Two questions, one thread.( working buttonholes, white pants)

[Chips]

So I took a new jacket to Oxford Tailor's here in San Francisco ( first time there) to finish the jacket, fit the buttons etc. The guy there showed me some amazing working buttonholes on a jacket and to say the least I was quite impressed, they were sewn by hand nicely. Then he quoted me the price. $120 a jacket.

If I can recall correctly, most of the prices I've heard quoted on here were about $10 a buttonhole. I passed on the offer, thinking that it would be better off being done on a suit rather than an odd jacket. Would that matter to anyone else?

I just got an awesome Isaia jacket for a steal, definitely one of the nicest jackets to date for my wardrobe, and I wouldn't be as hesitant to put working buttonholes on that one, especially since the purchase price was essentially 80% of retail or more, I can justify dropping another $120 to treat it properly.


Next off, I'm seeing the white pants trend really sticking around for a while now, either in cotton or linen, denim, etc... I've been temped to grab a pair, but I doubt the look would work as well for me, as I am only now down to a 38 inch waist. I don't think the big guys can pull of white pants like the fit folk. Would you jump in now or wait a few months till I could pull off sub 36 inch sizes?

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by Chips

So I took a new jacket to Oxford Tailor's here in San Francisco ( first time there) to finish the jacket, fit the buttons etc. The guy there showed me some amazing working buttonholes on a jacket and to say the least I was quite impressed, they were sewn by hand nicely. Then he quoted me the price. $120 a jacket.

If I can recall correctly, most of the prices I've heard quoted on here were about $10 a buttonhole. I passed on the offer, thinking that it would be better off being done on a suit rather than an odd jacket. Would that matter to anyone else?

I just got an awesome Isaia jacket for a steal, definitely one of the nicest jackets to date for my wardrobe, and I wouldn't be as hesitant to put working buttonholes on that one, especially since the purchase price was essentially 80% of retail or more, I can justify dropping another $120 to treat it properly.


Next off, I'm seeing the white pants trend really sticking around for a while now, either in cotton or linen, denim, etc... I've been temped to grab a pair, but I doubt the look would work as well for me, as I am only now down to a 38 inch waist. I don't think the big guys can pull of white pants like the fit folk. Would you jump in now or wait a few months till I could pull off sub 36 inch sizes?

No idea about the style questions to do with trousers, but I'd say the difference between $10 a buttonhole and $120 for what you've been told is that perhaps the $10 guys are doing it by machine, whereas yours is doing it by hand.

 

[sho'nuff]

sorry, but is it that necessary to have handmade buttonholes on jackets as opposed to machine made?
i have never seen pictures comparing and contrasting the two. what are the advantages of handmade other than perhaps micro aesthetics and just a good feeling that you got handmade buttonholes?

for the white pants i would go with linen, but i would wait till you can at least go down to 36 waist. unless you are of a good bodily proportion (bona-fide big-boned) at 38

 

[Chips]

No, still look like a pear with toothpicks sticking out from under it. So I am right in waiting on the white pants. Especially since I thought I'd want to wear them trim fitting, not loose at all.

As far as the buttonholes, I personally dont care if they are done by hand or machine. If I could find a place in SF that does working buttonholes by machine, for far less, I definitely would. It would likely be less than half that price I'd assume?

Suit versus odd jacket? Any opinions as to which is more appropriate to have working buttonholes, or does it not matter at all?

 

[HRoi]

if you really like the workmanship, $120 is a decent price to pay for working buttonholes. anyway, it will cost more than $40 of your time to go hunt down someone to do it for $80 at equal quality

for white pants i don't like linen, but some white chino linos would be awesome

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by Chips

No, still look like a pear with toothpicks sticking out from under it. So I am right in waiting on the white pants. Especially since I thought I'd want to wear them trim fitting, not loose at all.

As far as the buttonholes, I personally dont care if they are done by hand or machine. If I could find a place in SF that does working buttonholes by machine, for far less, I definitely would. It would likely be less than half that price I'd assume?

Suit versus odd jacket? Any opinions as to which is more appropriate to have working buttonholes, or does it not matter at all?

I don't think it really matters whether they're on a suit or on an odd jacket. If anything, they might be noticed more on an odd jacket, as it would attract more attention than just part of a suit.

By the way, here are some buttonholes done by the same tailor. One is by hand the other by machine. The tailor himself prefers machine made buttonholes.

(hand)

(machine)

 

[Chips]

It appears the only difference is the thickness when finished. Either one of those look nice. I might just do it on the Isaia, just so I don't regret not, later on.

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by AndrewRogers

I don't think it really matters whether they're on a suit or on an odd jacket. If anything, they might be noticed more on an odd jacket, as it would attract more attention than just part of a suit.

By the way, here are some buttonholes done by the same tailor. One is by hand the other by machine. The tailor himself prefers machine made buttonholes.

(hand)

(machine)

thanks. i cant see any discernible difference.

 

[Parker]

Oxford did a nice job for me. I splurged and had them sewn on an Isaia cotton sport coat. Not totally necessary, but one of little little pleasures.

 

[Chips]

I called them earlier and asked, but the do not have the machine that does buttonholes anymore. So its sewn by hand or nothing else.

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by Chips

I called them earlier and asked, but the do not have the machine that does buttonholes anymore. So its sewn by hand or nothing else.

I prefer hand sewn button holes myself as I think they look nicer and are always finished better because they are not done by simply stitching a pattern and then cutting it, which is how a machine does it. Instead the cloth is cut first and then the 'hole' is finished, as you can see above. The rough bits in between on the machine-made hole are a consequence of this, although with a good pair of scissors you can get rid of much of this.

 

[JayJay]

I've paid $100.00/jacket for hand-sewn working sleeve buttons.

As for white pants, I prefer linen in a regular fit; linen pants in slim-fit are a bit too revealing for my taste. I wore a pair yesterday for the first time and they were terrific.

 

[lee_44106]

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

sorry, but is it that necessary to have handmade buttonholes on jackets as opposed to machine made?
i have never seen pictures comparing and contrasting the two. what are the advantages of handmade other than perhaps micro aesthetics and just a good feeling that you got handmade buttonholes?
for the white pants i would go with linen, but i would wait till you can at least go down to 36 waist. unless you are of a good bodily proportion (bona-fide big-boned) at 38

It's so ironic coming from you.