![Is a real cut-out a sign of a good suit? [ The truth about jacket cuff buttons ]](https://otokomaeken.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/27400238364f53c615fdbaa6a6291d81.jpg)
Many men may be particular about “Hon-kiribane (main opening)” when buying a suit or jacket. Have you ever had the experience of thinking, “I like this jacket, but it doesn’t have real cut-outs…” Have you ever had the experience of thinking, “I like this jacket, but it’s not a real jacket…”? But is this really a point that everyone should be concerned about? In this issue, we will delve into the topic of suit cuffs, focusing on the ” Honkiribane ” that plagues Japanese men.
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What is the origin of the cuff button?
Painting by Adolph Northen/Wiki Commons.
It is said that the origin of the cuff buttons of suits and jackets themselves lies in the uniforms of Napoleon’s army. There is a convincing or unconvincing theory that the soldiers of Napoleon’s army wiped their snot with their cuffs during the invasion of Russia because they were so cold and Napoleon did not approve of this and added buttons to the cuffs to discourage this gesture, but the truth is unknown.
What are Honkiribane and Honkiraku?
It means a cuff with buttons and buttonholes that can be opened and closed. It is commonly called “surgeon’s cuffs” in English, but is sometimes referred to as “working sleeve buttons” in the UK and “functional (functioning) sleeve buttons” in the US. On the other hand, when a buttonhole is not open, but is made to look as if it were, it is called ” open cuffs “.
The origin of “Honkiribane” is a surgeon’s arm-tucking
As the name “surgeon’s cuffs” suggests, the Honkiribane is said to have originated as a detail that made it easier for surgeons to roll up their arms during surgery or medical treatment.
Is Honkiribane a sign of a high-class suit?
There is a rumor that “Honkiribane is a sign of a high-class suit.
In fact, the cut-away feather is a detail that did not exist when the suit was first created. And even today, many English suits are not cut with the main cutout, but rather are open. Even in the case of Savile Row’s bespoke suits, which are synonymous with British high-end suits, the standard is for the cuffs of the jacket to be open with the buttons closed, rather than closed, unless otherwise specified.
Craftsmen tailors in Naples, Italy, who were confident in their skills, started to use Honkiru to show off their skills or to differentiate their suits from those of their rivals in England. In Japan, the popularity of the Italian suit style is high, so it has spread to the general public as well.
Since the Honkiribane is now a detail that is often found even in budget suits, it would be misleading to say that “Honkiribane is great because it’s Honkiribane! It may be a misunderstanding of the true nature of the jacket.
Why Not All Italian Jacket Cuff Buttons Are Honked
The number of cuff buttons on a classic jacket is said to be four, but the most standard specification is that only the three buttons closest to the cuff can be opened and closed. This is actually a detail that corresponds to the custom in Italy of passing on a fine jacket to one’s children. When a child grows up and has longer arms than oneself, the cuffs can be opened and the fourth button, which is farthest from the cuff, can be removed and used as the first button, making it convenient to open the buttonhole.
Advantages of this cutout
The first merit of the Honkiribane is that by opening one or two buttons, you can “create a sense of slackness at the cuff. It is an advanced technique in suit dressing that dares to make a gap at the cuff to give a sense of coziness. This is recommended for those who want to casually show Italian-ness, as the main cutout itself is a detail favored in southern Italy. Although it is not essential, it may have some merit to be able to assert itself to people who think ” Honkiribane = high-class suit “.
Incidentally, if you look at 007 Bond’s suiting style, you will see both cases of unbuttoning and unbuttoning of the main cut-away.
The second advantage of the Honkiribane is that it is ” easy to wear with the sleeves rolled up ” as shown in the image above. This is a look often seen at Pitti Uomo, and can be said to be reminiscent of surgeons, the originators of the Honkiribane. Why not try it in a casual jackets style? The method is very simple, but the video below is easy to understand, so I will introduce it just in case.
How to choose a jacket based on the weaknesses of this cut
Because of the open buttonholes in the main cutout, it is difficult to make significant length adjustments to the cuffs, especially to shorten the sleeves. If the cuffs cannot be repaired, the only way is to start from the armhole, but the armhole is a delicate part that can be said to be the heart of a suit or jacket. However, armholes are the heart of a suit or jacket, and to fix them is like embarking on a major surgery with a high possibility of failure. In particular, if a badly repaired jacket with a patterned design is made, there is a risk that the result will be tragic. It is not practical in terms of both price and risk. Therefore, the weakness of ready-to-wear jackets with genuine cut-away feathers is that they must be of a certain exact size that does not require significant reworking of the sleeves. On the other hand, the advantage of a jacket or suit with non-full-cut feathers is that the sleeve adjustment can be done flexibly. If you choose a ready-to-wear jacket with a genuine cut-out, it is more important to find a brand and model of jacket that fits your body.
Incidentally, ready-to-wear suits above a certain price are often sold with the cuffs unbuttoned and temporarily fastened with a thread, as shown in the image above, so the sleeve length can be adjusted and the suit can be finished as you like, either in the “main cut” or “open” style. Also, a specialty suit repair store can also change a ” open-faced ” jacket into a ” full-frontal cutout ” jacket.
What did you think? Knowing the origins and history of the jacket, I’m sure you can make different decisions, such as “I still insist on the real cut-away,” “I dare not unbutton the buttons even though it is a real cut-away,” or “I dare to choose the open-opening style,” but these points are the real appeal of wearing a suit. We hope this will be a reference for you to get the perfect suit style that you are satisfied with!
