Harvey Specter from Suits, in a three-button suit
Once upon a time, not too long ago, men were expected to wear three-button suits – it’s just how things were, and in fact, JFK was considered a “radical” for opting for two-buttons during his presidency. Even in recent memory, two-button and three-button jackets were seen at similar frequencies, and considered “equally appropriate” for occasions of the same formality. However, three-button suits are now hard to find. When I visited a Hickey Freeman store last summer, I was surprised to hear that the maker no longer carried ready-to-wear three-button models, and that the style was only available made-to-measure.
Why did this formerly revered style disappear? All other things equal, a two-button suit will probably “more forgiving,” flattering more body types than its three-button equivalent, as well as feeling “less restrictive” when buttoned up. Even so, I still have a soft spot for the three-button style – and not just because I’m a “snowflake millennial from California” who likes to be different. A three-button coat, worn correctly, can work wonders to make a man look taller and slimmer.
Courtesy of Pinterest
The biggest “mistake” that I see on three-button suit wearers is fastening the buttons improperly – and this is an easy fix. As a reminder, the “rule” for such a suit is “sometimes, always, never,” from the top button down. To this, I propose a revision that the top button on a three-button coat should be closed “almost never.” This way, your three-button jackets looks virtually identical to a two-button, thus getting all its benefits. In addition, the presence of a third button could help you look taller – thank physics for visual illusions!
What, then, is the problem with buttoning both top buttons? On most such jackets, fastening the top button will leave almost no “space” between the lapels to “display” the shirt and tie, making the entire top half of the ensemble seem out of proportion. The lapels themselves will probably seem too short and too wide, all contributing to make the wearer seem short and stout and “misshapen” as well (Michel Anton’s words, not mine).
In what cases, then, can you safely button the top two buttons? This “style” works best on tall, skinny folks – on whom the proportions of a closed three-button suit would seem more reasonable. A suit with a lower top button, thus leaving more room to display the tie, and with narrower lapels, as to better “scale” the rest of the ensemble, would also help make the “top two” buttoning style make sense. So, with that, go try on some three-button suits! If you could find one, that is.