mariner cuffs

[macwilkin]

I've always heard that the three buttons on a naval coat kept Midshipmen from wiping their noses on their cuff; hence the Middies' nickname (in the Royal Navy) of "Snotty".

T.

[madmacs]

Sounds more plausible than the option of blaming napolean... reality is probably that with a functional cuff it would allow the sleeve to be folded back past the elbow