Boutonniere help needed

[UrbanAristocrat]

I want to add a classic red carnation to my tuxedo but can't fit the bulb portion through the lapel buttonhole. Any idea how this is done? Or is the bloom actually supposed to face up to the sky rather than lie flat against the lapel?

OT, the new Matt Dusk album is great background music for surfing the Lounge!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

1) Try using a miniature carnation. You can find these in most flowershops.

2) Put the stem, not the bulb, through the buttonhole.

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[UrbanAristocrat]

2) Put the stem, not the bulb, through the buttonhole.
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I find that if I don't put the bulb through then the bulb becomes more prominent than the bloom which ends up sitting perpendicular to the jacket. Is there a way to avoid this? (I have seen the miniature carnations but was hoping for something a little more substantial.)

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Yup.

 

[UrbanAristocrat]

Yup.

It looks like I edited my post while you were responding! I'm sure you were saying yes to my previous question of whether it's normal for the bulb to be so prominent.

thanks for the advice

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The only way to avoid this is to put the bulb through the buttonhole. Unfortunately, this can only be done with small carnations.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Look at my avatar photo. You can see that my carnation's bulb is peeking out from the lapel's buttonhole. Nothing I could do about it, alas.

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[UrbanAristocrat]

Look at my avatar photo. You can see that my carnation's bulb is peeking out from the lapel's buttonhole. Nothing I could do about it, alas.

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I noticed that earlier but it doesn't look bad at all. Is that a small carnation?

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Does it have to be a carnation? Wouldn't another type of flower do just as well?

Personally, I prefer a large showy bloom with a squirt mechanism concealed inside my jacket.

 

[Clyde R.]

I had the same problem at my wedding, but no big deal really.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Personally, I prefer a large showy bloom with a squirt mechanism concealed inside my jacket.

Major, you've been messing around on that Three Stooges site again, haven't you? Nyuk nyuk nyuk!

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Yeah, I admit it, but I'm only half crazy.

I meant the part about using another type of flower. I used to grow these swell miniature roses that would work well as a boutonnier. Is there some rule that says it has to be a carnation?

 

[UrbanAristocrat]

Is there some rule that says it has to be a carnation?

Actually there is . To be truly classic, a boutonniere should be a white or red carnation, a white gardenia or a blue cornflower. According to vintage Esquire issues, the red carnation was definitely the most popular option in the thirties.

I will give the large carnation another try in light of how good it looks on Clyde and I'll also check out the smaller versions like Monsieur Chevalier appears to be wearing.

thanks everyone!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

With a tuxedo, the carnation seems to work best. With a suit, anything goes, so far as i'm concerned. You need to watch out for colour clashes, and watch that the scale of the bloom works wit da lapel width (another reason why 30s/40s wide wide lapels work great with a boutonniere). I favour small wildflowers ...

bk

 

[UrbanAristocrat]

I went to the library on my lunch break today and checked out "The Boutonniere: Style in One's Lapel" which answered all my questions. Turns out that the trick to getting a carnation (or any other flower with a very thick bud) to lie flat on the lapel is to have it made into a proper boutonniere. An experienced florist will remove the stem and bud and replace them with a fabric wrapped wire that easily fits through a buttonhole. He/she will also flatten out the bloom if necessary.

Next time I attend a black-tie gala I'll know to order my boutonniere in advance!

(By the way, if anyone's interested in boutonnieres this book is unbelievably detailed and well-illustrated!)

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yep, it's a grand book. Well illustrated. The trick is finding a florist who can prepare boutonierres ... or find a florist who knows what a boutonierre is ... or find a florist that actually knows anything about flowers ... or find a florist who won't burst out laughing at the thought of a man looking for a flower to wear in his lapel.

bk

 

[UrbanAristocrat]

Yep, it's a grand book. Well illustrated. The trick is finding a florist who can prepare boutonierres

Believe me, I'm used to getting blank stares when it comes to dressing in a classic style. I've taken to brining my copy of Dressing the Man with me to show my tailor exactly what I'm talking about. And I have become used to having lengthy arguements with menswear salesmen about the fact that my jacket sleeve should be at least half an inch shorter than my shirt sleeve (and that my shirt sleeve should NOT end halfway down my palm!). I've just placed an order with Amazon.com for my own copy of The Boutonniere for the same reason.

But all the persistance pays off when I finally don the finished ensemble, especially my eveningwear

 

[Marc Chevalier]

You'll enjoy seeing this, then. It's a very rare Edwardian boutonniere holder. The "leaf" in the front hooks onto the buttonhole; the shaft hangs hidden behind the lapel. You put some water in the shaft and set the flower's stem in it. Just be sure not to bend over, or the water will spill out! (Considering how stiff the Edwardians were, I'm sure it never happened.)

These holders are fairly difficult to find. One sold on eBay recently: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hallmarked-si...416403829QQcategoryZ91236QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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[UrbanAristocrat]

You'll enjoy seeing this, then. It's a very rare Edwardian boutonniere holder. The "leaf" in the front hooks onto the buttonhole; the shaft hangs hidden behind the lapel. You put some water in the shaft and set the flower's stem in it. Just be sure not to bend over, or the water will spill out! (Considering how stiff the Edwardians were, I'm sure it never happened.)

These holders are fairly difficult to find. One sold on eBay recently: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hallmarked-si...416403829QQcategoryZ91236QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Yes, I've heard about these before and the book actually has photos of many different designs. Never seen that hooked leaf design though - pretty smart!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

They used to do a cheaper version (~$40) but have removed it from their inventory ...

http://www.walshbrothers.co.uk/watch_jewelry/HB7545.html

bk