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TIL how much more thought went into button placement on old coats.
Today's designs often skip those tiny, perfect details.
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derek_schmidt1mo ago
My daily jacket is missing half its buttons from all the abuse. I'm convinced I'd destroy those beautiful bound buttonholes in record time! It's crazy to think how much extra care went into things back then.
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kelly.parker1mo ago
I had a 1940s wool coat with seven functional buttons on each cuff. Modern ones might have one fake one, if that. When you're shopping, flip the sleeve inside out and check if the buttonhole is just a slash in the fabric or if it's actually bound with thread. That bound edge is a sign of better construction they mostly skip now to cut costs. It's why vintage stuff often feels heavier and lasts longer, they didn't cut those corners. You start seeing these missing details everywhere once you know to look for them.
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christopher_kim28d ago
Yeah, that sleeve trick @kelly.parker mentioned is a total game changer. I learned it the hard way after a cuff buttonhole on a cheap jacket just ripped open in a month. A bound one is stitched so the stress is spread out, not just on the cut edge. It's one of those things that makes a garment actually repairable too, since the structure is there. Once you feel that solid, thick edge you can't go back to the flimsy slashed kind.
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