Working button holes

[demeis]

I was wondering if it is appropriate on suits with working button holes to have one or two open or if this is considered tacky or in ill taste?

 

[Brian SD]

Definitely tacky by my standards. Sounds like the Abercrombie spin on the tailored clothing trend.

 

[Manton]

It reeks of showing off.

 

[Phil]

totally agree, very tacky, but I recall getting in a long argument with someone on here recently about it. Knowing they unbutton is enough for me. Actually unbuttoning them if I dont really need to, thats just showing off.

 

[demeis]

Ok what about in this situation, i had to have an extra button hole added on to a suit that needed to be lengthened. However all the buttons kiss but this one has a little bit of space between the button. I was thinking it might look better if it was opened or should i just leave it close, What would you do?

 

[jester]

I've heard it said that it's OK to have one sleeve button unbuttoned--that is, just one (on one side of the suit), not the bottom one (on both sides). I personally keep all of my working buttonholes buttoned, but has anyone heard this folklore before? (I missed any previous thread on this.)

 

[j]

Ideally, if possible, move it just a little bit so that it lines up right. Otherwise, maybe 1/2 unbutton it? I don't know.

 

[Thracozaag]

I'm afraid I'm horribly tacky then, heh.

koji

 

[STYLESTUDENT]

There can be two sides on Demeis' last question. I'd rather be thought a show-off than be conscious that the buttons don't kiss (which I like less than the unbuttoned buttonhole). I'd leave it open.

 

[Mark Seitelman]

I look to the clothing greats, such as the Duke, Astaire, Gary Cooper, and Adolphe Menjou. None of them left open a sleeve button. A few contemporary guys that I respect keep all buttons closed. I saw Cary Grant in "People Will Talk" hold a telephone receiver which showed that the second button was left undone. I sometimes see some gents in the 57th St. area with two undone buttons. This is the sign of a show-off who typically is a salesman at one of the better stores.

 

[Thracozaag]

I undo the outer one and the 3rd one (on a 4 button). I do have some practical reasons for doing this though.

koji

 

[STYLESTUDENT]

I'm curious, if everyone agrees that it's tacky to have open buttons, why are working buttonholes a "feature" on RTW and why do the manufacturers bother. Is it an empty boast or is there another reason?

 

[demeis]

I sometimes see some gents in the 57th St. area with two undone buttons.  This is the sign of a show-off who typically is a salesman at one of the better stores.

Hehe i'm a salesman but don't want to be a show off though, however i don't want to look tacky and have one of 5 buttons not kissing, sigh, what to do

 

[zjpj83]

Yeah, why do the salesmen do it so much? Seriously, every salesman.

Some guy in the tie dept. in Bergdorfs this weekend had three open, sleeve was flapping all over the place.

 

[RJman]

I _knew_ that the reason Manton glanced at my cuffs at lunch last week was not because of my cool RJ cufflinks. Sigh. I think leaving the things open is a tad gauche, particularly as more and more dodgy RTW suits have working buttonholes.... But still, as very few people even know what buttonholes are... Nah, can;t defend it -- I like playing with the buttonholes, what do you want, I'm young...

Your friendly neighborhood RJman...