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Post by lizziebennet on May 20, 2008 21:42:00 GMT -5
What type of buttons would have been used for men's vest, breeches and waistcoat?
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Post by Goblin, esq. on May 21, 2008 17:59:50 GMT -5
What type of buttons would have been used for men's vest, breeches and waistcoat? I don't think you can go wrong with self-covered buttons, i.e. buttons covered in the same fabric the garment is made of. Unless the garment is for a uniform, in which case there will probably be a standard pattern in a prescribed metal. For coats, blue and sometimes green or red (I believe) coats had brass buttons, otherwise self-fabric buttons, too. |
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Post by erik on May 22, 2008 17:10:11 GMT -5
Uniforms had regimental and unit buttons. Some of these are very ornate to just plain pewter with a ribbon edge motif and the regiment number.
I agree with Mr. Goblin, you can't go wrong with fabric covered. If the garment is embroidered or beaded then you should have a them beaded too. If I have time I'll post a copy a 1762 waistcoat which had light embroidered and embroidered buttons.
I would recommend that you embroidered the buttons flat then mount them to the buttons. Oppositely if you are going to bead or use metal do them once you have the button mounted. Also as I learned the very hard way, double shrink the fabric twice to ensure that all the stretch is gone.
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on May 22, 2008 18:13:06 GMT -5
Welcome to the fray. You sound like a serious costumer. We're glad to have you aboard.
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Post by erik on May 22, 2008 20:34:50 GMT -5
Thank you, Jean turned me on to the site. I will be pestering some of you with questions on ladies gowns as I need to outfit my lady love for future events.
Additional notes on buttons that I find handy is that a great deal of thick or great coats used sinew or metal shank buttons loops to give the coat ample space.
All to often you see a great coat blemished by having button dimples where there is not enough room between the coat and the button for the next layer of coat. Another side effect of buttons bound to closely is that they can wear the fashion fabric down, for this I put in either a thin felt layer on the back of the button hole area or velvet (depends on the richness of the coat). This is really critical for metal lace worked uniforms that can literally grind themselves to tatters.
In the few period examples I have been able to handle directly I have seen that the tailors of the period added in bands of black velvet to the inner cuff and back collar to handle wear and staining. These can be replaced much easier then the fashion fabric.
Oh, that reminds me. A little thing I do with my coats is I will sew in a few squares of the preshrunk fabric to replace the buttons under the tail facing under the pocket. When you need them open up the pocket welt. I have lost buttons or worn some out and this was a life saver.
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Where so many hours have been spent in convincing myself that I am right, is there not some reason to fear I may be wrong? ~ Jane Austen