Buttons

February 23, 2024

Buttons can make or break an outfit, and even more distinguish it instantly from RTW/store-bought or couture.  

If you look in the pictures at couture clothing, one of the things you'll notice is that the buttons are always exquisite.  This is no more true than in the Chanel jacket which always has the most exquisite buttons.

This is a dead-giveaway that the jacket is authentic.  When Mme. Chanel created the jacket, she created so that the buttons became the jewelry of the jacket.

Hence, when Jerry Hall walked down the runway, the buttons were as important as the other jewelry.  Lagerfeld bumped it up by not only putting the chain the the interior of the jacket, but as a belt on the outside too.  

Here's the traditional look of the buttons and the pearl necklace updated a little, but clearly the buttons are meant to be little pieces of jewelry throughout the garment. 

This is why the cuffs were pushed forward so that it was easy to see the "jewelry" buttons either by the wearer or the viewer from the front.

Chanel jackets are the most extreme example because everyone looks for them.  

Even something as tame as these buttons can look downright remarkable, because of their shape and size and quality.  

On my own clothes I know that although I try and remain low-key and classic, that buttons can clearly be a giveaway on my clothes.

These were the original buttons, and I like them well enough.  As a matter of fact, I was excited to find them.  But the truth is that they get lost in this larger houndstooth jacket, which I loosely based on this jacket:

And these buttons are in great proportion to the size of the houndstooth.  This is also a jacket or overcoat or peacoat so it's to be worn as an outside jacket mostly.  

Going through my button drawer, these are great in proportion, but this is an "inside" jacket and frankly these buttons are too thick for this look.

And these are some exquisite horn buttons about 1¼" wide, and they are the right size, but they are too flimsy, and I'd really like a button of substance.  

So I come across these, and they have nice weight and thickness to them, and they are proportionally correct, even if they are sew-thru buttons, which I usually don't like on nice jackets, but these will do.  Additionally, I have these two buttons in my "Antique Button" baggie, which will be nice on the sleeves.  It's not a prerequisite that the buttons match, but I like for them to blend - at least be the same style.  Both of these are shiny, which makes a nice contrast to the dull fabric texture.  And these were originally 5¢ a piece - probably back in the 1950s.  My neighbor's mother died; he knew I sewed, so he invited me to check out her stuff.  I grabbed the button box without even thinking cause I always do this - pick buttons here and there and find a use for them.  

Years ago, a wise designer told me, if you see buttons you like, buy them.  They will never be as cheap as they are today, and fewer and fewer buttons are being made.  I've never been sorry.

This doesn't look like much, but there are a lot of buttons here, and they are organized:  Light Metal, Dark Metal, Light Pearl, Dark/Colored Pearl, Glitzy (Rhinestones and such), Quirky Fun (one-bubble-of-plumb type buttons), Antique Sets, Antique Miscellaneous.  And I usually don't have to worry about a button unless it's for something really basic, like a white shirt.  And for my special clothes, this is perfect.  I don't seem to find those charming buttons that I used to find in the past.  But buying online is kinda boring, especially when I know they've got really funky cool things inside the store!  

So I'm about to finish this finally, and I've done some interesting things to the inside and wanted to make the outside just as spectacular.  BTW, these buttons aren't blue, they are actually black, but the photography makes the sheen look blue.

I'm sure you've noticed that I've topstitched this.  For one thing, the hand-ticking stitching that I usually do on a Ponte jacket would have been excellent here, but the pattern wouldn't have shown the ticking at all, and I think, why go to all that work?  The ticked top stitching aims to nail down that edge and flatten it.  So I did a test on the sleeve edge, and I like it fine.  But I am seriously considering using some gorgeous cotton sateen for bound buttonholes, which would pop on this jacket.  

For fun, I did the finished bound seams inside and faced the inside of the sleeve vent in that gorgeous black cotton sateen.  These are the fun things you can do when you do your own clothes.  It won't show except maybe if I roll my sleeves up and I will put in working buttonholes on the jacket sleeves.
Don't discount the buttons as something that's purely functional.  They can really sharpen up a top or jacket with a great button or two.  And they don't have to match.  As you can see here, my cuff and front buttons don't match, but they do blend - the same color and texture, and they are both sew-through.  Here's some of my other favorite buttons on my clothes.  You can see they don't look weird, but you can also see that you have never seen them for sale -- ever! 

This jacket has been so much fun, with a trip down memory lane in my button stash and knowing I have the perfect pair of pants to wear with this and a wonderful white blouse or a solid pop of color top.  I have some bright red jersey silk in my stash that's been calling me.  

Hmmmm.  🤔

The SewingArtistry Resource Library is designed to contain information to not only make your sewing better, but to aid in you fitting and flattering your shape, size and style.  Check it out. 

Look for future classes coming in 2024
The Core Pattern Shirt, (one of my favorites for woven core pattern that you can make into a myriad of different garments), 
Basic Knit Top (core pattern class for knit basic tops, shells, tees, dresses, and tunics)
 

The Path of a Fashion Trend

Tracking a fashion trend isn't all that hard after seeing a few of them.  Living from Mid-Century Modern through Twiggy...

The Style of the Very Wealthy

It's worth the time to look at these styles, particularly today as there is a group of that wants to look....

WOW!

This is the way fashion used to be -- pretty, flattering and I can't wait to make some of...

To view in browser along with past emails, click here.

We respect your email privacy.

Follow us!