Scandinavian simplicity combined with Italian craftsmanship - DressLikeA

The one button suit - outfit of the week with the shades of gray


The one button suit is something you don't really see that often nowadays. However it can be a good option to expand your range of suits to wear for not only more formal parties and social events but also for business occasions.

Today I take a look at one of my recent suits: a gray single-breasted one button suit made of Vitale Barberis Canonico super 150s wool. The suit differs from most of my suits due to the wide peak lapels and especially the buttoning of the jacket. The gray one button suit with DLA gray wool tie, white shirt and black tassel loafers on the first day of Pitti Uomo 91.

The gray one button suit with DLA gray wool tie, white shirt and black tassel loafers.

One button suit - rarity

You don't really see suits with only button these days. Especially they are not common to be available as ready-to-wear garments. Most of the suits on the market are made with two or three button fastening. But if you go for made-to-measure or bespoke, everything is of course possible. In my opinion one button jackets are in fact quite hard to pull off. Therefore I personally recommend to have at least three or four suits with two or three buttons before even considering this option. The fit, especially the buttoning point must fit you perfectly. Although naturally buttoning point is one of the most important details on your suit - no matter the amount of buttons.

One-button jackets are at their best in more formal environment. Therefore it is popular choice for example for tuxedos or dinner jackets. Some people even say that you should not wear one button jackets for business. I don't fully agree with that claim, even though these types of jackets are often considered to be more of a product from the fashion world than the business world. I think one button suit can make a good addition to your business wardrobe as well, if you just combine it correctly. And you have a suit that fits you well. But of course it is good to keep in mind that because of its close relationship with evening wear, the one-button suit is most often seen at formal parties, weddings, and other social events The one button suit - It is always safe to pair your gray suit with white shirt and gray tie 

It is always safe to pair your gray suit with white shirt and gray tie. The scarf here brings a little bit variation to the outfit.

Button your suit correctly

When it comes to buttoning your jacket there are certain rules. And those rules vary depending on the amount of buttons of the jacket. One-button suits are the actually easiest to remember. You should keep the button buttoned when you stand. And you should always unfasten the button when you sit down. It is easy as there's no extra buttons to worry about.

Two-button suits are almost as simple. When you stand, always button the top button. And leave the bottom button undone. If you check the reason to this by looking at the mirror. Simply you will notice that it looks strange. If you button the bottom button, it will also significantly restrict your movement.

Then there are the three button jackets. With these you have different options. And how to button the jackets also depends on the details of the buttoning. There are jackets that you can either button the top two and leave the bottom unfastened. And then there are jackets that you can simply wear by buttoning only the center button. On suits with a lapel that is flat, it generally looks better to button the top two. If the lapel has a soft roll to it that extends past the first button, it is better to button only the center button.

Double-breasted suits are also pretty easy. Generally, fasten every button except the bottom one. Naturally there are exceptions to this. If you suit is made by using the 1x6 or 1x4 buttoning stance and the bottom button is only one you can button, you need to button that one. But this kind of suit jackets are rarity nowadays. The one button suit - DLA gray tie, white soft collar shirt and Kullervo pocket square with the suit.

Shades of gray and black with the addition of some shades of yellow.

The one button suit - details

This particular suit is from Vaatturiliike Sauma. As the brown double-breasted suit I wrote about earlier, it is a sample of their made-to-measure line which I acquired a couple of months ago. The jacket fitted me perfectly on the shoulders and on the waist. As usual we needed to shorten the sleeves but no other alterations for the jacket was needed.

The suit is made of soft Vitale Barbers Canonico super 150s wool from their Revenge line. As already mentioned, the suit features only one button. This makes the suit perfect for more dressed-up and also formal occasions. One feature I also really like on the suit are the wide lapels. As I personally have quite broad chest and shoulders in relation to rest of of the body, the wide lapels and soft shoulders are good match to my proportions. The suit has classic jetted pockets and for a jacket like this it is in my opinion the best option. For example patch pockets would be too casual and unbalanced with the other details of the jacket.

In terms of the trousers of the suit, I continued with my recent preference for a little bit wider leg opening. I have noticed that with the wider opening the leg of the trousers settle better. In addition I opted for restrained 5cm cuffs. The one button suit - after the second day of Pitti Uomo 91 in the sunny Florence.

After the second day of Pitti Uomo 91 in the sunny Florence.

The suit with DLA accessories

For this outfit as you can see I paired the suit with the white soft collar DLA shirt and gray DLA wool tie. To make the attire a bit more casual as I wore to the second day of Pitti Uomo, I added the black and white tiger print scarf and the DLA kullervo pocket square. Finally some black tassel loafers, which actually would be a good choice even if I chose to wear this suit for a business meeting. The one button suit - in the middle of conversation

Details - and serious face in the middle of conversation.


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