A period detail I enjoy
The men in their suits. Every time one of the men sits, he unbuttons his jacket. Every time he stands up, he re-buttons his jacket.
Standing, buttoned. Sitting, unbuttoned.
We are no longer a suit-wearing society. I happen to be wearing a jacket as I write. When I sit, I forget to unbutton. A few moments later, I feel tight or uncomfortable and I remember. When I get up, my jacket flaps open and stays that way, for minutes or all day. And if I ultimately re-button, I go through the same cycle again.
A suit-wearing society knew the rules of suit-wearing behavior. The men do this instinctually, they are well-trained. The actors, of course, are trained by directors and scripts, and I imagine many re-takes when Mark Moses or Jon Hamm forgets his buttoning routine. But in the show it looks so natural, it looks like such a norm for these men that we know, we just know, that they are products of their era.
It speaks, I think, to how controlled people were expected to be. When we covet those Mad Men styles, it’s helpful to remember that these were people who couldn’t sit or stand without having to do it “right.”
November 21st, 2008 at 11:42 am
For some reason I notice this all the time on TV, mainly on news programs (since where else nowadays do men wear full suits on TV without a stylist hovering just behind the camera?)…in fact I often notice both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert trying to remember to follow the button/unbutton rule during their shows.
Colbert seems especially aware of it.
Classy.
November 21st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I notice this too! And there is something attractive about it, I’m just not sure what.
I tend toward the casual myself, but I love a person in a suit. There are a few female attorneys that wear suits (with trousers) to court and I’m mesmerized by them. Just like M-to-F drag, they tend to make it a bit more flashy, adding more accessories, etc.
It’s a great look, regardless.
November 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I noticed this as well. My fav display of the suit buttoning/unbuttoning “ritual” is in The Inheritance. So much sitting and standing is done by Don in that sexy suit. Even in a “laid back,” family setting Don continually buttons/unbuttons his jacket. It’s so proper. I love it! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my freedoms of today, but the manners and expectations of the 60’s era intrigue me. Those proper manners and mannerisms seem to be a dying thing of the past sadly. As well as removing your hat in the presence of a lady or indoors and standing at the table as a lady leaves. Such respectful, therefore SEXY gestures of the past.
November 21st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
This routine does become second-nature to those of us who wear a suit or sport coat on a regular basis.
It’s wonderful that you noticed this detail of the show, and is just one more reason why I love this blog and read it regularly.
November 21st, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I noticed this too, because I remember learning to do it as a young man: button when you stand up, unbutton when you sit down. Lots of practice in church made it second nature.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Hamm and Slattery learned it growing up too.
With a sportjacket, you might rakishly leave the button unbuttoned when you’re standing, hands in pockets. But I wouldn’t do that in a suit.
November 21st, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Interesting detail, Deb, and interesting timing as well.
I think the current economic climate - as it is likely to last a while - affects fashion in a way that encourages greater formality.
I work in advertising, specifically sponsorship/sales, and like elsewhere, times are tough and looking tough for the foreseeable future. In a normal (growing) economy, my industry sees a lot of people dressing in a non-conformist way (e.g. fewer suits, fewer coats, far more casual in general). As things have tightened throughout this year, I’m seeing more suits, more ties, less jeans. I just bought my first new suit in about five years.
Makes you wonder if there will be any lasting fashion effects once things turn around …
November 21st, 2008 at 3:27 pm
It looks natural to me, maybe because I was taught this as a young man as well. To this day, it looks funny to me to see a man standing with his suit jacket unbuttoned. But, it has become the norm.
I was also taught two things about not putting my hands in my pockets while wearing a suit; Never rest your hands in your pockets while standing-and heaven forbid while having a picture taken. I got in some trouble for that one after a high school dance when I presented a photo, “with my hand shoved on my pocket.” I guess I thought it looked cool at the time, but now I cringe at the thought.
Also, never escort a woman with the free hand in a pocket. My mother used to say, “you might as well be flipping her the bird.” My mother was big on showing respect for women, which was a good thing.
Rules, there are so many rules.
November 21st, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I happen to wear a suit each day even though it’s not required at the law firm where I work. (Coincidentally, I work more or less equidistant from the fictitious Madison Avenue location of Sterling Cooper and the real life office building on Lexington Avenue where some of Season One was filmed.)
Anyhow, a few months ago I was a jury foreman in federal court where I heard a rather dry patent infringement case. (We ultimately awarded $43.2 million to the plaintiff — but that’s another story.) During the course of the two-week case there were more than a handful of objections raised by either side’s attorneys. It was interesting to watch the buttoning and unbuttoning of the lawyers’ jackets each and every time one rose to address the judge. And since, in many instances, the objection was sustained or overruled instantaneously, the entire encounter took less than two seconds. It was almost comical, especially in such a serious setting. I never look forward to jury duty, but, if it comes along again, I’m ready with an amusing diversion.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I’ve been having to suit up more frequently recently. The buttoning is like riding a bicycle.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I work in an advertising-like office (promotional medical education). Business casual, but the senior partners (two out of three of them are younger than me) suit up quite often.
It would be a major pain in my life if I had to up my ante from business casual, but I would be happy if the men around me always wore suits.
‘Cause wow.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 am
I think it’s pretty common in any profession where suits are typically worn, regardless of period. If you ever watch an episode of Law & Order, you’ll see the button/unbutton thing occur at least half a dozen times during the courtroom scenes.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
Deb, I agree. Men in suits. Mmm, mmm, mmm — particularly the skinny 1960s era suits. Men’s fashions in that era were amazing — stylish, sophisticated, sexy, but the men still looked incredibly virile.
I’m also loving all the perspectives from the male Basketcases on how to wear a suit along with the various protocols.
Are you guys wearing some of the modern skinny suits that have come into vogue in the last couple of years?
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
‘Skinny’ suits rule!
I think better in a suit…and look better
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:28 am
hullaballoo asks:
Been looking at them. And exercising my way back to a more Cosgrove/Campbell frame before I take the plunge.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 am
PS: Oddly enough, I am — at this moment — watching “5G” with the commentary on, in which E Moss also talks about the joy of men in suits.
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
hullaballoo asks:
Nah, I’m a medium-build guy in my mid-50s and have been wearing Paul Stuart suits for the last 25 years or more. Stylish, but not as conservative as J. Press or Brooks Brothers. And certainly not like the “modern skinny suits” mentioned.
A quick ancedote: A few yeras ago a partner in my law firm — a bit on the conservative side — once asked me why I (still) wore a suit to work. I think I surprsied him when I answered simply : “Because it’s a goddamned law firm.”
I slight irony is that although I fall on the conservative side with regard to wearing a suit to work, my politics is liberal Democrat and will stay that way for a long, long time to come.
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
[...sorry for those typos in my last post. I think I had too many "water, with gimlet chasers."]
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I had never noticed the button thing in Mad Men, but I always look for it in Boston Legal. Alan never gives one of his speeches without buttoning his jacket.
November 22nd, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Julia, I have absolutely noticed it in courtroom dramas.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
How cool! I’ve never noticed this. Whenever I sat down and my jacket was too tight, I assumed it meant that I was too fat for my jacket. Sigh. This makes a lot more sense. I might even consider wearing pantsuits more often.
Attention parents: If you teach this to your boys, please tell the girls.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I always do this, but I didn’t know women had to do it, too,
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Amen to men in suits-it’s yummy. I hate getting dressed up, but I love seeing men in suits. One of the great things about debate tornaments in high school was getting to see all of the male debators in suits. It must be so strange for some of the younger actors to learn the button-unbotton rule.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I agree with RetroGirll — I love men in suits. I will go one further, I love men in white tie and tails which is really disappearing. But look at some clips of the old Oscar shows — Bob Hope in white tie and tails, Gary Cooper in white tie and tails, Johnny Carson in white tie and tails. It’s pretty much impossible for a man to look bad in white tie and tails — and that usually holds true for suits.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
There was a West Wing episode where the president called for a white tie event (possibly the one with Yo-Yo Ma). Everyone was breathtaking.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
RetroGirl wrote:
I imagine so. Someone in the documentary in the S1 DVD set mentions that some of the younger guys had no idea of their suit size. (And VK says in a commentary that he never really wore suits before MM, but finds himself wearing them more often now.)
I also imagine they enjoy it on some level. It’s a little piece of business that probably helps them get into character.
November 28th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
My new position required me to venture out on Black Friday for suits.
Given how casual my casual is, I think the salesdude was a little freaked out at how much I knew about the cuts of the different designers and such.
Anyway, I picked up a Varvatos (Pete-esque), an Abboud (Don-esque) and a Boss (in between; it’s the Passolini).
November 28th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I got a little quiver…
November 28th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
So did my credit card issuer.
November 28th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
You misunderstood. I am your credit card issuer.
November 29th, 2008 at 1:33 am
No wonder my limit keeps going up!
November 29th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Yup.
My bad.