How do you button?

[Old]

I have noticed a rather uptight look when some brothers button up, usually it is one who only recently started wearing a full suit. Three buttons on a three button suit jacket and they look like the are in a marine corps tunic. I was taught in busiess class what was appropriate, but what was then and now is now.

How many buttons do you button on a two button suit coat? On a three button suit jacket? Do you always button one or more when at the speakers stand? How about when reading the WTM where you are getting up and down? 
 

[Qapla]

I used to button one button.

 

However, since my coats no longer fit like they used to - I find myself not buttoning - and no one has complained .... I am not the only one as even much more "slender" Brothers also do not button.

[Vinnie]

I never button up , not even when in front of the podium.   When I wore a double breasted suit, I would occasionally button  up the two buttons, but now a days that kind of suit jacket is out of fashion around these parts.

[tekmantwo]

41 minutes ago, Old said:

I have noticed a rather uptight look when some brothers button up, usually it is one who only recently started wearing a full suit. Three buttons on a three button suit jacket and they look like the are in a marine corps tunic. I was taught in busiess class what was appropriate, but what was then and now is now.

How many buttons do you button on a two button suit coat? On a three button suit jacket? Do you always button one or more when at the speakers stand? How about when reading the WTM where you are getting up and down? 
 

There's buttons?...

 

I'm in with the Vin crowd. I  rarely ever think about it unless Denise reminds me....

 

I run a little hotter blooded these days, after my hormone treatment for prostate cancer a few years back.  They caused me some serious 'power surges' and I still have some issues with that.

 

I wear my jacket until the first song and then it's off.  I put it on when I'm heading towards the door.

I do observe stage protocol, just not buttoned. ..

[CHecker]

35 minutes ago, tekmantwo said:

There's buttons?...

 

I'm in with the Vin crowd. I  rarely ever think about it unless Denise reminds me....

 

I run a little hotter blooded these days, after my hormone treatment for prostate cancer a few years back.  They caused me some serious 'power surges' and I still have some issues with that.

 

I wear my jacket until the first song and then it's off.  I put it on when I'm heading towards the door.

I do observe stage protocol, just not buttoned. ..

Wow, a man who can relate to hot-flashes!! Miserable huh?

[tekmantwo]

4 minutes ago, bagwell1987 said:

Wow, a man who can relate to hot-flashes!! Miserable huh?

Haha, the understatement of the year....like 20 or a million a day. ..easy dozen a night. ..

 

Almost all the Sisters that had to suffer from those used to tease me so bad. ..My face would get all red and I would start pulling my jacket off and they would laugh!! 

I got the term 'power surge' from a Sister a few years back.  I was signing out a Territory for her, and we had been talking for a few minutes,  all of a sudden she is on fire, fanning her self and ready to go out the side door, and just as suddenly was over it.

 

I wanted to make sure she was ok and that's when she said 'yeah,  just a power surge.'  😥

 

[Cushi]

When I had just 3 button suits I would button all three to hide my wrinkled shirt since I would just iron the collar and breast part if I was wearing a Jackie with it. Now that I have some 2 button suit jackets I just button the top button. They say buttoning both buttons is a no no but that’s so stupid. The bottom button is there for a reason. Plus it looks sloppy when you sit down and you can see your tie sticking out from the bottom opening of the jacket. I just button one button to avoid unnecessary attention.

[CHecker]

Don't want to hijack the topic Tim but I can really empathize, I'm a warm person to begin with then add these things on top of that! What I have to say to people who crank up the heat is "I can get only SO naked"!

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

When working for Signature Tailors, it was proper when standing to have the bottom button undone. 2 button suit, top one done-bottom undone. 3 button suit, top 2 done. Same if you were wearing a 3 piece suit. On the vest, the bottom button is undone.
Just a reminder, the protocol was to unbutton any suit jacket when sitting. Re-do when standing again. I don't know who made these rules. Down under here, we generally have followed the British protocol... Double Breasted suit, do the inside button up as well. All buttons done up at all times, until seated.

Our speaker today, no buttons done up. Wt conductor, none. Reader, (me) started to do /undo when standing/sitting. Gave up about 3 paragraphs in.... The suit shape and my shape are no longer a hand/glove match.

As we say down here: My 6 pack has given way to my beer keg.

So much for etiquette.

Well, that's my 2 bobs worth. If you are keen, here is a link: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/art-of-manliness-suit-school-part-iii-a-primer-on-suit-buttons/


While we are talking etiquette, what about wearing hats or caps indoors, especially places of worship...?

Older
{still waiting for the 'Wiser'}

[jwhess]

Except in the hot summer, I wear a vest.  With the vest, I do not button my coat.

[Cushi]

6 minutes ago, jwhess said:

Except in the hot summer, I wear a vest.  With the vest, I do not button my coat.

I forgot to mention that I also don’t button my jacket at all when I wear my 3 piece or a vest.

[Meditate!]

On 7/1/2018 at 2:46 AM, bagwell1987 said:

Wow, a man who can relate to hot-flashes!! Miserable huh?

it's called man-apause

[Meditate!]

I never button up... on or off the platform ( well very rarely i do but it lasts about 5 seconds) i'm just not comfortable even when i used to have a tailored suit... think that 1832!

 

lately we have gone to shirt and tie as it is unusually hot here. we always ask others on the body if they have any objections rather than it be taken for granted.

[jwhess]

When we were at the Elder's School (SCE) two weeks ago, we had a class picture taken.  The instructions were to button our coats.  We did.  When the picture had been taken, we all unbuttoned them....😉

Edited July 2, 2018 by jwhess

[Meditate!]

2 minutes ago, jwhess said:

When we were at the Elder's School (SCE) two weeks ago, we had a class picture taken.  The instructions were to button our coats.  We did.  When the picture had been taken, we all unbuttoned them....😉

Lol! 

 

It's unity.. For a while.

[luisenriquereyes]

Here in the Dominican Republic our circuit overseer, during elders meetings, calls out elders that do not button up their suit jacket while on stage and asks them to do so.

 

At our circuit and regional conventions, the suit jacket police are on the prowl to make sure our suit jackets are buttoned up before we go on stage.

Seems like it is more lax in other areas.

Because of the heat and humidity and very few Kingdom halls with air conditioning, I wish we could de away with the requirement of suit jackets here in the Dominica Republic like in other lands (Philippines, etc.).

 

I sweat like a pig 🐷 and find myself always very uncomfortable on stage with beads of sweat pouring down my face, even with a handkerchief 😓  

[jwhess]

I liked the "old-days" when I lived in Key West, Florida (not quite the tropics but REAL close).  In the 1960's, with no air-conditioning, we did not wear suit coats at all.  We did not wear neckties unless we were on the platform.  It was very comfortable but I imagine that now they have A/C and are all wearing the standard dress of the USA.

[Kyle]

The traditional buttoning rule for a three button jacket – sometimes, always, never. For a two-button jacket – always, never. And for a one-button jacket – always.

As for why it is important...there are several reasons to care about how and when to button your suit jacket: It sends a signal that you pay attention to details. A brother who cannot be bothered with small details like proper etiquette for dress wear will not be bothered with larger details when they really matter. Sorry if being frank in my comment offends someone, but that is a Bible principle, not my opinion.

 

[Lance]

Well we have to careful about our personal  pet peeves... even if they have some merit.

Most of us live in a multi cultural society with  much diversity.

 

[Old]

On 6/30/2018 at 8:32 PM, TonyWenz said:

While we are talking etiquette, what about wearing hats or caps indoors, especially places of worship...?

Older
{still waiting for the 'Wiser'}
 

When I see a brother wearing a hat during the meeting I assume he has a medical condition, or bad scarring, etc.

[Tortuga]

42 minutes ago, Kyle said:

It sends a signal that you pay attention to details. A brother who cannot be bothered with small details like proper etiquette for dress wear will not be bothered with larger details when they really matter. 

 

When I'm on stage I am more concerned about my zipper than my jacket. 

Edited July 6, 2018 by Tortuga

[Dages]

1 out of 2

1 or 2 out of 3

[Meditate!]

58 minutes ago, Kyle said:

The traditional buttoning rule for a three button jacket – sometimes, always, never. For a two-button jacket – always, never. And for a one-button jacket – always.

As for why it is important...there are several reasons to care about how and when to button your suit jacket: It sends a signal that you pay attention to details. A brother who cannot be bothered with small details like proper etiquette for dress wear will not be bothered with larger details when they really matter. Sorry if being frank in my comment offends someone, but that is a Bible principle, not my opinion.

 

Re: not buttoning meaning don't care about bigger things. 

Are you talking about your own congregating or generalising on all brothers around the globe? 

[Hope]

Brothers on the stage should button their jacket or get a jacket that fits properly.  It IS an attention to detail that matters, I think.  It can look a bit sloppy to not have buttons fastened when on display, as in photos, on stage/TV.  Donald Trump never buttons his jacket (plus that over long tie! 😮 ) and it is notable... and unkempt looking.

 

You NEVER see brothers on the assembly/convention platforms or presenting in videos with their jackets undone. Ever.  I believe that is a good standard for all to follow.  It looks good.

 

There's another conversation about sport coats vs full suits, but I know that's nearly as endless a debate anymore as beards are, so I won't go there.  Suffice to say, there was a time not long ago (or maybe it was just my congregation) that brothers needed to have a matching suit if he was going on the platform.  Sport coats were viewed as too casual.. and it was remarked as such in the TMS Guidebook of yore.  I know standards have relaxed but I consciously notice it every time I see a brother onstage with an unmatched suit.

[ReadYourBible]

This sort of thing shouldn't even be mentioned among us ;) 

 

I was watching the monthly broadcast and noticed our brother's coat wasn't buttoned up entirely.... I wouldn't have even noticed if it weren't for this thread.