Buttons for a tartan waistcoat

**Mikilt** · 5th July 14, 10:33 AM

I am having a bias-cut tartan waistcoat made. What sort of buttons are appropriate? If I really wanted to, I could take some fabric scraps and glue them to buttons to match their spot on the tartan. It's the Xmarksthescot tartan, so I am wondering if some simple grey buttons would look fine.

Opinions?

**StevieR** · 5th July 14, 11:39 AM

My tartan waistcoat has pewter buttons:

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**Nathan** · 5th July 14, 01:17 PM

Is it a 3 or 5 button waistcoat? What level of formality do you mean to wear it with?

**Mikilt** · 5th July 14, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by Nathan

Is it a 3 or 5 button waistcoat? What level of formality do you mean to wear it with?

Hi Nathan,
It's a five button waistcoat. I'll likely either be wearing it sans jacket or with a black Wallace Collection kilt jacket from USA Kilts.

Edited to add: It occurs to me that my jacket will have chrome squares, so maybe I should try to find something the same.

**Tartan Tess** · 5th July 14, 03:47 PM

You can get buttons that add so much. For xmarks tartan the first that pop into my head are the Saint Andrew buttons.

**Cygnus** · 5th July 14, 05:34 PM

I think tartan buttons are the way to go - that way you can just as easily wear it with a horn-buttoned tweed jacket as a silver-buttoned black Argyll jacket.

**Mikilt** · 5th July 14, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Cygnus

I think tartan buttons are the way to go - that way you can just as easily wear it with a horn-buttoned tweed jacket as a silver-buttoned black Argyll jacket.

Good point.

**sydnie7** · 5th July 14, 06:28 PM

This might be a bit tougher to do and match, but there are buttons made specifically to be covered with fabric vs your idea of gluing fabric onto a flat button. We've discussed the two main styles here in the past, not sure I can come up with the link. Bottom line, I prefer this type with the "pusher and mold." The other common style has little teeth around the edge of the button to hold the fabric, just doesn't work as well IMHO.

**Carlo** · 5th July 14, 07:40 PM

What about exchangeable buttons? That way you could match whatever Jacket you wear

**Nathan** · 7th July 14, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Mikilt

Hi Nathan,
It's a five button waistcoat. I'll likely either be wearing it sans jacket or with a black Wallace Collection kilt jacket from USA Kilts.

Edited to add: It occurs to me that my jacket will have chrome squares, so maybe I should try to find something the same.

If you are only going to wear it with the black Argyll, I'd suggest getting the chrome squares that usually go on the accompanying vest. The other ideas about switchable buttons are also good. If you can switch from chrome to horn with a cotter pin set up, that would be ideal.