Color joy and zest for life: the boutonniere
"Our boutonnière tip is actually a book tip and the invitation to pursue a forgotten gentlemanly pastime: namely, the hunt for forgotten and hard-to-find books. Some time ago, we came across a small cloth-bound book from the year 1913: "The Gentleman - a Gentleman's Breviary" by Franz W. Koebner."
Delft: Mr. Bom with Christmas Rose while buying cigars
The author provides us with important insights regarding the ball state of the gentleman, the age of the suit, and the flower in the buttonhole, among other things. Other important topics that seem more relevant today than ever are also addressed. These include "Working less and not despairing," "The gentleman while traveling," and "How to call the waiter." Do you still call out "Waiter" or "The check, please"? Do you discreetly tap the edge of your plate with your monocle? Or is raising an eyebrow while looking at the back of the serving waiter sufficient?
If pocket square and flower - please discreet and color-coordinated
In addition, alongside our boutonnière rules, you will find important information and educational content on the areas of car culture, gentlemen drivers, valets, club chairs, and whisky soda. As you can see, it is worth hunting for this breviary. The connoisseur prefers the linen-bound antiquarian first edition from 1913 (this is not hard to find and should be priced at around 40 euros) or, after an online search, a reprint from 1975 for about 10 euros. For a digital version, click the link mentioned further down.
The flower in the buttonhole by day and by night
Berlin: Maximilian Mogg with crimson carnation
So it says in our antiquarian book: "With the first days of spring, they are here – hardly sprouted from the sun-warmed earth, they find their way into the buttonholes of the light blazers, the first spring costumes. Here, there is no fashion, here personal taste prevails. One chooses the light pink carnation, the other the blood-red rose. In itself, there is nothing against the fashion of the flower in the buttonhole – however, under two conditions – first, only in sunshine and second, in exact accordance (never in contrast) with the other colors of the outfit."
London: James Louis Richardson with Silk Rose
"We see this today in a somewhat less conventional way, as conventions are there to be broken - and then to find our way back to you, purified. But back to the year 1913: "The most popular boutonnière flower during the day is the filled white carnation. In the evening, for the tailcoat, the gardenia has been preserved since ancient times until just recently, which was sometimes worn in the size of a chrysanthemum. [one listens and marvels] Instead of the gardenia, the orchid has now taken its place for evening dress."
The flower in the saddle and for tea
Somewhere in the green: Marcel Wonnberger with wood anemones
"In contrast to earlier [that is, the time before 1913], today flowers are worn without leaves [well, some say so, others say otherwise]. The carnation in the jacket or tailcoat has been replaced by more extravagant flowers, tuberoses, daffodils, sweet peas." Nevertheless, it should be noted that the carnation in the buttonhole has by no means lost its reputation as an indispensable classic. Below in the picture, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands with his indispensable buttonhole carnation. A style icon.
Style icon: Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands - always with a fresh white carnation in the buttonhole.
"In the afternoon for tea, a bunch of violets – five to six stems – looks very elegant in the cutaway, of course always without green leaves. For the turf, on self-drivers, in the saddle, the white dwarf chrysanthemums, anemones, and the somewhat disreputable daisies look extraordinarily good."
Spring in Iceland: Jakob Karlsson in a vintage suit from the 1940s with our pocket square and boutonnière "Clover"
"On beautiful summer days, nothing could be more suitable to demonstrate joy in color and zest for life than an inconspicuous small flower in the left buttonhole, for strangely enough, there is none on the right." How true!
Author: Andreas Thenhaus
Those: Koebner, F. W.: The Gentleman. Berlin 1913
Photos and models: Joost Bom, Maximilian Mogg, Marcel Wonnberger, Tobin Gattinger, James Richardson, National Archive, RVD / Royal House, Jacob Karlsson
More on the topic:
Boutonnière - the buttonhole flower in close range
