Buttons on a Doublet

[Bugbear]

... You are right to wonder about "dress eccentricity." Of course a gentlemen went to his tailor with specific thoughts. My evening waistcoats, for example, have four buttons, instead of the more commonly seen three. I personally find the 3 x 3 button placement not my favourite: that is why I asked my tailor to make this doublet up with buttons on one side, as was the standard for the "regulation style doublets" some time back. ...

The low cut, four button waistcoat is an interesting idea. I'm guessing that the buttons are basically closer and the cut of the waistcoat is, for the most part, the same as a three button waistcoat?

I don't have a PC or doublet in front of me to study in detail or try on, but I like the symmetry of the buttons on both sides. I am working on a kilt cut jacket, right now, that will have buttons on both sides of the closure, but the buttons are next to the edge of the closure. It would be like a two button Argyle with buttons also covering the buttonholes. Just an experiment, and why this thread caught my attention.

[Carolina Kiltman]

I can't say for sure, Monkey@Arms, but the discription of a PC sounds very much like the description of a tailcoat or dresscoat with the tails cut back, as has been pointed out. A tailcoat has those buttons back there, and I think at one time they were funtional in some way. I'm guessing when the PC was designed, they put them back there because the tailcoat has them back there.

Originally the buttons on the back of the tail coat was to hold the tails up when on horse-back. Much like the buttonhole on the left lapel of a modern suit jacket originally went over a button just under the collar on the right, to close up the top when the wind was cold and warmth was needed.

Your guess is quite possibly right on the money. It at least sound plausible.

One less plausible explanation I have heard is that is a show of wealth, the buttons being silver. . . .

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Originally the buttons on the back of the tail coat was to hold the tails up when on horse-back.

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.

[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.

[Phil]

Comments?

All I can see is that in the first picture (Mackenzie) the left-hand side of the jacket is completely covered by a fly-plaid. So it is not possible to see whether or not there are any buttons on that side.
Srewart Christie's take on a regulation doublet from the early 1950's and probably earlier appears to only have buttons on one side -


I am sure that there will have been many small variations from tailor to tailor and between clients' individual tastes.

[JSFMACLJR]

What? You don't believe me?

Okay then, photographic evidence:





















Believe me now? With some of the photos you will have to look closely, and maybe use a bit of imagination/common sense to see what I am talking about.

[JSFMACLJR]

And four artistic renderings:

[Phil]

Please have the courtesy to actually read my post. The first picture you posted has one side of the jacket obscured by a fly plaid. The subject does not warrant any further comment as you obviously intend to follow an adversarial route.

[JSFMACLJR]

Please have the courtesy to actually read my post. The first picture you posted has one side of the jacket obscured by a fly plaid. The subject does not warrant any further comment as you obviously intend to follow an adversarial route.

Back off with the snotty attitude, Phil! Of course I read your post! I'm not daft, my friend.

[JSFMACLJR]

Please have the courtesy to actually read my post. The first picture you posted has one side of the jacket obscured by a fly plaid. The subject does not warrant any further comment as you obviously intend to follow an adversarial route.

Phil,
One can tell from the picture with the plaid, that there are no buttons on the left side of the jacket, because of the placement of the buttons along the right front side. You do not have to see the other side to tell that there would be no buttons on it.