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Navy Blazer What re your Button Options?

caledoniasoul2

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Im in need of a navy blue blazer. Id like it to be bit more stylish then the really trad. (eg not sack) In particular I really hate the gold buttons.

I know the origin of this blazer is in yachting but the gold buttons just seem so thurston howell the 3rd (loviiiiiiiieeee)

So is it a real true crime to nix the gold. If not what are any good options or suggestions.

Horn, black, brown, antique (sources)....thanks again
 

Concordia

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Bronze good, some like dull silver (not for me, but I see the appeal). Enamel is not too bad. Some like the nautical black plastic, especially for evening use.
 

AlanC

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Check with Waterbury button. They offer their blazer buttons in a number of different finishes. I think silver would be worth considering. Also enamel as mentioned above, perhaps a smoked MOP. My only issue is that the buttons ought to be something other than the standard sport coat/suit button otherwise the blazer ceases to be a blazer, IMNSHO.
 

JLibourel

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Holland & Sherry offer some very nice enameled blazer buttons. I am going to have some on the SB, patch-pocket blazer W.W. Chan is making up for me. They have a blue-enameled button with a gold fleur-de-lis on it that I'll get if I ever take the plunge to order a DB blazer (although I fear that my wife would hate it
mad.gif
. We had a rather long thread about blazer buttons on the Andy Forum a few months ago.
 

Charley

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Im in need of a navy blue blazer. Id like it to be bit more stylish then the really trad. (eg not sack) In particular I really hate the gold buttons.

I know the origin of this blazer is in yachting but the gold buttons just seem so thurston howell the 3rd (loviiiiiiiieeee)

So is it a real true crime to nix the gold. If not what are any good options or suggestions.

Horn, black, brown, antique (sources)....thanks again
There is nothing more proper, at more occasions, than a navy blazer. And nothing less out of place than the gold, brass buttons. Think of having them monigrammed.

You should think of getting several of them. At least one in flannel and one in a sumer weight. There are many in between fabrics. And, truley, the fabric is the distinguishing thing between blazers. Open patch pockets, flap patch pockets, flap inset pockets,, patch pockets on the hip and inset on the breast, all are acceptable for the right occasion.

The very same goes for the buttons. A silver / pewter button would be more in keeping with the full inset pocket blazer - in my mind. It would be more dressy, but not exactly what a blazer was supposed to be. It would be more suitable as a substitute for an occasion where a suit was an alternative. Whereas the tradidional gold button model would work for almost any casual occasion.

All of which is simply my opinion.

But, Keep in mind the criteria of FABRIC, Fabric Fabric. And Fit, Fit, fit. Before button, button, button.
 

Etruscan

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My SB navy blazer has bimetallic buttons--flat disks of white (i.e., "silvertone") metal surrounded by a narrow collar of yellow (presumably brass). I find this useful as it allows me to wear either a yellow or white metal watch or belt buckle, and would accordingly suggest that anyone else who doesn't want his blazer to limit his choice of accessories.
 

Ambulance Chaser

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How about blazer buttons with the crest of your alma mater?  Ben Silver sells them.
 

cpac

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Im in need of a navy blue blazer. Id like it to be bit more stylish then the really trad. (eg not sack) In particular I really hate the gold buttons.

I know the origin of this blazer is in yachting but the gold buttons just seem so thurston howell the 3rd (loviiiiiiiieeee)

So is it a real true crime to nix the gold. If not what are any good options or suggestions.

Horn, black, brown, antique (sources)....thanks again
I'm sure it violated many rules, but my current navy blazer is a three button ventless thing with horn buttons. I like it, I think it looks great, and does not look at all like an orphaned suit coat (which seems to be one of the usual rationales). I too, am a bit turned off by the gold/brass/silver/nickle/etc. buttons, and like that I have found an alternative.
 

mack11211

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Some blazer options: For buttons, consider something in a brown or orangish metal, such as copper or bronze. Â Here is an Oxxford with what I believe are copper buttons: Oxxford For fabric in summer consider something with a more open weave, such as the model above, or fabric of either a lightweight wool or wool mixed with linen, as on the model here: Paul Stuart Full disclosure: I am selling both of these.
 

novalis

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One option is buying a blazer you like and replacing the buttons. There were a couple of threads on Ask Andy that went into this in detail. First AskAndy thread Second AskAndy thread The second one is informative but seems to be archived as only the initial post seems to be visible. You might have to reply to the thread in order to make it active again. For button sources, besides Waterbury Button and Ben Silver, there is also Shoreline Engravers.
 

Etruscan

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One could order buttons with one's monogram at many places, once upon a time. At Brooks, J. Press, Andover Shop, among others. Possibly they're still available? And as another member has noted, those with the seal of one's alma mater, more commonly in brass but conceivably to be found in enamel, may also be found, with a bit of luck or application. I haven't seen copper buttons (though I quite like the idea), but agree that smoked MOP with navy would look very smart.
 

profjmb

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This topic has appeared here before. I personally think that gold buttons look pretentious and old (and I'm in my late 40s), and I know many people (particularly women I ask) who agree. Of course others will say that a blazer MUST have gold buttons. I guess I don't care if I call what I have a blazer or a navy sportcoat. Other metallic buttons don't sound good to me. I have dark (plastic?) buttons on my navy blazer(?) and it looks good to me.

But of course tastes differ, and some people think gold buttons look great. If you do, good for  you. (I don't like the way they look, but I don't make fun of people who wear them.) If you're not sure, you might want to ask people you actually know and care how you appear to. That's why I ask women I know.
 

Will

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I have a blue serge odd jacket with leather buttons, copied after a jacket I saw in a photo of Fred Astaire.

I have another in a light worsted, with suit jacket buttons.

I don't think of them as blazers because they do not have metal buttons. Too flashy for me. But if I wanted metal buttons, I would only have gold.
 

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