Buttonholes on traditional bespoke

[lxlloyd]

I'm just going to wander off and practise buttonholes at 3am now....

[hectorm]

I'm just going to wander off and practise buttonholes at 3am now....

.....and no thimble!

[Costi]

What's more, hand sewn buttonholes only get better and tighter with time. Look at these ones, on one of my oldest Oxford shirts still in service. The cloth is failing at all sensitive points from countless cycles of wear, washing and ironing, but the buttonholes are going as strong as ever:





If anything is going to outlast the service of this shirt, it is the buttonholes

On the other hand, the finer the cloth, the finer the embroidery...

[rodes]

Costi,
Just curious, how old is the shirt in years and wearings? It still looks great.

[Costi]

Rodes, it is 8-10 years old and it has had a lot of wear (at least twice a month from September to May) - it's one of my most comfortable and versatile sports shirts (great with any tweed jacket, or sweater) and I still won't let go of it, although the cloth is fraying at the edge of the cuffs and you can see the collar band is a little tired. My shirtmaker was inspired to do double stitching on all edges, which is what still keeps the cuffs wearable. I must still have a piece of this cloth for replacement cuffs & collar somewhere at the bottom of a large bag where I keep this stuff, but the old ones have become so soft that I won't part with them until they fall apart; and I don't mind them looking their age

[pur_sang]

Then may I ask why Charvet don't seem to be any less favoured for not having hand sewn buttonholes?

I do love the look of a hand sewn buttonhole, but I also like Charvet shirts.

[hectorm]

Then may I ask why Charvet don't seem to be any less favoured for not having hand sewn buttonholes?

II was tempted to say that fit and other considerations overwhelm the fact of the buttonholes being machine finished. But I believe that´s a leading question.
Actually I think it would likely be the opposite.
Probably shirt connoisseurs would favor Charvet even more (although marginally) if their buttonholes were hand sewn.

[pur_sang]

Probably shirt connoisseurs would favor Charvet even more (although marginally) if their buttonholes were hand sewn.

True, I know I would. Although one of the salesman there (well, he is a salesman) was saying that hand sewn buttonholes do not look neat, and it looks like, in his words, sewn by an old woman sitting out in Italy. Each to their own I guess.

[hectorm]

one of the salesmen there (well, he is a salesman) was saying that hand sewn buttonholes do not look neat

Most likely he would also object that the lines in a hand-written sympathy note are not as even as the ones in an email.

[DFR]

Clearly someone who does not know what he is talking about but is anxious to earn the commission on a sale.

[robert_n]

I'd like to add my voice to the choir: La Frittolini makes a classic shirt and is a pleasure to deal with.

[robert_n]

And thanks to Mr. Alden for making mention of her in the first place.

[Costi]

hand sewn buttonholes do not look neat, and it looks like, in his words, sewn by an old woman sitting out in Italy.

...while theirs look neatly sewn by a young, attractive Singer plugged in a parisian outlet?

[robert_n]

http://www.minussi.com/en/finitions-tailleur-2/366-2/

Some spectacular buttonhole re-work here.