The two-button suit jacket is a standard in men’s formal and business attire. Proper buttoning is an overlooked detail, yet it impacts the garment’s appearance and the wearer’s silhouette. Understanding the established etiquette for a two-button jacket is important for presenting a polished image. These conventions are rooted in the history of tailoring and the specific design of the contemporary suit.
The Standing Rule for the Two-Button Suit
The fundamental rule for a single-breasted, two-button suit jacket when standing is simple: the top button is fastened, and the bottom button is left unfastened. This practice is so ingrained in menswear that the two buttons are sometimes unofficially known as the “always” and “never” buttons, respectively. Securing the top button pulls the lapels and the front panels of the jacket together, which creates a clean, unbroken vertical line down the wearer’s torso.
This fastened top button shapes the jacket around the chest and waist, establishing the desired V-shape silhouette. Fastening the top button maintains the tailored structure of the garment and prevents it from appearing sloppy. The bottom button should never be fastened, as doing so often leads to a poor fit and disrupts the intended drape of the suit.
Attempting to fasten both buttons on a modern two-button suit jacket will cause the fabric to pull tightly across the hips and bunch awkwardly. This tension can create wrinkles and an unflattering “flaring” effect at the bottom of the jacket. The convention of leaving the bottom button undone remains the standard for maintaining proper form.
The Sitting Rule: When to Unbutton
The standing rule requires the top button to be secured, but an exception applies when the wearer sits down. The jacket should be entirely unbuttoned before taking a seat. This is a practical measure to preserve the jacket’s shape and integrity.
Leaving the jacket buttoned while seated places stress on the garment, particularly at the button and buttonhole. The tension created by a seated posture can strain the threads, potentially causing the button to pop off or the fabric to tear. This practice also prevents the fabric from forming deep creases and wrinkles across the midsection.
Unbuttoning the jacket allows the material to hang naturally. This ensures the jacket recovers its intended drape and fit immediately when the wearer stands up and re-fastens the top button.
Understanding Suit Jacket Tailoring and Fit
The rule of leaving the bottom button undone is dictated by how modern suit jackets are cut. While this convention began as a historical trend, it has been incorporated directly into the garment’s design. Contemporary single-breasted suit jackets are tailored with an intentional “break” or curve at the bottom to accommodate the unfastened button.
The jacket’s button stance, or the vertical placement of the buttons, positions the top button to secure the jacket at the natural waist. This placement elongates the torso and provides a slimming appearance. The bottom button is positioned lower, often slightly below the natural waist, where the jacket is meant to flare slightly over the hips.
If the bottom button were fastened, the jacket would pull inward below the waist, forcing the lower front panels to spread out awkwardly. This ruins the clean, vertical line established by the secured top button. Manufacturers cut the jacket expecting the bottom button to remain unfastened, making the rule a functional element of the garment’s structure.