Working cuff buttons

[Cantabrigian]

Originally Posted by zjpj83

Suits without them are less complete. I never unbutton mine (though sometimes I fiddle with them when I'm feeling impatient). But it's a feature I would never consider not adding for the sake of saving a few bucks. It doesn't add anything to the suit other than the wearer's knowing that he didn't cut any corners. That gives peace of mind and satisfaction to the wearer. It's sort of like how I buy John Lobb shoe trees with my John Lobb shoes. They are overpriced, but there's something satisfying about taking out the shoe, removing the Lobb shoe trees before putting on the shoes, and so on. The shoe feels more complete - just the way it should be. Same with a suit with surgeon's cuffs. It just feels more satisfying.
I never would have been able to come up with that explanation (or write it was well if I did) but I think that's a large part of the attraction of working cuff buttons for me as well.

Incidentally, I also agree about shoe trees. I figure that at that point, why not do things as nearly as possible as the maker intended.

 

[CitizenK]

I agree with zipj83 and others that a suit or sports jacket does not feel quite complete w/o working buttons.

Ever since I read Tom Wolfe's essay on working cuff buttons back when I was a teenager, I've wanted to have them. Now that I can afford to buy suits and sports jackets that allow them to be cut and sewn, I usually do it. It also helps to have a tailor that does a good job - makes them look better, like they belong there. IMO there is something not right-looking about buttons merely sewn at the end of the sleeve.

I get them put on HSM and HF suits, Lambourne jackets, anything that will take a working button. That's how much I like them.

I also wear the last button undone, just because I feel like it. I am indifferent to how others regard my cuff buttons. I've never had anyone comment,I seriously doubt that they even notice. An AAAC'er or SF'er, etc. may notice but those are probably the only ones. And even if someone did notice, so what?

I guess that 25 years in the Army has made me callous towards others tender sensibilities...

Regards!

 

[imageWIS]

All my suits and sport coats (save for a RLPL ¼ lined linen jacket and a GAP jacket) have working button holes, and I normally leave the first button undone.

Jon.

 

[innovan]

Buttons first were a decorational bit of unfunctional flash. Then some bright person figured out the buttonhole/button combo instead of using pins as fasteners. This appears to have kicked off the entire trend in closer fit for clothing.

Spanish horsemen went for pants so closely fitted that they were buttoned up along the entire outside of the leg. The satin band used to hide this row of buttons is still in vestigal form running down men's formal black pants. Likewise a row of buttons running from the elbow to the cuff allowed tight fitting sleeves during the Renaissance.

Cheaper and improved quality needles created the trend for embroidery, evolving into the Court Suit. The jacket was cut away more and more to allow display of the incredible embroidery on the waistcoat, so far back that the jacket buttons became useless. Instead, the buttons returned to their earlier, purely decorational role, also becoming cloth covered and often colorfully embroidered as well. Sometimes you'll even see the row of buttonholes on the closing side replaced with a second row of buttons for better symmetry. Meanwhile the sleeve buttons moved from being along the length of the sleeve to running in a circle around the cuff and becoming a decorational element of the embroidery.

With the French Revolution the expensive Court Suit was rejected, and plainer, more baggy clothing came into style. The expense of outfitting an army with gloves was too high, but glove wearing Napoleon noticed a solution from one of his troops: The uniform was made with extra long sleeves that were folded back on themselves and held out of the way by a row of cuff buttons moved up to mid forearm. During cold weather this was unbuttoned and left to hang to keep hands warm. This became part of standard French Uniform, and also evolved into today's "French Cuff" shirts. It has nothing to do with whiping one's nose!

The colorful Court Suit became the somber Frock Coat cut of coarser, darker cloth, but as the memory of the Revolution faded, it started to gain back decorational elements (decorational but unfunctional cuff buttons) and become closer fitting again (actual functional sleeve buttons, but only at the cuff). Military uniforms also created multiple fashion waves in Victorian clothing, which also helped bring back sleeve buttons as a fashion element.

If you look at your hand, because of the joint of the thumb, the fist will always be of larger circumference than the forearm. (Those built like Popeye excepted, of course)

To get the true close forearm fit, you'd have to buy both shirts that fit close to the forearm, and get tailored jacket sleeves. Wearing it you'd have to be willing to unbutton/rebutton the shirt sleeves tight in the morning to get your fist through just the shirt, and then unbutton/rebutton the jacket sleeves every time you take it off through the day. Dressing midday for the gym becomes much more time consuming, and then... well, maybe an art student has that kind of time, but most men instead have the sleeve cut, functional buttons or no, large enough that the fist can be slipped through without unbuttoning.

 

[tbabes]

Always get them (Isaia) never use them; satisfaction = knowing I could use them if I chose.

 

[Tomasso]

IMO, they are arguably the least important detail of the exterior of a jacket, yet somehow they seem to garner a ridiculous amount of attention.