Tux--both buttons or just one

[knightoftheoldc]

Hi, I'm new here and wanted to get some opinions on this:

It's always been my understanding that the bottom button of any jacket or vest is always left undone. But recently I was in a wedding and someone told me that this is not the case with the tuxedo--both buttons are to be buttoned. I can't believe that.

The Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style is silent on the topic. Thoughts? Ideas? Definitive answers?


Thanks,
Josh

 

[Thomas Walden]

I am no expert, and you may want to discount my opinion, anyway (I have always thought that that "rule" is absurd), but I would go by the fit of the jacket. Many garments are not meant to be buttoned all the way down (they look "off"). If the jacket is too tight when you fasten the bottom button, the jacket may have been designed that way. I am thin, so I can usually buttom whichever buttons a jacket has, but I know most do not have my body type. This is from askandyaboutclothes.com:

King Edward VII, “Bertie�, son of Victoria (1841 – 1910, King 1901 - 1910) was so heavy that he could not get the bottom button fastened on his vest or to be more historically kind, maybe he just forgot. His subjects taking it as a fashion statement followed his lead and today most men’s suits, sports jackets or vests are not designed to button the bottom button. The tradition of not buttoning the bottom button may have also come from the early waistcoats, which were very long. It may have been out of necessity of being able to walk that the bottom buttons were left undone.

I suppose my advice is do what I do and ignore the rule (dinner jacket or no) except when it makes the jacket look bad.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Many jackets nowadays are made in a cuttaway style where the bottom button of a two button suit, or three button suit is not meant to be buttoned. If buttoned it puts the whole balance of the jacket off kilter.

There is no rule on unbuttoning two bottom buttons while a top button is fastened... just looks weird.

 

[knightoftheoldc]

Thanks

Thanks for the background--it helped a lot. I'm pretty traditional, so I'll stick with the bottom button undone--it just looks classier to me.


Best,
Josh

 

[Flitcraft]

Re: Tux- both buttons or just one...

Please don't button both buttons on the tux- if it has two, button only one.
Most traditional tuxes have only one, which is usually unbuttoned so as to display the vest or cumberbund beneath.
The jacket on white tie and tails is cut so as to remain opened and display the white vest and picque shirt front.
Sorry to be so pedantic, but I used to work in mens retail, dated a lady who ran a tuxedo shop and I was a maitre d' in a pretty swanky French restaurant, so I've had to wear formal attire as work clothes.

 

[Thomas Walden]

Indeed, I forgot about displaying the cummerbund. This is important.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Don't button the buttons, you may need to get your gun out in a hurry.

 

[Wild Root]

Bottom button.

Yes, this button isn't to be buttoned! Some single breasted tux coats I have seen only have one. I also have seen cut away coats from the 20's and 30's that have two buttons where most have only one. The second button is not to be buttoned.

If you were wearing a double breasted tux, well you would even leave the bottom button undone as well! That's if it's as six button job. If it's a four button job then you would only have the one fastened.

On tail coats you can't button them. They have no button holes!

So, that covers the basses I guess.

Root.