Letterman's tailor, Nino Corvato, thinks that a lapel buttonhole on a SB peak lapel
breaks up the line of the jacket.

Most of my SB peak lapel Corvato jackets do have buttonholes. However, the most recent, a Zegna wool, silk & linen blend, does not have a lapel buttonhole. I'm still debating with myself if I want to add the buttonhole detail.

I await FNB’s essay eagerly; but, in the meantime, here are my thoughts.  I much prefer to use the French “boutonnier” when referring to the lapel buttonhole, in recognition of its principal remaining function to hold a flower (holding watch chains/fobs and, horrors, lapel pins being the others).  I have only one jacket the lapels of which are capable of being closed and buttoned and, since that jacket is lightweight and in no way weatherproof, the functioning buttonhole, though properly called by that name, is a design conceit rather than an intended utility.  Although I do insist that all of my suit and odd jackets have a “boutonnier” on the left lapel (don’t care whether it’s just left or both on DB), I recognize that, even at my advanced age, wearing a flower for occasions other than weddings, funerals, and black/white tie affairs may be the ultimate modern-day definition of foppishness.  Nonetheless, I want the option always to be available and I do indulge the occasional whim.  In fact, I have a small daytime celebration to attend next week and will certainly sport an appropriately Springy bloom.

There is also the philosophy that a double-breasted jacket should have double lapel buttonholes.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2007-06-13 15:11:59)

I was looking at single breasted peak lapel suits in stores recently and I also picked up my corvato suit. I think I see what Mr. Corvato is talking about when he says the boutonniere is distracting and ruins the line of the peak lapel. Boutonnieres dont follow the peak lapel's tip but slant at a different angle, more outward. It is distracting and it does detract. I will try it out for a while. After all I wouldnt want to emulate the sort of unappreciative neurotic control freak who cannot enjoy clothing without measuring the distance from this or that. You know the sort, he digs up old rules of thumb from 50 years ago and asserts that an item fails to pass muster unless all the signatures from a dead era are present.

For now, I will enjoy the suit. I wonder if anyone will notice the missing boutonniere?

Isn't that rather uncharacteristic of an English firm?

I once read an anecdote about an apprentice tailor who had finally constructed a complete suit for himself and upon showing the head tailor, he remarked it was a nice suit but for one thing, the lack of a lapel buttonhole. He immediately told him to go add one.