Converting a suit coat into a blazer and vice versa?

[jrtjon]

This could be an silly request, but I was wondering whether anyone had an idea how I could persuade my tailor that the suit I am getting made (dark blue mohair/wool) could also be transformed into a blazer?
The real problem is that I personally hate wearing suit coats as sports jackets! However finance dictates that I can't have both! What I thought is if there was a way one could swap buttons - normal horn etc for the suit then brass whatever for a blazer - this would be an instant transformation into a different piece of clothing! I seem to recall somewhere that someone has actually done this. Is this possible without taking a sewing kit every time I want to change!!??

[pur_sang]

A designer brand (forgot which one) have made such a coat once. They had these special buttons that snapped on and off to change the look, maybe you (or your tailor) can hunt for such buttons?

[SMCK]

I had exactly the same thoughts earlier this year,and asked a similar question here; to which couch replied with my and maybe your solution. Style forum member Voxsartoria had the same idea and designed a suit with removeable buttons. The link is in Couch's reply to my question ( I'm not clever enough to provide it here) key in voxsartoria swiss army suit and it should come up.
I have just had made such a jacket which I tried on yesterday for the first time and have sent back for a few minor changes.I am very happy with it and look forward to all its many permutations. hope this is what you wanted to hear.

Pur sang's reply above actually sounds a neater idea if you could find such buttons..

[couch]

SMCK's response reminded me that I thought I had heard of something called "button covers" in the past. And indeed, some googling on that term turns up a number of suppliers of these, for use on both men's and women's garments. Some include enameled or embossed emblems (crossed golf clubs and such) and some are in precious metals. Here's a set of two fairly innocuous ones in 14k solid gold that shows how they work (these have the unfortunate description "designer tuxedo button covers"):

http://www.jewelbasket.com/jblm86158.html

More searching would probably turn up some gold-filled or silver ones that would create less anxiety if the clasp came loose. The trick would be to find a source that would allow you to size them accurately enough to fit snugly over the horn suit buttons and that also offered matching ones for sleeve buttons.

The trade-off between these and the button-through removable buttons that Edwin used on the Swiss Army Suit would be between the extra thickness and slightly visible hinge of the button covers versus the extra buttonhole and thickness on the underside (more noticeable against the wrist and when the jacket was unbuttoned) of the Steed double-button solution. And, I suppose, the trade-off of a functional if bulky solution for an essentially ersatz one. But that would mostly be a matter of personal satisfaction, I suspect, since the better-quality button covers would probably not differ appreciably from plain blazer buttons at normal viewing distance.

[jrtjon]

This is great -thank you!
I looked at the Steed - "Swiss Army Suit" which looks interesting if a little complicated! The button cover idea seems to me the neatest and simplest, so I may do some more googling to find suppliers.
Of course what I could do is carry a roll of tin foil - do you think that would be sartorially elegant!!!??