double breasted suit - low button stance

[NukeMeSlowly]

I just got this suit from eBay. I like everything except the low button stance. I was thinking of moving the two top buttons up maybe 3/4 of inch. I thought this might draw the eye upwards and take away somewhat from the low stance. Does this make sense or I am grasping?

 

[gorgekko]

I think if anything raising the top two buttons will emphasize the low button stance.

That said, the button stance isn't what is bothering me about that coat. Those lapels...

 

[fredrik80]

I agree, maybe removing the top buttons completely would look nice, or it might look really bad .. not sure. But i think a db with just the 4 bottom buttons can look good actually

 

[NukeMeSlowly]

The rise of the pants is relatively high so when worn the pants' waist sits higher than the middle set of buttons. Is this the norm? The other DBs I own have middle buttons that sit at or above their matching pants (and the rise on those pants are not low).

The fit of the jacket is really good overall, just needs tweaking to the sleeves and removing the collar roll but the lower stance makes me see Armani and not Polo when I put it on.

 

[Quirk]

I think the button placement is fine, but if you're not happy with it, return it or flip it. Do NOT move the buttons -- there has to be equal vertical distance between the three levels of buttons, or it'll look really off. Photoshop it and you'll see.

 

[Manton]

The button stance is fundamentally determined by where the coat closes and the buttons fasten. Moving show buttons won't change that, and the actual working closure buttons can't be moved. As it is, the show buttons look like they are the correct place, given the position of the waist button.

 

[NukeMeSlowly]

I took some photos of me wearing the suit. [Forgive the awkward poses; I was trying to beat the timer] Keep in mind that the pants waist is around 3/4 - 1 full inch above the middle buttons.

So, is the consensus still that I should not move the top buttons up slightly?

The bulges above the waist are my single fold wallet and cell phone, respectively. Absent them, I have very clean lines and nice drape. Would deeper pockets installed help with this?

 

[Quirk]

I'm not sure the suit's a great fit for you. I think there should be enough play in the jacket that a wallet and cellphone don't make THAT much of a bulge. But others may disagree.

Anyway, the button height looks fine, and as I said before, you can't really play with it without screwing up the visual balance of the button arrangement. If anything, I think the dress buttons seem to be positioned a bit too outwards, in the direction of your armpits, but I think that's just the way the jacket hangs on your frame. The only way to resolve that, I suppose, would be to remove the decorative buttons as suggested above -- I don't particularly care for that DB look, but that's just me.

Also, the cut/fit of the pants doesn't seem to particularly complement the way the skirt of the jacket hangs off you -- there's a bit of a "bell" effect, visually, which is less than ideal.

It's a nice looking suit, and it doesn't look terrible on you -- it just may not be ideally suited to your physique. IMO.

You have a great jawline, though. You'd look smashing in turtlenecks.

 

[NukeMeSlowly]

Talk about missing the forest for the trees. With all my focus on the button stance, I missed that the pinstripes are light green, not light blue per the listing. Wearing the jacket over a green t-shirt cemented it. The pinstripes popped where they didn't with a blue/white shirt and blue tie. Since I have a strong aversion to green in tailored clothing, back it goes.