Like it or not, the Victorian era still haunts male fashion with a couple of stylish throwbacks. Padded jacket shoulders emerged in the late 1800s, even managing to survive the frivolity and laissez-faire approach of the 1960s and 1970s. But it’s the blazer and its buttons that really have stood the test of time, even garnering a nod of approval from a stoic Queen.
Lore would have it that while inspecting the frigate HMS Blazer in 1837, priggish Queen Victoria was impressed with the short navy blue jackets neatly fastened with brass Royal Navy buttons worn by the Captain and his crew. Her admiration caused a sensation and much copy-cat tailoring. A blazer is easily recognisable and hasn’t changed much, if at all. It’s your classical sports jacket in a solid colour (usually dark or navy blue) that can be worn on any occasion with dress trousers, slacks or jeans.
Though the jacket may seem rudimentary, there is a stylish way to dress it up. In one word: buttons. Too concerned with mass production, the fashion houses are not the places to look. You need to go a little more bespoke. In my experience, the best buttons on the market are from Holland & Sherry. Based in Peebles, Scotland, Holland & Sherry have been in the business of supplying fine cloths to a top-end market for over 170 years.
The high-class garment producer also is lauded as being the single largest weaver and exporter of fabrics worldwide.
Buttons came as an afterthought but quickly caught on. Their uniqueness lies in the exhaustive craftsmanship. Each button from all 48 designs (24 exclusive new ones) is cut from solid brass and individually die-stamped using methods passed down from medieval times. Each die is hand-cut for accuracy and checked under a microscope for blemishes or chipping. Finally, the button is rough-buffed before being plated in a 9-carat gold, silver, bronze or copper finish, guaranteeing it remains intact and scratch-free for decades. Only then is the enamel colouring applied, the button fired up in a kiln and left to cool. At 10 USD a button, it’s actually quite a find.
When selecting a button design just make sure that the colour matches your suit. For instance, silver complements a green jacket really well. Actually, in the past decade or so, the region has seen a prominent resurgence in the popularity of silver and white gold in men’s acessories. This is mainly due to Saudi Arabia’s growing influence and the idea that wearing yellow gold close to a man’s body is anathema to Islamic customs. Either way, Holland & Sherry is the way to go. If there is one thing to be said about British tailors it is that when they do something, they do it to perfection.
Contacts
Dressers
Beirut, Lebanon
Tel +961 1 201 190
Holland & Sherry
Scotland, UK
Tel +441 721 720101
HYPERLINK "http://www.hollandandsherry.com" www.hollandandsherry.com
