Buttons on a Doublet

[Jock Scot]

I've heard this before, but it always raises the question, "What do the buttons button to?" I've ridden in a tails coat (dressage), and I've seen early 19th century tail coats (C.1820), and none of them were actually designed to be folded in half and buttoned (presumably) to the waist of the coat. I've also never seen a period equestrian painting where a mounted gentleman's coat tails were somehow buttoned up to his coat.

I do know that when a mounted gentleman would arrive at someone's home, he would dismount and proceed into the entrance hall. There he would remove his top boots before continuing on into the house. He did not go about in his stocking feet, but rather put on a pair of lightweight slippers that he carried in the pockets in the tail of his coat.

I well remember my tailor, dear old Mr.Aldridge now long gone,who used to make my hunting(horse & hounds type) jackets used to say that the buttons on the back(top and either side of the single vent) of our"modern" jackets were a throwback to the time when tails were worn on horseback . Apperently that still left room for the slippers when the tails were buttoned up.

The slippers thing still happens,here, in the hunting and shooting world today,although not as common as it used to be and now carried in a bag in the car, anyway, off come the muddy boots and on go the slippers and no mud enters the house.

[Monkey@Arms]

Thanks all for the answers to my button question. When I had looked at the tail of a PC, as exemplified in MoR's illustration (copied below) I had thought it looked like it had vestigial flap pockets. Just goes to show that fashion is a funny thing.



Best regards,

Jake

[thescot]

Hi Ted,
In today's world the norm is to have "white" buttons on one's PC-- white meaning "silver coloured"; real silver buttons are the exception these days, and I seriously doubt that even one-in-one thousand gentlemen actually sport sterling buttons on their PC or doublet.

If you don't like the "shiny chrome" look you have a wide range of options, starting with the black plastic buttons (like those found on suits), fabric covered buttons, glass, jett or pewer buttons. Shapes can be square, round, oval... whatever strikes your fancy. It is all a matter of style-- or some might say eccentricity!

As long as you like your buttons-- they are "socially" correct.

Mac and Ted,

I have a PC which was made from standard tails I purchased of the internet from a formal supply company. I had a tailor cut them down in to a Pince Charlie coatee, and they look fine.

Thing is, when I first had them cut down, I didn't have time to purchase and install silver buttons, so I wore the black silk buttons that came on the jacket. They actually look fine, and no one seemed to notice.

I now wear a purchased PC most of the time, but I still have the one with the black buttons--on both sides of the front of the jacket--and I am thinking of what I should do with it. I can wear it or sell it, but I can't decide which. I only wore it once, and having read all of this, I think I just may keep it and wear it.

[Bassbarijpm]

Alot of fashion trends come from military uniforms. We need to remember what the uniforms of the 1700 and 1800's looked like for some of the reason for the formal fashion oddities.

At one time open lapels were designed to be button opened (French and British Napoleonic unifoms). The inside of the lapel were normally a diffrent color then the color of the cost. When open this bright /contrasing color was seen. This is part of the reason for a double breated jackets and the dual row of buttons on tails coats and why tuxes have satin lapels.

At one time the fronts of long uniform coats were designed to be buttoned toward the back and remain open and out of the way so a soldier could run and walk in them. Now we have only the buttons

At one time there were funtioning pockets in the tails of coat. Now we have false flaps and buttons

Alot of the fashon we see in formal wear is the left overs from a time when there was a reason.

Have fun an dress well.

A Kilt Wearing Irish American Mutt ith:

[Bugbear]

Since this thread bubbled back up to the surface... I noticed that Kinloch Anderson's version of the PC has the button closure configuration that is being discussed. Don't know if the link had been posted yet.

Highland Dress Jackets | Kinloch Anderson