The London Lounge

Alan Flusser's Dressing the Man includes a section on blazer buttons including alternatives to metal: brown horn and mother-of-pearl (page 110). He suggests that the mother-of-pearl is a better choice for tropical weight blazers worn during the summer (e.g., linen blazer).

I'm curious what Members think about mother-of-pearl blazer buttons generally (because I've never seen a blazer with them), and their appropriateness for year-round wear on a navy, double-breasted blazer. My blazer would be in a tropical weight wool with a 6:1 Astaire style button stance.

Thank you for your advice,

Fruity Metcalfe

Stick to white mother of pearl for spring/summer.

There is a grey, smokey pearl which you might be able to wear in winter.

All in all, I think that either metal or horn is the best bet for winter since your blazer should be more substantial for the cold season.

Please see the photo in my album of a navy Irish linen jacket with brown horn buttons.
Very becoming I think.

Terry Teplitz

Mother of pearl can often be found on Italian coats.

I think its use should be considered more frequently: its wide variety of colours makes it versatile and useful for creating a contrast, it looks beautiful, it is pleasant to the touch (like horn and unlike most - but not all - plastic buttons), it can feel cold.

I agree that it somehow "feels" better with summer rather than winter coats. It would be my first choice for a line suit.

Mother of pearl blazer buttons: why not?

I have them on a Richard James (off the peg) single breasted blazer, that I wear all the time.

In fact, thinking about it, I don't have any brass buttoned blazers.

Leon

I saw a very nice 3/4 seersucker lined navy blazer of Tom Rowne 2 days ago. It had grey MOP buttons and had a very tight fit. The MOP buttons indeed looked great. The skirt was a bit short but that is the way Tom Browne cuts his jackets.
I have never heard anything of Tom Rowne before - do you know anything about him? The blazer was bought at Bergdorf goodman... that's all I know...

Incidentally, I have excellent MOP buttons on an Oxxford seersucker sportscoat. It is an integral part of the look of the garment.

Gentlemen:

Thank you for your thoughtful replies. I don't know what I'll decide initially (for year-round wear), but as my wardrobe expands and I have separate weight blazers for summer and winter, gray mother-of-pearl sounds like an elegant choice for a tropical weight. Perhaps I could just switch the buttons seasonally before sending it to the cleaner. I'm reassured that gentlemen who know so much have mother-of-pearl buttons on their jackets because I've never seen them except on shirts.

Kind regards,

Fruity Metcalfe

Re Tom Brown:

Old Eton firm of tailors, thus having quite a few of the old boys as customers. They do have a good website, but I cannot find the link right now. Shops in Eton and Sackville Street (London). I recall from a friend who used to get his suits there that they use four buttons on the sleeve arranged in two pairs with a gap in between. Recently immitated by Hackett.

I have no information about their recent quality. The blazer referred to earlier in this post sounded like MTM?