Are there rules that govern how to button a jacket, you ask? After all, there is nothing easier than buttoning as many buttons as is sewn on a jacket, isn't that logical? However, there is etiquette on how to properly button some and keep other buttons unbuttoned. But first things first.
History of the origin of tradition
There are two versions of the origin of the tradition of keeping the last buttons of a jacket or vest unbuttoned. The first tells that cowboys in the Wild West often used their revolvers, which were taken from a holster on their belt. They unbuttoned the last button on their jackets so as not to waste a split second when they pulled the revolver out of the holster. The slightest delay could cost life.
The second version says that the fashion for an unbuttoned button was introduced by the former King of England Edward VII. For convenience, he often unbuttoned the last button of his jacket when he sat down on a chair. Many courtiers began to repeat after the king and after a while this became the norm.
Reasons why buttons are unbuttoned
There are at least two reasons why it is worth buttoning up some and keeping the other buttons unbuttoned on single-breasted and double-breasted jackets, despite the tradition:
- Emphasize that you are attentive to detail.
The vast majority of people do not wear a suit or jacket on a regular basis, so they button up all the buttons on their jacket. These little rules are known to people who are often confronted with business etiquette and are aware of these little details. Therefore, you can indirectly determine whether you often wear a business suit by the number of buttoned jacket buttons. Perhaps it looks somehow frivolous, or illogical, but this is reality and often confirms guesses.
- It is more convenient to sit and move with the button unbuttoned at the bottom.
Sitting in a fully buttoned suit can be uncomfortable even for a man with a normal physique, not to mention large men. Plus, when you sit down, you can stretch or even tear the fabric of the jacket.
There are situations when the very top button is not fastened. This is the so-called thee-roll-two jacket, on which the top buttons are sewn directly onto the lapel and are made exclusively for style and beauty. Such jackets are always sewn with three buttons, and they only need to fasten the middle one.
It is important to note the fact that we are talking about a classic business suit, and not a blazer or a sports jacket (with patches on the elbows), where some rules can be neglected. Yet casual style is not as strict as business style.
How to button up a single-breasted jacket
Most modern suits are sewn with a single-breasted jacket, 90 percent, that's for sure. How to button a jacket depends on two factors: the number of buttons and their position relative to the waist.
High-waisted jackets are sewn with buttons above and in the middle of the waist. Jackets with a low waist (these are the most common ones) are sewn with buttons in the middle and below the waist.
Jacket with one button
The single-breasted jacket with one button is most often found in a tuxedo or in the fashion lines of Italian designers. One single button should always be fastened when standing or walking. You can unbutton the button only when you sit down.
Jacket with two buttons
Usually on jackets with two buttons, the top button is fastened, and the bottom is always kept unbuttoned, but there are exceptions:
- If your jacket has very long lapels that wrap slightly around the top button (like thee-roll-two jackets), you can leave it unbuttoned and the bottom buttoned up.
- Very tall men may need to cover the waist area, as a jacket that is too short with the bottom button open may expose both the waist and the belt. It won't look good.
Jacket with three buttons
A single-breasted three-button blazer is usually worn with a buttoned middle button, an optional buttoned top button and an open bottom button.
How to button up a double-breasted jacket
Traditionally, a double-breasted jacket is fastened with all buttons, even when you are sitting. However, in some cases, you can undo the bottom right button if you are confident in your style. It is the latest fashion trends that allow you to keep one button unbuttoned on a double-breasted jacket.
Please note: there are models where 6 or more buttons are sewn on a jacket, while the top buttons are not intended for fastening at all, since they are sewn in the area of chest pockets.
Finally
Very often the rules and traditions of business etiquette come to us from the “old world”. The norms that dictate how to button a jacket are no exception. However, first of all, make sure that you are wearing a classic men's suit correctly before following the formal rules of etiquette.
