Are you wearing your suit correctly?
To answer that question – you really need to understand the rules.
Here at Gallous Lad, we do not judge those that do not know the rules – at one point – we didn’t know either!
These are the rules that are passed down from generation to generation, but if they were never in your family to begin with – it’s can be difficult to just stumble across the information through your general life.
NEVER FEAR – GALLOUS IS HERE!
With Style 101, I hope to bring you some simple gems of information you may not have discovered elsewhere. Simple, small tips that have a big impact on how you look.
WHAT ARE THE RULES?
So first off, what are the rules?
Well this differs between how many buttons you have on your suit:
One Buttoned Suit –
The single button should always be buttoned when standing.
Two Buttoned Suit –
The top button remain buttoned when standing, while the bottom button remains undone.
Three Buttoned Suit –
With three buttons you have options – either button the top two buttons and leave the bottom undone … or simply button the middle button by itself.
More than three Buttons –Leave it in the store / Bin or burn the suit.
There are the rules laid out for you in full. I’m not making these up, I promise.
I recognise that this is a lot of information thrown at you to try and visualize at one time.
So I’ll try and simplify it for you:
Memorise these two simple sayings and you can’t go wrong!
- MORE THAN ONE? BOTTOM UNDONE
- SOMETIMES, ALWAYS, NEVER
WHERE THE HELL DID THESE RULES COME FROM?
Believe it or not, these rules can be traced back all the way to King Edward VII.
To make a long, boring story as short as possible – Eddy was a massive fat guy that couldn’t get the bottom button of his waistcoat fastened.
Therefore, following on from the lead of their almighty it soon become a bit of a fashion trend among the regular plebs…and has been an unwritten fashion rule ever since.
WHY SHOULD I FOLLOW THIS RULE?
I would say there are three main reasons for following this rule.
1) Not following it looks horrendous. You end up looking like you have a large belly with a weird shape – Piers Morgan style.
2) The majority of those who violate this holy rule do it simply out of ignorance. No one has ever taught them how to wear a suit properly…or they simply do not wear suits often. Therefore, walking around with your bottom button done simply screams “I only wear this for job interviews and funerals” to those in the know.
3)The third and final reason you should definitely follow this rule is that Today’s suit are simply constructed to ensure a proper fit when the bottom button is open. Therefore, if your bottom button is fastened – you are wearing it incorrectly!
You may ask, then why have a bottom button at all?!
…and quite rightly too.
The truth is, I can’t answer this question. I haven’t found anyone who can. It’s like an industry mystery – but hey, we’ve had unnecessary cuff buttons on suits for ages and no one is complaining about them…
Gallus Lad 