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HOW TO BUTTON YOUR SUIT

JACKET
Posted by Rishi Chullani on February 23, 2023

Knowing how to button your suit jacket is of paramount

importance. In this guide, we cover how to button various
single and double breasted suit jackets!

You’ve managed to purchase that all elusive suit, and

you’re feeling as giddy as a kid in a candy store. Or a Red
Sox Fan after the 2004 World Series. Yes, that long
awaited anticipation has paid off. Finally, you think to
yourself. All that meticulous planning and attention to
detail has resulted in the perfect purchase.

Until, of course, you strut it at your next wedding

reception, and unbridled joy morphs into uncomfortable
confusion, as you walk through that wedding hall and
can’t quite Rgure out if you’ve appropriately buttoned
your suit jacket. Should it be the Rrst button only? Or the
second as well? Wait, what if it’s a three buttoned jacket
instead? Suddenly, something as innocuous as jacket
buttoning Rlls you with unease as dread starts to creep
in.

Courtesy of www.hespokestyle.com

Fret not! In this succinct guide, we will cover the

essentials of jacket buttoning, so you are always looking
dapper and in line with norms, as opposed to standing on
the outside looking in at that oh so elusive suit wearing
fraternity.

Before we delve into suit button details (yes, that is in

fact, a thing) – why bother at all? What are the reasons to
button a suit appropriately?

Sends a signal that you pay attention to detail. It also

helps separate you from the casual suit wearer who
may not be aware of the details that truly matter
A buttoned suit, especially when standing, creates a
clean, sleek silhouette
Suits are created on the basis that you will not button
your jackets when sitting down. Contemporary suit
manufacturers devise suits that crease when you sit
down with a buttoned jacket.
And most importantly – prevent those buttons from
popping! Especially if you’ve rocked a chipotle burrito
immediately prior (hey – this is a judgement free
blog!).

SINGLE BREASTED
SUITS
Suits are largely delineated between single and double
breasted suits. A single breasted suit comprises of one
column of buttons , with a narrow overlap at the front.
Single breasted jackets are typically accompanied by
either two or three buttons, with the occasional single
breasted jacket being Rnished with one button only!

Courtesy of www.suitsexpert.com

HOW TO BUTTON A ONE

BUTTON SINGLE
BREASTED JACKET

Courtesy of www.realmenrealstyle.com

Single Button, Single Breasted Jackets, given that their

history is steeped in evening wear, are typically created
with a longer form silhouette. The single button should
always be closed when standing up. Unbutton the jacket
with sitting down to avoid creasing.

HOW TO BUTTON A TWO

BUTTON SINGLE
BREASTED SUIT

Courtesy of www.suitsexpert.com

Single Breasted Two button suits have become the

defacto single breasted suit of choice globally. The
traditional way to button a two button jacket is to fasten
the top button and leave the lower button undone.

Fastening the bottom button will create the impression

that you don’t know how to dress. Moreover, it will break
the vertical line created by the suit, and add extra
perceived weight by creating fabric billowing.

There are, however, a few exceptions to the rule:

Men who prefer very long lapels sometimes button

down the lower button and fold the lapel down past
the top buttonhole.
Very tall men many need to use the lower button
rather than keep the upper button closed to keep the
jacket from spreading out above the waist, and hence
exposing the trouser front and belt buckle.
If your jacket has a high stance, indicating that the
suit buttons are placed closer to your collar

Courtesy of www.suitsexpert.com

BUTTONING RULES FOR

THREE BUTTON SUIT
JACKETS

Courtesy of www.mrkoachman.com

When strutting a three button suit jacket, fastening the

middle button is imperative. While securing the bottom
button is a deRnite no-no, the top button can be
optional!

As with other single breasted jackets, all buttons should

be unfastened while sitting down.

It is worth noting that on some three button jackets, the

top button sits behind the jackets lapel. If fastening the
top button impedes the lapels natural aow, the top
button should be left undone.

HOW TO BUTTON A
DOUBLE BREASTED
SUIT

Courtesy of www.realmenrealstyle.com

The double breasted jacket was popularized by the Duke

Of Kent. These jackets are considered more stylish and
more cutting edge, given that few people can Rnd one,
and that an even smaller number of people can
successfully pull one off with the requisite level of
conRdence.

Double Breasted Jackets are often the defacto choice for a

gentleman who is opting for a broad shouldered look
along with a proportioned waist.

It is against this backdrop the most (if not all) buttons of a

double breasted suit jacket should be fastened, so as to
maintain that desired v-shaped aesthetic, and to prevent the
excess fabric from showing through!

A double breasted jacket is typically characterized by two

numbers e. g 4 x 2, with the Rrst number indicating the
total number of buttons, and the second number
indicating the number of functional buttons. As such, the
number of button holes in a double breasted suit jacket is
always less than the actual number of buttons.

With a double breasted jacket, all buttons (with the

exception of the optional bottom button), should be
closed.

While the bottom button is optional, it is usually left

open for men looking for an elongated torso look.

All functional buttons should be fastened, except the bottom

button which is optional. In the case of the 4x1 double
breasted suit, the bottom button has to be fastened given
that it is the only functional button (last number indicates
number of functional buttons). Courtesy of
www.suitsexpert.com

SUMMARY
As with anything ‘rules’ based, here is a quick recap of
how to button your suits!

1. Single Buttoned Single Breasted Suits should always

be fastened when standing up, and left open when
sitting down.
2. Two Buttoned Single Breasted Jackets should always
have the top button fastened while standing, and the
bottom one left open. Keep both buttons unfastened
when sitting down.
3. Exceptions to the bottom button rule for two button
suits include higher buttons on your jacket, extra tall
men needing to close the button so that their belt
buckle isn’t exposed and for men who prefer very long
lapels.
4. With A Three Button Single Breasted Jacket,
buttoning the middle button while standing up is
imperative, while the top button is optional. The
bottom button should never be secured. Keep all
buttons open when seated.
5. With a Double Breasted Suit, secure all functional
buttons except the optional bottom button (which is
sometimes left undone to create the optics of a longer
torso).

And that's a wrap for this one! We hope that you have
found this blog post both informative & enjoyable to
read.

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