HOW TO BUTTON UP A BLAZER, WAISTCOAT & SUIT JACKET

Suit Buttoning Rules: Are You Sure You Know Them? Read to find out how to button your suit jacket the right way.

My friend, Bayo is a classy man in every sense of the word.

He carries himself with great confidence and his dressing is always on point. He only wears well fitted tailored suits and his classic native wears are stylishly unique in every way. Not to mention his shoes … always well polished and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him not matching his belt to his shoe in both color and finish.

So it was really strange when I saw Bayo wearing a Two-Piece Single Breasted 2-Button Suit Jacket, with the two buttons fastened. Imagine my shock!

Anyone who knows me so well, know that I can’t stand sin at all – fashion sin I meant to say. My sartorial eyes are too holy to behold any style iniquity (fashion faux pas) and that’s why I had to react immediately when I saw my friend Bayo committing this unpardonable fashion sin today.

Bayo! Common… what is this? – my eyes fixated on his suit jacket buttons.

If this was an ordinary guy with no sense of style or someone who has not been following or reading the style gospels I preach here weekly on MR KOACHMAN, I would expect him to be surprised at my vague question. Perhaps, wondering what he had done wrong or even thinking I was referring to his pot belly or something. But this was the classy man Mr. Bayo… he knew immediately that he was guilty of a fashion sin and instantly sought atonement.

Hey Kobi – of course I know the rules, however, I’ve got food stains on my shirt, so I had to button it all up. Forgive me, bro [as he bowed his head in shame]!

Well, a good reason but not a justifiable one.

Some of you might be asking – What are the rules on buttoning a suit? In case, you are one of them, this is for you. Here are the 10 Basic Rules Of Buttoning A Suit Jacket.

SUIT BUTTONING RULES FOR MEN | SINGLE BREASTED SUITS

RULE #1: No matter what you do, NEVER fasten the last button of a single-breasted suit.

RULE #2: If a single-breasted suit has only 1 button, the button should be buttoned when standing and unfastened when you sit down.

RULE #3: If a single-breasted suit has 2 buttons, the top button should remain buttoned when standing, while the bottom button is left undone. Both should be unfastened when you sit down.

RULE #4: If a single-breasted suit has 3 buttons, you have two options. You can either button the top two and leave the bottom unfastened, or simply button the center button and leave the first and the last one unbuttoned. The same rule applies when you are sitting down, unbutton all the buttons.

RULE #5: The top button of a two-button suit (or the middle button of a three-button suit) should fall at or just above the navel.

Also Read: 25 Suit Rules All Men Need To Know

SUIT BUTTONING RULES FOR MEN | DOUBLE BREASTED SUITS

RULE #6: Never fasten the bottom button of a double-breasted jacket unless it’s a 4 X 1 or 6X1 configuration (i.e. it has only a single row of buttons – see below). In this case, you should button the only button-able button when sitting or standing.

6×1 Double Breasted Suit

4×1 Double Breasted Suit

RULE #7: Due to the double-breasted jacket’s construction, it is not recommended to wear a double-breasted suit unbuttoned in public. It doesn’t look great when unbuttoned. For those with a bit of belly fat, for the sake of comfort you can temporarily unbutton it while sitting, but button up once you are standing.

Style Tip: The double-breasted suit isn’t a great choice for large men or men with exceptionally wide hips. If this is you, it’s best to stick to single-breasted suits.

RULE #8: The “anchor button” also known as the jigger which is the button on the inside should be fastened at all times.

Also Read: How To Wear A Double Breasted Suit

SUIT BUTTONING RULES FOR MEN | WAISTCOAT/VEST

Single Breasted Waistcoat

Double Breasted Waistcoat

RULE #9: The bottom button of a single-breasted vest/waistcoat should always be unbuttoned.

Style Tip: Unbuttoning the last button of the single breasted waistcoat is a customary thing to do, but as every sartorially inclined gentleman knows, there are few exceptions to every menswear rule and this can be altered sometimes for your personal style’s sake. A popular trend is also leaving the topmost button unbuttoned to give it that sleek, stylish touch as you can see in this picture above.

RULE #10: The double-breasted waistcoats look better when they’re buttoned, so, evening waistcoats and double-breasted waistcoats should always be fully buttoned.

Also Read: Three Piece Suit | How To Wear Them

FINAL THOUGHTS

There you have it, the only 10 suit buttoning rules you need to know!  Buttoning your suit jackets correctly will show that you know what you are doing and will easily distinguish you as a stylish man. Did you enjoy reading this? If so, please share with your friends and whoever you think would find it useful. The social media share buttons can be found at the end of this article.

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And if you would like some help or guidance to improve or update your current wardrobe, style, and image, you can see all our men’s personal styling, personal shopping and wardrobe consulting services here at my KOBI KOACHMAN Consulting Service page.

Until next time, continue to do well live well and dress really well. Be Classy.

Yours in Style,

Kobi O. Mbagwu (Mr. Kobi)
Founder, MrKoachman.com
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Mr. Kobi

My name is Kobi O. Mbagwu, a professional image consultant, menswear style expert, and entrepreneur who uses fashion, style and clothing as key tools in transforming ordinary men into extraordinary classy gentlemen. My personal goal is to help gentlemen dress better, live well, do well and develop a unique personal style that matches their lifestyle and goals. I believe that success can be built through style. I believe that fashion is a tool that can be used to change people’s lives positively. I also strongly believe that if you dress well, you look good, and if you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you worry less, and the less you worry the more you are able to stay motivated and focused on your goals pursuit and by so doing you are able to live a more fulfilling and successful life.

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