Cheap Chic? Switch Buttons for "New" Clothes
Upgrade Blouses, Coats, Dresses, Kids' Clothes, while Recycling
Sep 18, 2009
Sometimes the simplest things are best. Greenest. And, cheapest.
Save Money, Change the Buttons for A Recession Wardrobe Makeover
Wardrobe Recycle!
Practically speaking, buttons are a cheap, green way to effect a wardrobe makeover. As with many things that are recycled but not reconfigured, the before-and-after difference can be subtle, but substantial.
The price difference between a simple white cotton blouse or pea coat with plain buttons and essentially the same item with unusual buttons, can range from $10 to $50, or more. By sewing one's one, it's possible to save a ton of money, and engage in the nation's new shopping sport: recycling.
Clothing can be perked up with distinctive buttons, meaning just about anything that’s not the standard white or brown buttons found on most mass-produced articles of clothing.
Look for cheap but attractive antique buttons, buttons of unusual materials, oversized or very tiny buttons, and, of course, colorful buttons. Buttons, as the uninitiated will soon discover, come in a zillion sizes and shapes beyond oval and square, starting with a full cornucopia of fruits and a zoologists' encyclopedia of animal shapes. It's a parallel reality, the world of buttons.
Buttons for Men, Too
Colby Kelly, store manager at the Manhattan vintage clothing shop, What Goes Around Comes Around, said, "I did it to a vintage Henley long-sleeved pullover with three buttons from the '40s. I put these ivory buttons on it, with metal hooks on the back. It looked great."
He added, "When I wore it to work, a lot of people asked where I got it."
Collectors Obsession-Button Mania
Buyer beware: There are zillions of different kinds, and for the susceptible, button-hunting can become addictive. Some people collect buttons the way others collect stamps.
After all, old buttons offer a peek into the past. Was that old metal button from WWII worn at the Battle of the Bulge? Were those tiny, translucent white ivory buttons from a dressing gown worn on a wedding night? Did the pearl buttons that clearly belonged on the cardigan of a twin-set ever get taken to the opera, or at least to tea?
As any grandmother of a certain age who has a good button box will attest, young children love to pick through and sort buttons. There's something magical about old buttons. They can be counted, sorted, categorized in a million ways. Interesting old buttons are one of the cheapest curios around.
Cheap Upgrade: Mix-and-Match that Wardrobe
A black sweater newly fitted with recycled red and white buttons has a sporty look. But replace them with delicate old pearl buttons, and that same black sweater could be suitable for work or evening.
Mix-and-matching buttons by color, size, and even style can completely change the look of a standard cardigan or shirtwaist dress.
Where to Find Buttons? Notions Stores, at Flea Markets, Online
So, where to look?
Aside from grandma's closet, there are plenty of options. Interesting buttons are available in specialty button shops, sometimes called “notion” or “trim” stores.
At the biggest outlets, such as New York’s M&J Trim, which also has an online store, a dedicated button-hunter can indulge for hours. Here, amidst rows of ribbons and trim, are boxes and showcases of buttons, one can wander among like-minded button fanatics examining American Indian beaded buttons, Santa Claus buttons, leather coat buttons and delicate buttons made for wedding dresses.
There are buttons made from variety of materials, some cheap and some green, and many neither. Choose among buttons made from beads, enamel, bone, metal, pearl, leather, shell, wood and even glass. It can be dizzying.
Save Money While Going Green-Recycle
The most enticing buttons--vintage buttons, or buttons of pricey materials, such as ivory or leather--can run as high as $15 apiece. To save money, and stay green, it's wise to button-shop at flea markets or secondhand clothing stores, thriftshops and flea markets.
Obviously, it’s cheaper to buy not just old buttons but secondhand and sales clothing, too, and upgrade them by changing the color or the trim.
That's what Colby Kelly did. He said, “I got the buttons at the flea market at a table of ornate buttons, not many matched.” He paid about $2.50 for each of four ivory buttons, and figures he increased the value of his old shirt by $30.
As a practical matter, it’s important to match up the button with the button hole size.
For recession-smart dressing, it's possible to save money on many items of clothing, from dresses to shirts. Of course, one can dye accessories, or sew one's own. But it's easy to just change the buttons. And, if money's tight, it's surprising how much time one can spend learning about buttons as a cheap, green way to save dollars while doing a recession wardrobe makeover
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