STOP Buttoning the Bottom Button!!!!

[MrDaniels]

As previously posted, my biggest suit-related pet peeve is seeing guys who are otherwise well-dressed buttoning the bottom button of two and three-button suits. It's such a dorky and restricting look, completely ruins the line; you all know what I mean.

It really amazes me how many men on TV do this-even here in NYC where you would think they would know better. As I posted WAAAAY back, there is an anchor named Rick Folbaum on the local FOX affiliate who buttons all of his buttons while sitting, which causes the front of the jacket to buckle and bunch up. I actually e-mailed the station management about this, but hey it's FOX so I guess they don't care becuase he still does it, as does his new colleague Ron Croning (who goes TIELESS at the anchor desk most mornings-but that it another post for another time).

So here is what I am wondering: Since I must imagine that most suit designers would not want their suits looking so bad on the men that wear them, why don't they just use a bit of clear thread through the bottom buttonhole to force it to be decorative?

 

[Tomasso]

 

[Dragon]

I actually e-mailed the station management about this

 

[Edward Appleby]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

Even Cary can't make that work.

 

[MrDaniels]

Originally Posted by Dragon

Hey, I'm a SFer..it's our job to rescue the Suit Challenged!

 

[kitonbrioni]

Great picture of Cary Grant. Thanks.

 

[josepidal]

Just to clarify, is this however okay with overcoats, peacoats, and the like?

 

[lakewolf]

I don't button the bottom button, unless off course is very cold out there and I need more thermal insulation.... in that case I even button the lapel button... you know that the lapel button is now decorative or for putting a flower on it ( even sartoriale jackets have a thread behind to hold the flower... ) But originally was intended to button on a little button behind the other lapel...

My winter jackets and suits have this lapel button ( I sew it there myself ) .... so when is cold outside I button all four ( or three if it is a 2B jacket )

 

[Kent Wang]

What is the most convincing way to inform someone of the rule?

 

[The Doctor]

I agreed and it's one of my pet hates as well.

Although I recently made a 3 button style jacket for a customer, in which I only put the top two holes in. (that sorted it).

I may add that the customer asked for it.

 

[grimslade]

I saw a man just yesterday in a three-button suit. With only the bottom two buttons buttoned and the top one swinging free. The look was enhanced by his corpulence.

 

[MrDaniels]

Originally Posted by grimslade

I saw a man just yesterday in a three-button suit. With only the bottom two buttons buttoned and the top one swinging free. The look was enhanced by his corpulence.

I should have mentioned that...the only thing that looks WORSE than all three buttons buttoned is having only the bottom two buttoned!

 

[j]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

What is the most convincing way to inform someone of the rule?
Punch him in the face, and then while dangling him out over the curb into traffic, tell him not to ever button the bottom button again. Then let go.

 

[lakewolf]

Well I have one for you all....

I read about this english king or nobleman (I don't remember who was) that never buttoned the bottom button on his vests and jackets...

The reason why he made that was simply that his belly didn't allowed him to button it...

The people then started to follow the trend to be in harmony with their ruler...

So that is the only reason why today exist the "A gentleman should not button the bottom button" rule...

But now, if we think practically.... a slim guy like me or Cary could button it and It simply would not be a problem.... don't you think ?

 

[j]

The reason not to button the bottom button is that the single done button acts as a fulcrum and allows the suit to move around the body. If you do up another one, it binds. Which can be fine, but it doesn't usually look good. And typically, the bottom one is not designed to be buttoned and still have the coat look good. So though it may have started out as a tradition, now it is a rule for practical reasons as well.