Men's Jacket Sleeve Buttons - Why Are They There? A Little Bit Of Menswear Style History

About this video

Centeno explains the historical origin of sleeve buttons on men’s jackets, tracing them back to a time when jackets were functional workwear that needed to be rolled up without removing them entirely. He discusses why modern off-the-rack jackets have non-functional decorative buttons instead, and argues that understanding this history can build confidence in wearing classic menswear.

Key takeaways

• Centeno argues that sleeve buttons originated as functional closures allowing men to roll up jacket sleeves without removing the jacket, which was considered improper in public
• Centeno explains that most modern off-the-rack jackets feature non-functional decorative buttons because manufacturers need extra sleeve fabric to accommodate various body types during alterations
• Centeno recommends keeping sleeve buttons on jackets for tradition’s sake, and suggests seeking out jackets with functional working sleeves at thrift stores or higher-end retailers

Episode details: published April 10, 2012 · 58K views · 5:33 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The style advice summarized here is Antonio Centeno’s own teaching and opinion, presented for education; product recommendations are his, not ours. Summaries are written by Self Growth Videos from each video itself.

← Previous: Men’s Trouser Pockets - The J Pocket or Western Pockets - Overview of Pant Pocket Styles · Next: When Can A Man Wear Brown Shoes? 3 Factors To Help You Determine When To Wear Brown Vs Black →

All Antonio Centeno videos · Antonio Centeno profile · Real Men Real Style (official site)