Is it appropriate for overcoats to have working sleeve buttons?

Why wouldn't it? I even have two coats without buttons (one is a DB with cuffs).

 

Why wouldn't it? I even have two coats without buttons (one is a DB with cuffs).

Thanks for the input, I was mostly wondering if anyone has seen an overcoat with working sleeve buttons.

I also wonder if overcoats are designed with overlapping material in the sleeve gauntlet, much like in a suit jacket, vs. a "solid gauntlet" (forgive my lack of correct terminology) i.e. like a long sleeve t-shirt would be (no fabric overlaps, therefore there would be nothing to fasten with buttons!)

Again, I am overwhelmingly inexperienced with overcoats, as thus any help is appreciated!

P.S.-the style of the coat I hope to have made will be a SB, fly front, notch lapel, center vent, knee-length model, if that affects any of my questions posed above

 

Hello all,

I've been doing my research on overcoats and top coats since the fall is fast approaching here in Milwaukee, and after reading though many posts have still not come across a definitive answer to my latest question: Is it appropriate for overcoats to have working sleeve buttons?

I find working sleeve buttons to be one of my favorite details on my suits, and seeing that I have never owned a proper overcoat and am otherwise clueless as to top coat details I am in need of advice on this matter.

Also, I want to go the MTM route for this coat, and these are some of the brands I am considering: Brooks Brothers, Hickey Freeman, Adrian Jules, and lastly mytailor.com (the "tour" happens to pass thorough Milwaukee in about a week). I am pretty set on going with a charcoal color wool in the interest of versatility and price. Any thoughts or experiences that could be shared about these brand's overcoats would be helpful!

Thanks in advance for everyone's continued insight!

If you tell the maker you want open sleeve button holes when you place your order, they will make the coat with an open vent and enough cloth to make the open button holes. Most ready-to-wear coats have no sleeve vent. The question of appropriateness is personal taste. The difference between an overcoat and topcoat is the weight of the cloth. Making open button holes in a "thick" overcoat cloth can be clumsy.
Paul Winston
Winston Tailors
www.chipp2.com
www.chipp2.com/blog/

 

Thanks for the input, I was mostly wondering if anyone has seen an overcoat with working sleeve buttons.

I also wonder if overcoats are designed with overlapping material in the sleeve gauntlet, much like in a suit jacket, vs. a "solid gauntlet" (forgive my lack of correct terminology) i.e. like a long sleeve t-shirt would be (no fabric overlaps, therefore there would be nothing to fasten with buttons!)

Again, I am overwhelmingly inexperienced with overcoats, as thus any help is appreciated!

P.S.-the style of the coat I hope to have made will be a SB, fly front, notch lapel, center vent, knee-length model, if that affects any of my questions posed above

there is no gauntlet on a sleeve. the overlapping arrangement on the bottom of a coat sleeve is called a "vent". a gauntlet is a type of glove. and you are forgiven.
your use of "center vent" is correct.
you can have anything you wish on your coat. after all you are paying for it.

 

I can't confirm but I believe that Chris Despos in Chicago does MTM overcoats (in addition to his great bespoke work)- Not far from you, perhaps worth a call?

 

Just one word of caution:

I'm a very tall guy and so have gone the M2M route for an overcoat and a trenchcoat (Mr. Ned and Burberry respectively), but unless you are a very difficult fit (because of height or otherwise), going the M2M route on an overcoat is seldom worth it - the fit is not going to be much different than if you purchased OTR. You might consider saving the extra money the M2M would cost you to get a second coat or a nicer type of coat to start with...

(Bespoke is a whole different thing, since you can specify styles not available OTR anywhere)

 

Just one word of caution:

I'm a very tall guy and so have gone the M2M route for an overcoat and a trenchcoat (Mr. Ned and Burberry respectively), but unless you are a very difficult fit (because of height or otherwise), going the M2M route on an overcoat is seldom worth it - the fit is not going to be much different than if you purchased OTR. You might consider saving the extra money the M2M would cost you to get a second coat or a nicer type of coat to start with...

(Bespoke is a whole different thing, since you can specify styles not available OTR anywhere)

Thanks for the heads up, again this was something I did not know! I wear a 48L suit, and and not extremely tall by any standards, but I am taller than average at 6' 3". Would I still fall into the OTR fitting category? If so maybe I could save the money and look into a coat made out of a more expensive fabric, such as cashmere. Let me ask yet another question: Being my first overcoat, this coat would see a lot of use especially for this upcoming fall/winter season. Is wool going to hold up better vs cashmere or other fabrics?

 

Just one word of caution:

I'm a very tall guy and so have gone the M2M route for an overcoat and a trenchcoat (Mr. Ned and Burberry respectively), but unless you are a very difficult fit (because of height or otherwise), going the M2M route on an overcoat is seldom worth it - the fit is not going to be much different than if you purchased OTR. You might consider saving the extra money the M2M would cost you to get a second coat or a nicer type of coat to start with...

(Bespoke is a whole different thing, since you can specify styles not available OTR anywhere)

MTM is often discussed with regards to fit, but it is so much more. The ability to specify the fabric, button stance, pocket arrangement, and finishing details like lining and buttons. Even on fit, you can change so much: armhole size, sleeve diameter, shoulder point-to-point, coat length,...

You can specify to your heart's content.

 

My Kilgour RTW overcoat has working, sleeve buttons (hidden by a 'fly')

The effect is quite attractive - am going to have it included on the bespoke overcoat I am having made for winter

 

Thanks for the heads up, again this was something I did not know! I wear a 48L suit, and and not extremely tall by any standards, but I am taller than average at 6' 3". Would I still fall into the OTR fitting category? If so maybe I could save the money and look into a coat made out of a more expensive fabric, such as cashmere. Let me ask yet another question: Being my first overcoat, this coat would see a lot of use especially for this upcoming fall/winter season. Is wool going to hold up better vs cashmere or other fabrics?

I would definitely at least try on the 48L OTR options out there before you commit to doing M2M.

You could do a search for the wool vs. cashmere (vs. camel) debate, but cashmere is not necessarily any less likely to wear well. My first overcoat lasted me a decade (of heavy use and abuse) and it was a wool cashmere-blend (85-15 I think).

 

MTM is often discussed with regards to fit, but it is so much more. The ability to specify the fabric, button stance, pocket arrangement, and finishing details like lining and buttons. Even on fit, you can change so much: armhole size, sleeve diameter, shoulder point-to-point, coat length,...

You can specify to your heart's content.

Well, that depends on the M2M program - not all will allow all the customizations you list, though obviously some will. (Mr. Ned is technically M2M since there's no individual paper pattern, but then he does most everything any way you like. Burberry, on the other hand, basically orders you a custom size, and allows you only to specify the length and fabric choices - nothing about the cut can really be altered from the standard.)

That's all beside the point though as the original poster is getting a very basic overcoat, a wide variety of which are available OTR.

 

Thanks for the heads up, again this was something I did not know! I wear a 48L suit, and and not extremely tall by any standards, but I am taller than average at 6' 3". Would I still fall into the OTR fitting category? If so maybe I could save the money and look into a coat made out of a more expensive fabric, such as cashmere. Let me ask yet another question: Being my first overcoat, this coat would see a lot of use especially for this upcoming fall/winter season. Is wool going to hold up better vs cashmere or other fabrics?

I've seen 48L's... noticed anyway as I'm not usually looking at that end of the rack...

for me, it's about sleeve length. I've tried some overcoats in my size, in a long, and still the sleeve was too short.

 

I would agree with cpac, in that the brands you are looking to order from offer an OTC option that is quite attractive.
I had a cashmere overcoat MTM last year with working sleeve buttons and hidden front packet, only when I could not find it off the rack. At 6'5'' 225 lbs. I also don't have a lot of options except MTM.
By the way, my working sleeve buttons are a little clumsey because of the thickness of the cashmere, but love the look!

 

At 6'5'' 225 lbs.

That's my size exactly - and I have the same difficulty finding things OTR...

who knew there were two of us out there who give a ___ about clothes?