The three button suit - dead or alive?

[J Simulcik]

I now look back in horror on that ubiquitous look from the eighties and nineties - three button suit, voluminous pleated chinos and boat shoes.
The pleated chinos and boat shoes went long ago for me and in the past two to three summers I've not worn three button suits either, preferring button down shirts or an open spread collar with sleeves rolled to the elbow when hot.
Chinos are now slim and flat front while boat shoes are replaced by casual loafers (mainly suede) or unpatterned sneakers.
Do you think there is life yet in the three button suit?

 

[gorgekko]

Now someone with a black suit thread!

 

[eg1]

Originally Posted by J Simulcik

I now look back in horror on that ubiquitous look from the eighties and nineties - three button suit, voluminous pleated chinos and boat shoes.
The pleated chinos and boat shoes went long ago for me and in the past two to three summers I've not worn three button suits either, preferring button down shirts or an open spread collar with sleeves rolled to the elbow when hot.
Chinos are now slim and flat front while boat shoes are replaced by casual loafers (mainly suede) or unpatterned sneakers.
Do you think there is life yet in the three button suit?

Um, I sure hope so, because all of my suits are 3-button.

 

[garmentmerchant]

Yes there is still life in the three button. Suits like all fashion run in cycles, some of you may remember when the four button was huge in the mid nineties it faded to the three button, which is still alive. The three button along with the two button will never kick it completey three buttons have been going strong since the 40's and 50's they just wore them a little different they used to wear the three button with a rolled lapel so it kind of looked like a two button now it is worn top two buttons buttoned. I dont forsee them going away enitrely, but the TWO button is definetly in this year and will be for a while. At last years mens apparel show in Vegas three buttons were alive, but at this years show two buttons reined supreme. This applies to the cheaper manufacturers as well, who were making three and four button suits for the cheaper market, but they have seen the trend and all of my cheaper manufacturers are picking up a few different two button styles .

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by eg1

Um, I sure hope so, because all of my suits are 3-button.

Same here. I won't part with my 3/2 button suits. A retailer recently told me the market was moving to 2 button and that I should, too. I won't.

 

[eHaberdasher]

Three button suits are definitely taking a back seat, but they won't disappear completely. The 3-rolling to two (or preferably 2.5) will always be classic, but the higher 3-button may fade for the time being. I'm not sure anyone considered 4-button suits to be popular - in existence perhaps, but certainly not universally embraced like the 2 and 3.

 

[XeF4]

Three button is dead. Rolling three with the top unbuttoned is looking real good right now though.

 

[Doc4]

Originally Posted by J Simulcik

I now look back in horror on that ubiquitous look from the eighties and nineties - three button suit, voluminous pleated chinos and boat shoes.
The pleated chinos and boat shoes went long ago for me and in the past two to three summers I've not worn three button suits either, preferring button down shirts or an open spread collar with sleeves rolled to the elbow when hot.
Chinos are now slim and flat front while boat shoes are replaced by casual loafers (mainly suede) or unpatterned sneakers.
Do you think there is life yet in the three button suit?

3-button suit looks good with a polo shirt. You should do a thread about whether polo shirts are alive or dead.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Actually, the three button suit is undead.

 

[acidboy]

owww my head.....

 

[JimInSoCalif]

GarmentMerchant - Pardon me, but I think you have that backwards. In the 50's and 60's we buttoned the top two buttons of a 3 button jacket - at least in So Cal.

Sometime later - in the 70's I think - my 3 button suits came back from the cleaners pressed like a 2 button and it has been a long time since I have seen anyone button the top button.

My guess is that 2 buttons have been the more popular of the two since JFK's time.

Cheers, Jim.

 

[wmmk]

Hahahaha.

Or, if this thread wasn't meant as satire, sorry. I'm tall enough that a 2-button looks weird, but 3 buttons still wouldn't work. 3-roll-to-2 works nicely.

 

[sfo423]

Originally Posted by J Simulcik

Do you think there is life yet in the three button suit?

Are you marsupialed or stupid? This gets covered in a new post about every twelve days. try the search function.........

 

[stant62]

I personally don't like how the lapel looks on 3 button suits, but that's just me. The 3/2 on the other hand, looks great!

 

[gorgekko]

Originally Posted by sfo423

Are you marsupialed or stupid? This gets covered in a new post about every twelve days. try the search function.........

Woooooooshhhhhh!

That was the joke that sailed right over your head.

I propose a new thread: Is it acceptable to wear polo shirts with three-button black suits, or are they all dead? Bonus points for any other meta reference.