a simple jacket or a two-piece suit, you simply button the middle button or the top
two buttons.
Of course, it's only true when you stand and when you sit, you unbutton your coat.
Never just button the lowest button or the two lowest buttons because that looks simply
off.
Likewise, don't button all three buttons because that makes you looked closed off and it's
a style you would have seen sometimes in the 20s and in the 30s but then, suits are tailored
differently.
Modern suits are oftentimes not tailored in a way that you can button everything so it
looks neat.
If you button all three buttons, sometimes you get wavy wrinkles and it looks just bad.
You should also stay clear of buttoning just the top button because that gives you a Victorian
look and just looks odd because it exposes your tie and a shirt underneath the buttoning
point and it leaves very little on top of the v-shape.
A unique style is a so-called three roll two jacket which means it has three buttons but
the top button is rolled into the lapel, that way you see more of the shirt front and the
V over the buttoning point and basically, it behaves like a two button single breasted
jacket.
In that case, you simply button the middle one or it's the top button that is visible.
If you wear a vest underneath, either an odd vest or a three-piece suit, again, leave it
unbuttoned at all times.
Yes, you can find vintage pictures where men would wear that, but in this day and age,
it will just look odd.
So what about four and five buttons single-breasted jackets?
First of all, I don't recommend you wear them because they very quickly go in and out of
fashion and it's just not a timeless classic style.
If you still want to have a four or five button jacket, simply button the middle buttons leaving
the top and a bottom button undone.
I strongly suggest you do not wear a vest or a waistcoat because those jackets are tailored
so there's not much visible space for it.
Now if you look at double-breasted jackets, things are a little more tricky, double breasted
simply means that you have two rows of buttons that are usually parallel to each other.
The most simple version of a double-breasted jacket is the two button jacket, it simply
means you have one faux button and one that buttons that's visible in the front.
Just like all the rest of the garments, chances are there's a button on the inside that makes
sure that your lapels always look symmetrical and elegant.
Just like a single breasted four or five button coat, the two-button double-breasted coat
is a very dated look that places you in the 80s.
Fortunately, it's very uncomplicated to button it, you simply button it at all times and
you leave it buttoned when you sit or when you stand.
The four button double-breasted suit coat or jacket are a little more unusual but much
more mainstream and timeless and classic.
Basically, you have three options.
You can button just the top of the working buttons, you can button both, or just the
bottom, or if you have a square or rectangular button shape.
Most suits today are only buttoned on the top one or on both.
Traditionally, a double-breasted suit with peak lapels was more formal and all buttons
were buttoned at all times.
Only when you would sit would you unbutton the bottom one.
Today, people like the sprezzatura and more casual look and therefore, they oftentimes
leave the bottom button unbuttoned.
However, sometimes you can also find four button double-breasted coat especially in
evening wear where the top pair of buttons is spaced further apart and because of that,
you can only button them on the bottom button.
The six-button double-breasted jacket is probably the most popular and common style that you
will find.
Because there are six buttons there are different ways to position those.
A not so popular way to position the buttons is to have two parallel rows from the top
to the bottom.
If you have that kind of a coat or suit your button either all three of them or the top
two.
If you want to sit comfortably, you probably have to undo the bottom button, however, just
like with any other double-breasted coat, you never unbutton it completely.
The most common six button double-breasted silhouette is what I'm wearing here right
now.
It's basically two rows of buttons that are parallel with the top pair being spaced further
apart.
It creates a nice v-shape that accentuates the male attractive silhouette.
Traditionally, you'd button both of the bottom buttons for a very classic look.
Now if you go to Italy, you'll rarely see a man who wears a double-breasted coat that
is buttoned on both.
Usually, they button just the middle button; they like it because it's a more nonchalant
look and it's something that was really popularized by Lino from Alba Zara.
If you have a very formal double-breasted suit just like the one I'm wearing here right
now, you can wear both but the traditional look is probably a tad better and more accurate.
Now for six and more button double-breasted jackets, it's very important that you pay
attention how you button it on the inside and on the outside.
Because if I button the middle button on the outside and the lower button on the inside,
I get the asymmetrical look of my lapels and most people can't pinpoint what's wrong with
your outfit but it just looks off.
Because of that, most quality double-breasted suits will have two inside buttons.
So if you decide to button just the lower button on the outside, you button just the
lower one on the inside.
If you decide to button just the middle one on the outside, you can button either the
top one, or the top one and the bottom one.
But you shouldn't mix it up
Eight-button double-breasted jacket is very unusual, and it provides a very Maritime look
which is usually something you see only in a blazer.
Prince Charles has one for example, and he has been wearing it for years.
In that case, the top row is spaced apart, and he buttons the three button buttons below.
Because you have so many buttons on your front, chances are you'll have to unbutton the bottom
one or maybe the bottom two of you sit depending on what makes you comfortable.
Now that you know the proper buttoning rules for suits and jackets let's talk about Vests.
Single breasted vests are usually worn with the bottom button undone.
There are different theories about why that's the case.
One references Bertie who later became Edward the 7th, and he was so big, they simply couldn't
button the bottom button and because of that, other people adapted his style.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what the different theories are because it's just
a custom that you can see all over the place.
No matter if you wear a three-piece suit with a matching vest or an odd vest, on the single-breasted
vest, the bottom button is usually undone.
The only exception to the rule is for example, for evening wear such as white tie, single-breasted
vests and black tie single breasted vests.
In that case, you button them all the way because it's a formal ensemble and an unbuttoned
button would simply look off and too nonchalant and casual.
On the other hand, if you have a double-breasted vest, the rules are simple.
You simply have all buttons buttoned at all times.
Some Italians leave the bottom button undone because they want to be casual and show some
sprezzatura but it just looks off because a double-breasted waistcoat is simply more
formal than the single-breasted counterpart.
Now, what about other garments in a white tie ensemble?
There's nothing to button so you just leave it unbuttoned.
On the other hand, with a black tie ensemble, it's a little different.
If you have the traditional one-button jacket, you leave it unbuttoned, if you wear it with
a waistcoat or a vest, and you button it if you wear it with a cummerbund.
If you have a double-breasted dinner jacket or want to know more about the black tie and
how you button it properly, please check out this in-depth black tie guide.
When it comes to overcoats, buttoning is fairly simple.
Usually, you have all the buttons buttoned simply because it's supposed to keep you warm.
Yes you have the option to leave the bottom button undone because that creates a little
more range of movement and it allows a little more air in when it's not so cold outside.
If you have a double-breasted overcoat with different inside buttons, you have to pay
attention to the same things as you do with a suit.
Don't button the button inside with the top outside or vice versa, it will just look off.
I hope I didn't confuse you with all the different rules.
This is just a great reference video so whenever you're unsure about buttoning points you can
always come back to it so bookmark it.
in today's video I'm wearing a double-breasted robe striped suit from Ralph Lauren purple
label it is a six button configuration with the top pair being more spaced apart which
is the most common double-breasted silhouette because it's a more formal suit and buttoning
it on both but I could easily also just button it on the middle one the suit is paired with
a red and white houndstooth bourette tie from Fort Belvedere which I designed myself I go
with a matching pocket square in white with red hand rolled edges which are an x stitch
which is very difficult to achieve but we found some Italian artisans who still can
do that the red and white goes well with the tie as well as the white shirt it's a semi
spread collar with French cuffs which are closed by simple sterling silver monkey fist
cufflinks from Fort Belvedere my shoes are double monk straps in a chocolate brown and
my socks are blue and red shadow striped socks likewise from Fort Belvedere as always you
can find all the Fort Belvedere accessories that I designed in our shop here to break
the simple color tones of blue white and red I'm wearing a pinky ring with a green malachite
stone also if you enjoyed this video please make sure to subscribe to our Channel and
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