Why are there buttons on the sleeves of a jacket?

Modern jackets are decorated with four buttons on the sleeves. And you, more than once, have thought about the following questions: “Why are they sewn onto the sleeves?”, “Why exactly such a number of buttons?” Next, we will try to cover this topic in great detail.

Why are there buttons on the sleeves of a jacket?

There are several versions of why there is such a detail on the sleeve of a jacket:

1. Avoid using your sleeve when wiping your nose.
2. To be able to wash your hands without taking off your outerwear.
3. As an element of decor and beauty.

How did the buttons on the sleeves appear?

There are several stories about how buttons appeared on the sleeve of a jacket. Napoleon Bonaparte issued an order that strongly protruding metal buttons be sewn onto soldiers' jackets so that his subordinates would not wipe their noses with their sleeves, but rather use a handkerchief for this purpose.

Another assumption is that buttons on the sleeves appeared so that it was possible to quickly wash your hands without taking off your outerwear.This point was very important for surgeons of those times, since they very often had to provide medical care in emergency cases.

Note! This version fully explains why jackets with buttons were nicknamed “surgical”.

Buttons were sewn on not only for ease of use, but also as an element of decor and beauty. Tailors tried to use this detail to distinguish clothes made from elite material from ordinary ones. They started sewing four buttons on the sleeves. But why they used the number four is still unknown to anyone.

How are buttons used on jacket sleeves?

To create an elegant appearance and attract the attention of the opposite sex, some men, when ordering, ask to sew buttons with all sorts of monograms and decorative elements, or with an original and non-standard design. By doing this, they emphasize their status and condition and demonstrate the exclusivity of their outfit.

In some clothing models, buttons are simply a decorative element, but most jackets have a slit and buttons so that the sleeve can be unbuttoned and rolled up if necessary. Whether the button will be just a decorative part or will perform functional functions depends on the designer, on the tradition that is present in a particular fashion house and on the taste wishes of the client himself. But in both, the buttons are arranged so as not to overlap each other and they are sewn at a distance of 1.5 to 2 cm from the edge of the sleeve.