Jump to content

Men's buttonholes - left or right?


Recommended Posts

Did buttonholes of the GAoP have a standard "buttonhole leftside/button rightside" configuration like they do (in america) today?

"The time was when ships passing one another at sea backed their topsails and had a 'gam,' and on parting fired guns; but those good old days have gone. People have hardly time nowadays to speak even on the broad ocean, where news is news, and as for a salute of guns, they cannot afford the powder. There are no poetry-enshrined freighters on the sea now; it is a prosy life when we have no time to bid one another good morning."

- Capt. Joshua Slocum

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Assuming the below image (snagged from another forum I am on) has not been reversed or flipped in any way... My guess would be no. At least for the 1680s or 1690s that the below Justacorps is dated as...

JustaucorpsMuseeGallieraPetit.jpg

Off the top of my head I can't think of any other blazing examples of buttonholes seeming to be on the "wrong" side from what today's conventions are, but I haven't really looked into it much either...

Michael_banner.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr. Bagley, I am once again indebted to you. AWESOME.

I have seen some climbing gear from Europe (like Mamut), and many of those garments have buttons on the left side, so I figured it wasn't a hard-and-fast rule.

"The time was when ships passing one another at sea backed their topsails and had a 'gam,' and on parting fired guns; but those good old days have gone. People have hardly time nowadays to speak even on the broad ocean, where news is news, and as for a salute of guns, they cannot afford the powder. There are no poetry-enshrined freighters on the sea now; it is a prosy life when we have no time to bid one another good morning."

- Capt. Joshua Slocum

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mind if I inquire as to the reason you asked the question?

Was it because you thought you "oops"ed on a project you are working on? :lol:

Or did you have another reason for asking?

Either way, nothing could be easier... I had a similar moment of terror pretty recently regarding my placement of some button-holes on a jacket I am currently working on... :lol:

Michael_banner.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like we cross-posted. I asked for a friend of mine who oopsed a project - I oopsed a project, but then oopsed it some more trying to fix it. That which does not kill me makes me stronger.

"The time was when ships passing one another at sea backed their topsails and had a 'gam,' and on parting fired guns; but those good old days have gone. People have hardly time nowadays to speak even on the broad ocean, where news is news, and as for a salute of guns, they cannot afford the powder. There are no poetry-enshrined freighters on the sea now; it is a prosy life when we have no time to bid one another good morning."

- Capt. Joshua Slocum

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey GoF,

It was Frontier Folk message board I found this little gem on... As someone who is pretty interested in the French side of things, I tend to follow the Nouveau France forum on that board pretty closely...

There are two threads about the Justacorps, both are great and have some other good images as well (mostly of re-enactors in their 1680s or 1690s gear).. But the threads are a bit older so they are not easy to find. I tried to look up the threads so I could post direct links to the threads, but the Frontier Folk board seems to be down at this particular moment... I will edit this post and add the links when the forum comes back online to share with those interested.

Regards :lol:

And as promised, here are the two threads about Justacorps from the Frontier Folk forum now that it is back online.

Late 17th cenutry Justacorps

Speaking of the Justacorps

Michael_banner.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't say that it was a set rule as of yet, but all these originals and the patterns in Waugh's Cut of Men's Clothes are all left over right....

378.jpg

sleevedwaistcoat1705.jpg

Manchestercoat.gif

JustacorpsmadeinFrancefortheScandin.jpg

1090872436999_colonialfrock.jpg

00987018.jpg

403_1700.jpg

Sorry I can't get the Gunnister coat any larger

coat_1.jpg

The very last black and white could very well be the same blue and red coat all the way to the right in the picture of four coats...


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh...the links Mike posted do have a larger image of the coat... thanks!!

and fwiw...of all the pc fashion plates of the time that I have copies of... this is the only one showing buttons on the left instead of buttonholes..

arnoult1687swordsmanredbluebrown.jpg


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The research that I've done indicates that the difference was based on who was going to be doing the buttoning - yourself or your dresser. If you are going to be doing the buttoning then the buttons were put on the right since most people are right-handed. If you had a dresser then the buttons were put on the left so it would be easier for your dresser to do their work. That's the reason why women's buttons are, still today, on the left hand side - they had dressers long after men began dressing themselves. Thank you, Beau Brummel.

Hope this sheds a little light.

"In the end, it's not the gold that sets our sails,

'Tis freedom and the promise of a better life

That raises our black flags."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(left foot forward, bowing low at the waist, doffing his hat with his left and hand gesturing with his right - making it easier to look up your dress!! :lol: )

Your servant, m'Lady!

"In the end, it's not the gold that sets our sails,

'Tis freedom and the promise of a better life

That raises our black flags."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...