I'm in the middle of doing one of these jobs myself - but that's because a MTM shirt was accidentally remade with plastic rather than MOP buttons, so I'm cutting the MOP off the "first try" and putting them on myself rather than hassle the vendor again. Unless you're a much better/faster sewer than I am, it's going to take a good little while to do all that sewing!

Think hard about why you want MOP - some varieties are prone to chip or crack, especially the super-thin ones. To be honest, though, with the right cleaners for shirt laundry (or doing it yourself) it can work out just fine. Personally I do prefer them, but especially on an old OCBD, they seem... unnecessary?

Bottom line, even if you thrift MOP-button shirts (which is actually quite easy) there's the minor cost of the shirt - but the major cost of the time. You'll have something like 26-30 buttons to remove, then 13-15 to sew back on (to the other shirt) - to do it right, securely and looking good, that's some pretty significant time spent, as I'm finding out.

Doing it for a whole closet? Maaaaan, that makes my fingers hurt just thinking about it. But hey, if you don't mind the time sink and don't mind the (admittedly minimal, assuming thrifting) expense, and like the style/way it looks... heck, go for it!

 

WGP:

Remind me, again, how to tell the difference in the field. If memory serves, it has something to do with the temperature of the button held against the skin (I hope) or the tongue (I hope not).

Yours seems a noble endeavor, stepping it up a notch from air drying and ironing shirts.

 

WGP:

Remind me, again, how to tell the difference in the field. If memory serves, it has something to do with the temperature of the button held against the skin (I hope) or the tongue (I hope not).

Yours seems a noble endeavor, stepping it up a notch from air drying and ironing shirts.

You got it. Hold the buttons to your cheek. They'll feel cooler than plastic.

 

Also a "grittier" (although still very smooth) feel against your nail as opposed to plastic. I've thought of the time/cost outlays, but I think it would be worth it to ultimately have the *best OCBDs in the land.

 

I tap the buttons to my teeth. MOP buttons will feel and sound like bone or glass when tapped to your teeth. Plastic will sound like plastic.

 

Feel with your lips / cheek, but if your hands have already warmed the button up that may not help. I actually scratch my fingernail on the backside - if that's not sufficient, I gently bite the button edge - the description of the feel as "grittier" is a good one. As with most things, the trick is experience: the more you do it the better you'll be. There are some buttons that really do look like the real thing but are in fact plastic, your hands may warm up a button's coldness, or your fingernails may be short - but the teeth never lie!

 

I admire your dedication.

Feel with your lips / cheek, but if your hands have already warmed the button up that may not help. I actually scratch my fingernail on the backside - if that's not sufficient, I gently bite the button edge - the description of the feel as "grittier" is a good one. As with most things, the trick is experience: the more you do it the better you'll be. There are some buttons that really do look like the real thing but are in fact plastic, your hands may warm up a button's coldness, or your fingernails may be short - but the teeth never lie!

 

I admire your dedication.

LOL I don't know about that... it's not like I go that far every time, or even very often, never fear! And I wouldn't do it if there were obvious hygiene issues... think of merchants of yore biting the gold coins. :icon_smile_big:

 

Pearlized plastic buttons often have a white back, which is a dead giveaway.

No reason why you can't replace the buttons on your shirt. Read Kabbaz's description of how to do it. Get the hymark thread he recommends; it's not expensive. Also make sure you have a thimble and some plyers. I can't say you'll ever enjoy sewing buttons, but at least after a while you'll get good at it. Many sources say you should leave some slack for the shank, but I wouldn't--it'll loosen up a little after it's washed. You don't want the buttons too loose.

As to the source of the buttons--thrifting them can be okay, I guess, but laundering tends to dull MOP buttons over time. New ones aren't expensive if you buy in quantity.

 

Gents:

Serious question.

What are advantages of MOP buttons?....seems if one must put them to a toothsome test to tell if they are the real deal, their advantages are not readily apparent.

Old-School authenticity?

I have some MOP buttons on older thrifted shirts, but can hardly tell the difference from afar...but, admittedly, up-close their iridescence is pretty cool.

Thoughts?

 

"MOP" is sometimes used as a broad umbrella. There's many different kinds of shells they're made from. I'm sure someone else could explain this better than I can, but there's three basic types I recognize. "Freshwater" or "river" pearl buttons tend to be very white and not very iridescent. Then there's trocas, which are iridescent but tend to have a uniform appearance and often have a rough white shell back. Trocas are probably the most popular "shell" shirt buttons, and pearlized plastic buttons are supposed to look like them (and they do). Then there's "real" mother of pearl, which are kind of irregularly iridescent, which makes them look sparkly. I'm sure there's many varieties of shell they're made from. Generally speaking, the whiter and more sparkly, the better for shirt buttons. There are other kinds of shells, and I may be oversimplifying--but that's how I see it, anyway.

 

I'm beginning to feel like Forrest Gump after Bubba finished reciting all the ways you could serve shrimp.