Link-Button Tuxedo Closures: What They Are and Whether to Order

A link-button closure is a pair of buttons joined by a small chain or bar, used to fasten the jacket in place of the familiar "one button, one buttonhole". From the outside there is no buttonhole on show, only two small heads sitting at the edges of the front. It is a rare detail on tuxedos today, and its rarity is exactly why it is worth understanding before you decide.

What a link button looks like

Think of a cufflink, but placed on the body of the jacket. Each front edge carries one head, and the two are connected by a short chain or metal bridge. To fasten it, you pass the heads through two small holes or loops at the edges, instead of pushing a button through a buttonhole.

The exact construction varies by maker and by garment: some use reinforced holes, others fabric loops or hooks. So when you discuss it with your tailor, look at a sample or a photograph and do not rely on the name alone. The heads are typically metal, stone or buttons covered to match the lapel.

Where it comes from: classic evening wear

The link closure belongs to the world of older evening dress, where studs and cufflinks were the habit on the dress shirt. There is not much reliable documentation on exactly when and where link buttons first appeared on outer jackets, so the honest answer is that it is a detail of old-style formal wear, rarely seen in modern made-to-measure work.

What is certain is that its spirit fits the tuxedo: neat, discreet and slightly ceremonial. The classic tuxedo already favours a single satin-covered button; our article on the single satin-covered button covers that more common choice.

The effect: a clean front and an unbroken lapel

People choose link buttons mainly for the visual result.

• A flat front. With no raised button and no worked buttonhole, the front reads almost as a single plane.
• An unbroken lapel. On a shawl lapel, the curve flows down to the edge without a button cutting across it.
• A sense of closure. Two small, even heads give the finished look of formal wear.
• A tidy open front. When the jacket is open, the edge is clean, with no buttonhole showing on the left.

The effect suits shawl lapels and solid black cloth, where the aim is one continuous line.

Should you order it

It depends on you and on how you will wear the suit.

Consider it if you like classic detail, wear a tuxedo often to evening events, and want something subtly different. Since only people who know the subject will notice it, it suits someone who prefers discretion.

Be cautious if:

• You need to fasten and unfasten the jacket quickly. Link buttons are slower than ordinary ones.
• You tend to lose small things. The heads or chain can be damaged or go missing, so keep a spare set.
• The suit is for a single wedding, where one satin-covered button is entirely correct.
• You expect your weight to change, because the fastening holes are hard to move later.

Whatever you decide, raise it with the tailor before the cloth and cut are fixed, since the closure affects how the front edge is built. Whether it can be done depends on the model, cloth and cut you choose, and the consultant will tell you specifically when advising. Our piece on personalising a made-to-measure tuxedo suggests other individual details worth considering.

A tailor's suggestion

If you like an unbroken front, single-button shawl-lapel models such as TUX-039 or TUX-078 are a good base on which to discuss the closure with your tailor. You can also see the process on the made-to-measure tuxedo page. To see the detail on real cloth, book a fitting at Mon Amie and state your request so the consultant can prepare.