Button Hooked

November, 1989

Legend has it that the captain of the H.M.S. Blazer, eager to spiff up his crew for Queen Victoria's 1837 coronation, designed what today is the world's most versatile sports jacket. For years, the styling of blazer buttons went unchanged until Ivy Leaguers, along with wearing neckties heralding their alma maters, decided to trade anchors for emblems and took to wearing college insignia on their sleeves and jacket fronts. Now you can buy blazer-button sets (large front-closure buttons and smalle...