How to Choose Suit Buttons — Horn, Metal and Pearl Guide

When your suit is nearly finished, one of the final choices you make is the button. It seems like a minor detail — and in terms of the physical quantity of material involved, it is. But buttons are one of the first things an informed observer notices about a suit, and the choice of material, colour and shape communicates a great deal about the intent and quality of the garment. Here is a complete guide to suit button choices from Manhattan Tailors.

Horn Buttons: The Traditional First Choice

Horn buttons are made from genuine animal horn — typically buffalo or ox — and are the traditional material of choice for the finest bespoke tailoring. Each button is unique: the natural patterning of the horn means no two buttons are identical, and the colour variation — from light tan through mid-brown to almost black, often with beautiful streaking and mottling — is entirely natural. Horn buttons have a depth and warmth that no synthetic material can replicate.

Horn is categorised by quality: the finest buttons come from the thickest, most patterned sections of the horn and are cut to show the full depth of colour. Lower grades are thinner and more uniform. At Manhattan Tailors, we source horn buttons from established British and Italian button makers who supply the finest tailoring houses in London and Naples. Horn is the default choice for our business suits, blazers and sport coats — its warmth and naturalism complement almost any quality cloth.

Corozo Buttons: The Vegetable Ivory Alternative

Corozo (sometimes called vegetable ivory) is made from the nut of the South American tagua palm. It is the most sustainable button material — and arguably the most beautiful. Corozo buttons have an extraordinary richness of colour when dyed: navy corozo for a navy suit produces a depth of blue that synthetic buttons cannot achieve; burgundy corozo on a charcoal suit is one of the most distinguished details in suiting. Corozo polishes to a subtle lustre with wear and, like horn, improves with age. We recommend corozo as an alternative to horn for clients who prefer a slightly more uniform appearance with no less depth or quality.

Metal Buttons: The Blazer Standard

Metal buttons — gilt (gold-toned), brass, silver and gunmetal — are the traditional choice for blazers and naval-heritage jackets. The classic navy blazer with gilt brass buttons is one of menswear's most enduring combinations, and a well-made set of engraved brass buttons elevates a blazer from a suit jacket wearing a different cloth to a genuinely distinctive garment. Metal buttons should never be used on a business suit — they belong exclusively on blazers, naval-style jackets and occasional military-influenced sport coats. The combination of metal buttons and worsted suiting fabric is universally considered a misstep in informed tailoring circles.

Mother-of-Pearl Buttons: Evening and Dress Shirts

Mother-of-pearl buttons — made from the inner lining of oyster shells — have a distinctive iridescent shimmer that makes them the natural choice for dress shirts, formal waistcoats and eveningwear. On shirts, MOP (as it is commonly called in the trade) is the mark of quality above all other button materials. On suits, MOP is occasionally seen on formal occasion wear — morning suits, dinner jackets — where its lustre complements the formality of the occasion. On business or casual suits it is too conspicuous; on formal and evening occasions it is impeccably correct.

Suit Button Details: Surgeon's Cuffs

Beyond material, a detail worth requesting on any quality commission is surgeon's cuffs (also called working buttonholes) on the jacket sleeves — functional buttonholes that actually open. On cheaper suits, sleeve buttons are purely decorative. Surgeon's cuffs are a hallmark of quality construction — historically a signal that the jacket was made from scratch (rather than from a pattern with a sewn sleeve hem), and today a detail that allows the wearer to unbutton one or two sleeve buttons for a deliberately casual effect. We include surgeon's cuffs as standard on all Manhattan Tailors bespoke commissions.

Choosing Your Buttons

At your fitting, we will present a selection of button options alongside your cloth. For most business suits: dark horn or dark corozo. For navy blazers: gilt or antique brass metal. For formal or occasion suits: natural-toned horn or corozo with a more refined finish. For evening: mother-of-pearl or very dark horn. The choice is always ultimately yours — but we are happy to guide if you prefer a recommendation.

Book your consultation and explore our full button selection in person alongside your cloth choices.