Luxecycle

This vintage peacoat was this year’s birthday present from my parents. I love it. The cut of the garment is so cool. It’s got an amazing collar. Even the lining, made from tiger patterned silk is fabulous. But before I could wear it, the coat need a little freshening up, as the snap that kept the collar in place was stripped and wouldn’t stay shut, and all the buttons were chipped.

I wanted spherical, 1960′s, black, plastic, gumball buttons. I know this button existed at one point in time, because I have the exact button I was looking for in my button box at home. Unfortunately, I have one perfect button, but needed eighteen for the coat. After combing ebay, etsy, and three local stores that carry vintage buttons, I finally settled for black, dome-shaped buttons as my second choice.

The cost of the buttons came to $80.

Buttons are an expensive habit for me. I’ve changed the buttons on about half the garments in my closet. (The other half already had cute buttons). Since I buy almost all my clothes used, I usually end up paying more for replacement buttons than I do for the garment itself. Annoying.

That said, I my taste in buttons has stayed remarkably stable for my entire life. If I like a button, I will swap it out, before I get rid of the garment, for future use. Mr. Foxypants was recently shocked to recognize the buttons on my current favorite sweater in a photograph taken when I was seven years old.

I have to admit that I got a sick satisfaction out of using one of the giant, vintage hook and eye closures (The photo is actual sized) from my button stash to secure the fold-over collar.

(On a side note, will someone please explain to me why modern packaging so ugly? Look at the detail on the card backing. Look at how pretty those fonts are)!