Not my gumdrop buttons…

Who doesn’t love the gingerbread man?  Better yet, who doesn’t love buttons?  [except for people with dexterity issues, they probably don’t love buttons] I can still remember going through the selection of buttons at the fabric store to find the perfect ones for my new dresses as a child (thanks for making me pretty dresses mom).  To this day, when I see a dress, shirt, or jacket with cute buttons, I feel the need to buy it.  What types of buttons qualify as “cute”? you say.  Let me share:

1.  Nautical buttons — Most often metal buttons with anchors on them.

2. Classic crest buttons –These are often vintage and are also usually metal, but have a crest instead of an anchor

3.  Contrasting buttons –Any button in a colour that contrasts the colour of the fabric (often black on white or white on black, but also commonly coloured)

4. Covered buttons–Can also be contrasting buttons, but even cuter because they are covered in fabric.  These are possibly my favorite type of buttons because they can be any colour or pattern and they make me think of history.  These are particularly common on jackets and formal dresses (ie. wedding dresses).

5.  Pearl buttons –Fairly self explanatory, but variable in form.  These can be typical four hole buttons, rounded single back loop buttons, or anything in between.  Pearl buttons are particularly common on formal gowns, uncluding wedding gowns.

6.  Rhinestone buttons — Sparkly and fun, these are often found on vintage shirts, sometimes in combination with pearls.  Again, these can come in many colours and forms and varying levels of tacky.

7.  Shape buttons — Be they birds or hearts, buttons that are fun shapes remind me immediately of childhood, which I love!  The one tricky thing about this type of button is that  it can be difficult to either get the into the button hole or get the little bugger to stay buttoned.

Though I love buttons on clothes, I have seen more and more DIY button objects and jewellery.  I highly suggest doing these projects with your left over buttons or any adorable buttons you may find on vintage items that are not worth wearing.  I also keep a container full of all the spare buttons from every shirt I have bought in the past several years.  Having an extra button is especially important for covered, pearl, and rhinestone buttons.  At the same time, buttons can be exchanged or added in order to spruce up an old item in your wardrobe that may have lost it’s pizzazz.  Whatever you choose to do with them, button up your life in a good way!