How to Button a Suit: Stick it in the right hole!

One would think that suit buttons are easy. After all, how hard can it be to  button a suit? Well, surprise, surprise some of you guys are STICKING it in the WRONG HOLE!

Most of you gentlemen have been buttoning your own clothes since the age of 5. Most learned on pants then graduated to shirts. To  make sure you didn’t miss a button, you were taught to start at the bottom, fasten your button and work our way up  – sound familiar?

Well, the “start at the bottom” advice doesn’t work for suit buttons because not all buttons on your suit are meant to be closed.

When it comes to buttoning up the most common suit styles ( a 3 button, 2 button and 1 button), the rule is simple: Think Sometimes, Always, Never. So here’s Monday’s Man Tip:

• If you’re wearing a 3 button suit, start at the top button and repeat after me “Sometimes, Always and Never.”  The middle button is always closed.

• If you’re wearing a 2 button suit, start at top button and say “Always, Never.” The first button is always closed.

• If you’re wearing a 1 button suit – Just button it.

Why is this important? Because certain buttons hold the shape of the suit in place, others have no practical function. And in many cases closing the last button seriously alters the silhouette of the suit. So, if you want to wear your suit so that it drapes well on your body, make sure you don’t stick your button in the wrong hole.

If you want to know more about how to “wear it well” check out Your Personal Style Blueprint.

Note:  Double breasted jackets are always worn with the first 2 buttons closed otherwise, it’s not a jacket, it’s a cape.