When wearing a suit, always leave the bottom button open for the waistcoat and jacket. The tradition dates back to king Edward VII from the early 1900s. He unbuttoned the bottom of his waistcoat because he was too fat. He unbuttoned the bottom of his jacket to pay homage to the riding jacket that suits replaced.
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The answer goes back to a very fat king: King Edward VII.
As fashion blogs and magazines will tell you, there’s a story that King Edward VII, back when he was the Prince of Wales and suits were becoming in vogue, got too fat for his waistcoat so he stopped buttoning the bottom button to make it fit better.
We’re not big on rules, but we stand by the “never button the last button” rule. Vest or no vest, buttoning the bottom button will make you look like a rube, plain and simple. If you do have a vest on, the bottom button on the vest ought to remain unbuttoned as well.
The two-button jacket should never have both buttons fastened. The three-button suit comes with a simple rule: “sometimes, always, never.” It means you should sometimes fasten the top button (if you feel like it), always fasten the middle button, and never button the third.
What’s the difference between a vest and a waistcoat?
Waistcoat is always worn over a formal shirt and with a full suit. It features a number of buttons and is either single-breasted or a double-breasted. Vest, on the other hand, can be worn over button down shirts or without anything underneath (official rule, though we would not recommend trying it).
Loosen up, guys. It’s a well-documented style rule that men should never button the second button of a two-button suit jacket. It’s considered appropriate to button the top one when standing, sure, but never the second.
Secondly, that there was a time when young dandies would sport two waistcoats at the same time so left the top waistcoat’s bottom button undone so that you could see the one underneath. Thirdly, that it is all to do with comfort while in the saddle and to stop the waistcoat rising up the chest while riding.
If you have the traditional one-button jacket; you leave it unbuttoned if you wear it with a waistcoat or a vest, and you button it if you wear it with a cummerbund.
Always leave the bottom button undone
The golden rule is to leave your bottom button undone. If you fail to do this, get carried away, and button all of the buttons up, than all the time you spent matching your tie, starching your shirt and polishing your shoes will have been a waste.
How do you properly wear a vest?
How to wear the vest. Excluding exceptions, the vest must always be worn over a shirt with a buttoned collar and under a single-breasted jacket or blazer. It should never be worn under a double-breasted jacket: the neck of the jacket, in fact, must be large enough to allow the waistcoat to be visible.
Is it OK to wear a vest without a jacket?
Lighter waistcoat options, like those made from linen/wool blends or cotton can be worn without a jacket and still look amazing. Pair them with a long-sleeve single cuff shirt and a pair of chinos or denim jeans.
Should my vest have a lapel?
Lapels on a vest aren’t overly common today, at least in the Denver area. Typically, we’ll make a vest with no lapel just because it has a cleaner look. That being said, there’s certainly nothing wrong with having a lapel on a vest. Similar to a suit or tuxedo, you have three basic options: notched, peaked, and shawl.
Because of its origins in traditional eveningwear designs, one-button suit jackets are often cut longer than other types of suits. Keeping the button fastened maintains a balanced proportion. These jackets should ALWAYS be buttoned when standing. Unbutton the jacket when sitting down, so that it doesn’t crease.
Can you wear a different color vest with a suit?
Remember, a vest is intended to accentuate a suit jacket and trousers. If it features the wrong color, it won’t perform its intended function. You need to color-coordinate your vest with the rest of your suit to create a complete and attractive suit outfit.
Can you wear a white vest with a tuxedo?
Because wearing a tuxedo with vest is highly formal, the vest color and material should be simple and tasteful. In most cases, it is best to simply match the vest to the dinner jacket in color and material. In some cases, however, it can be acceptable to wear a vest in a subtle, complementary color.
Can you wear a waistcoat without a tie?
Yes, You Can Wear a Three-Piece Suit Without a Tie
Even without a tie, three-piece suit will offer a high level of formality that’s appropriate for most formal occasions.
The traditional way to button a two-button jacket is to fasten the top button and leave the lower undone. The top button on these jackets should ALWAYS be buttoned when standing.
Yes, by all means, unbutton your suit while sitting. Really, it’s not that big of a deal, tone it down. Of course, feel free to leave it buttoned if that works for you too.
This means that a man may sometimes button the top button of a three-button suit jacket, should always button the middle button and should never button the bottom button. For a two-button jacket, the rule of thumb is “always and never.” For a one-button jacket, it’s “always.”
At its core, the answer’s simple. “Undoing your top button makes you look (and feel) more relaxed. It works perfectly for outfits with casual shirts. But in a formal outfit, like a suit and tie, you’d of course always do the top button up,” says Thread senior stylist Alice Watt.
If you have a single button suit or jacket, you should wear it fastened when standing or walking and leave it open when sitting so you don’t pull the fabric. A bonus of wearing your jacket unbuttoned when sitting is that you’ll be more comfortable and look like a gentleman who knows his style.