• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

2-Button Sleeve - What Vintage

well-kept

Senior Member
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
909
Reaction score
42
Yesterday I picked up an unworn Magee Donegal tweed sport jacket with double vent. The sleeves have two buttons. Anyone know for sure when two button sleeves gave way to three? I'm guessing sometime in the 60s but a definitive opinion would be appreciated. Thanks.
 

Pieceofsand

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2010
Messages
1,074
Reaction score
239
I have a two button sleeve SC too, I really want to convert it to a 3 or 4 button sleeve, but I don't know if that will serve it any good lol. When I look at it I always feel like as if it's missing something.
 

GoldenTribe

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
3,865
Reaction score
2,256
I can't answer your historical question, but if it's any help, in the last few seasons I've seen jackets from jil Sander, Margiela, Dsquared, Rag & Bone, and some other designers that had one button or even none at all on the cuffs.

Hardly staid MC tradition, but I think you can wear it outside without inviting a lynching.
 
Last edited:

David Reeves

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
3,212
Reaction score
2,289
Late 60s although it may just be something the designer or owner liked. I was wearing 2 button cuffs on my custom suits about 10 years ago.
 

Geezer

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
414
Reaction score
67
I think I recall seeing Magee SCs with 2-buttons (widely spaced) on the cuffs on sale in the late 80s.
 

Sanguis Mortuum

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
5,024
Reaction score
141
I don't know when (if ever) 2 buttons on the cuff fell out of favour with RTW, but imo it's still a perfectly good choice for a tweed sport-coat. It is not, by itself, going to make it look like you're wearing an obviously 'vintage' coat.
 

well-kept

Senior Member
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
909
Reaction score
42
Thanks for the replies. I'm not at all hesitant to wear it - the cut, proportions, lapels, stance and vents are all excellent, as is the fit. The tweed is a very subtle grey heather. Just curious as to when it was made.

My jackets and suits, and my memory of those I've worn in my adult life, all have three or four sleeve buttons. The two on each sleeve of this jacket are not widely-spaced, btw, but "kiss".
 

Ianiceman

Timed Out
Timed Out
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,651
Reaction score
495
Was there ever an fully established convention for sleeve buttons? A quick scan of my closet reveals four is most common followed by three. A tailor once suggested that a three button jacket MUST have four sleeve buttons but that may have been his prejudice rather than any real established 'rule'.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 93 37.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 90 36.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 27 10.9%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 42 16.9%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 38 15.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
507,006
Messages
10,593,446
Members
224,355
Latest member
ESF
Top