The London Lounge

Dear All

If electing to wear a waistcoat, does convention dictate that ones coat should be three button or is this a matter of personal taste?

I am rather struck by the idea of two button with waistcoat, if this is acceptable then should the waistcoat be cut differently?

Many thanks in advance

A waistcoat should show just a little above the coat over it. If a W-C has only two buttons it will be invisible below the coat. Even W-Cs worn with evening full dress (white tie) have three buttons at least - and that is underneath a coat which cannot be buttoned up.

I might be wrong, but I think the OP meant a 2 button suit with waistcoat, not a 2 button waistcoat.

Might as well ask whether the jacket of a 3-piece suit should be fully buttoned up when standing up.

tazmaniac wrote:I might be wrong, but I think the OP meant a 2 button suit with waistcoat, not a 2 button waistcoat.

Ah, yes I see that now - he meant "2 button [coat] with waistcoat".

It really doesn't matter how the coat is cut, as long as the W-C is cut so that it shows a little above the coat. This remains true whether you are dealing with a one button coat, a three button coat, or even a double breasted coat.

A 3-roll 2 coat does a nice job of showing just enough vest. Either that, or a highish button point on a rather crooked 2 button coat.