Shirt sleeve placket, buttons?

[Kent Wang]

One button seems standard with barrel cuffs but I find that having a button is incongruous with a French cuff. Visually, it begs the question "If you can have a button on your sleeve placket then why not have a button on the cuff (instead of the link)?" Do you think it would be better with a French cuff to have a shorter gauntlet with no button?

 

[whoopee]

The correct gauntlet length should allow for the cuff to be properly laid flat for ironing. For a gauntlet to be short enough not to gap without a button probably wouldn't do. Of course some choose to forego the button. Not me. Perhaps all shirt buttons should be replaced with links. The formal shirt does this and does look best but rather impractical.

 

[Kent Wang]

So a gauntlet that is half the typical length without a button would not work?

 

[whoopee]

I have a Dries Van Noten shirt with a short gauntlet and no button. Ironing is a *****. I don't think it looks any better either. It can be done, but I don't recommend it.

 

[joseanes]

On a french cuff shirt you still have buttons on the front of shirt.
I like the shirt with a button on the sleeve placket.
If I wanted to show arm skin I unbutton the sleeves... as I do not (unless cooking or working on something), I like to keep the fabric continuously covering my arm until it ends in my hands!

 

[chorse123]

I ordered some shirts without a sleeve placket button and regret it. A breeze up through the cuff in winter is no fun.

 

[Duveen]

I ordered shirts without a sleeve placket button and have had no problems. Longer placket is key.

 

[Renault78law]

buttoning your sleeve placket will keep your cuffs folded sans link. not terribly useful, but useful nonetheless.

 

[Full Canvas]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

One button seems standard with barrel cuffs but I find that having a button is incongruous with a French cuff. Visually, it begs the question "If you can have a button on your sleeve placket then why not have a button on the cuff (instead of the link)?" Do you think it would be better with a French cuff to have a shorter gauntlet with no button?

More often than not, when wearing cufflinks, a fellow will not remove his jacket in a public place. The shirtsleeve gauntlet (with or without a button) is never visible in that way.

In a more informal setting (the office?), the fellows wearing the cufflinks make the rules. It's unlikely a subordinate will remark on the subject of shirtsleeve gauntlets.

As a last resort, you might consider blind snaps or Velcro!

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[Kent Wang]

Originally Posted by Full Canvas

As a last resort, you might consider blind snaps or Velcro!

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Are blind snaps like the snaps on a snap-front shirt but hidden? I think that would be a good idea and would make the sleeve placket look really sleek while still maintaining functionality.

 

[Full Canvas]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

Are blind snaps like the snaps on a snap-front shirt but hidden? I think that would be a good idea and would make the sleeve placket look really sleek while still maintaining functionality.

Since the sleeve gauntlet is two layers of cloth on both the overlapping side and the "under-lapping" (there's that word again!) side, the male portion of a snap can be affixed on the under-lap. The female portion can be affixed in a manner hovering over the male portion while remaining essentially invisible because it isn't placed through to the visible side of the overlap.

The snaps are similar to what you may have seen on western style or cowboy shirts. No wisecracks about the cowgirl position of the snap affixed to the overlap, please!

A good tailor with the correct machine attachment or tools to install snaps can likely make the finished product meet your visual specifications. Obviously, any close inspection will reveal the construction. However, any other viewing will exhibit only a nice, smoothly closed gauntlet.
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