shirt sleeves

[zjpj83]

My question is about shirt sleeves. The vented portion behind the cuff - my British shirts, especially T & A, have no buttons there - it just flaps open.

When ordering bespoke, what would make you order one or the other? Why do some makers put buttons there and some don't?

 

[Manton]

Money.  It takes more work and uses more materials, bottom line.

The button you describe is called a guantlet button.  It is not uncommon for them to be left off of barrel cuff shirts.  The thinking is that the button is meant to close the gauntlet so that bare forearm does not show.  This is less of a problem of barrel cuff shirts.  But the gauntlets of french (or double) cuff shirts tend to gape pretty regularly, so these should always take a button.

Personally, I get all my bespoke shirts -- barrel and french cuff -- with gauntlet buttons.  I like the buttonholes to be horizontal, parallel to the shirt cuff buttonholes.

 

[Renault78law]

I like a button on the sleeve guantlet for a French cuff, and on barrel cuffs that feature a single button.

I think they're a bit much on a two button cuff (or 3 button in the case of T&A).

 

[imageWIS]

I don't know where you have been purchasing your bespoke shirts, because even my RTW H&K's are made in such a way that the arm does not show during normal use of the shirt. Granted, if I flailed my arms all over the place then yes, it would have a tendency to flap open and expose ones bare arms, but baring that I have yet to see flesh collar peeping out of my shirt. The same goes with my T&A's (MTM and RTW).

Jon.

 

[Manton]

Jon: I don't know what to tell you.  Either you are very lucky, or the majority of guys without guantlet buttons are unlucky.  I see this problem on other guys all the time.  The vent is just too long to stay closed.  And unlike on barrel cuff shirts, there is no overlap at the french cuff to help it stay closed.

Even if they did stay closed on their own, though, I would still get gauntlet buttons.  I just like the way they look.

 

[globetrotter]

Jon: I don't know what to tell you. Â Either you are very lucky, or the majority of guys without guantlet buttons are unlucky. Â I see this problem on other guys all the time. Â The vent is just too long to stay closed. Â And unlike on barrel cuff shirts, there is no overlap at the french cuff to help it stay closed. Even if they did stay closed on their own, though, I would still get gauntlet buttons. Â I just like the way they look.

hey manton, every time I read something of yours I like my own clothing less and less. now I don't understand how I ever lived without gauntlet buttons.

 

[zjpj83]

That was sort of what I was wondering - I am wearing a 3-button cuff T&A today, and the gauntlet does come open slightly when my elbow is bent. I was thinking what it would look like with a fourth button there and then wondering the pros and cons of having it there.

Edit: I should note that I also have french cuff T&A shirts with no gauntlet button.

 

[Brian SD]

I'm with Manton. Even just resting my arm on a table I can feel my skin touching the surface without a gauntlet button. I always prefer to have them although I wear all RTW so its not like I have the option. It bothers me when shirts (especially dress shirts) do not have them.

 

[BjornH]

If memory serves (I'm too tired to get up and check) my Sea Island T&A has a gauntlet button with a vertical buttonhole. The others don't and it bugs me. When this topic is aired I always recommend gauntlet buttons if, and only if, you are the type to remember to button them. I hate seeing them unbuttoned, even if I am sometimes guilty of this when dressing during an acute caffeine-pressure loss.

B

 

[retronotmetro]

I have historically gone back and forth on this, but now favor always getting gauntlet buttons. My first Ascot Chang shirts were done with them by default, and for some reason I didn't like them and made subsequent orders without. Several years later I ordered more Chang shirts, on new measurements, and they left them off. I didn't like that and made them switch back. I'm not sure if they default one way or the other now, but it is something one should always consider when ordering shirts--don't assume you are getting gauntlet buttons unless you have verified it.

I used to work with a guy who didn't button his gauntlet buttons or cuffs, and just walked around with his cuffs flopping around on his wrists--now THAT I hated to see.

 

[aybojs]

Another important factor is the ability to roll up your sleeves, which I do very often (especially when wearing French cuff shirts casually). I typically fold the cuffs over twice and then button the gauntlet button to keep everything firm. Without a gauntlet button, the sleeves can feel overly loose and not hang properly when rolled up.

I will always request a gauntlet button when ordering a shirt, and find that the shirts I do have that lack gauntlet buttons can be somewhat of a pain to wear.

 

[Nonk]

Oh that I could afford bespoke shirts, but from my RTW experience I also prefer a button on the sleeve placket. I am visiting tomorrow, so to earn the discount I intend to propose to the proprietor, I should remind the forum that Clarke and Dawe shirts all come with such a button.

 

[bch]

Another important factor is the ability to roll up your sleeves, which I do very often (especially when wearing French cuff shirts casually). I typically fold the cuffs over twice and then button the gauntlet button to keep everything firm. Without a gauntlet button, the sleeves can feel overly loose and not hang properly when rolled up.

Ditto. The biggest downfall of the slim fitting, no-iron Brooks Brothers shirts (beside the too small by 1/4" collars) is the lack of gauntlet buttons.

 

[SartorialSplendour]

I don't favor a guantlet button on French cuff shirts. And here is why. Yesterday I was wearing a blue french cuff shirt. Instead of a cufflink, I wore a dark blue silk knot. While I think the blue silk knot complements the shirt, it tended to make the white guantlet button seem like a mismatch. It caught my eye when I was getting dressed in the morning. I was almost tempted to cut the guantlet button off.

 

[Concordia]

You mean that you were really walking around without a jacket on? Â For shame. Â

I used to think that gauntlet buttons were fussy, and my first shirts from my current regular maker didn't have them--- just shorter gauntlet. Â Then I decided that this was a bit sloppy, especially with double cufflinks with longer chains. So I had them lengthen the gauntlet and put buttons in. Â I also now do it on less formal shirts. I get button-downs from Brooks, and except for the fact that mine now more or less fit, the only way you can tell that they're not off the shelf is a gauntlet button.