Advice on non-metal blazer buttons

[Metcalfe]

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

[Mark Seitelman]

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.

[tteplitzmd]

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

Terry Teplitz

[TVD]

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.

[Leon]

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

[le.gentleman]

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...

[Mark Seitelman]

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

[Metcalfe]

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

[TVD]

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?