Searching the whole archive
Small-format buttons for shirts and blouses — mother-of-pearl looks, fine metals and characterful novelty sets in shirt-weight sizes.
Shirt Buttons from the Archive
Shirt buttons are small, but swapping bland plastic for pearl or metal changes how the whole shirt reads. This collection gathers the archive's shirt-weight styles: classic pearlescent rounds, slim metal designs, and playful novelty shapes for camp collars and kids' shirts.
Shirts typically take 10–12 mm buttons down the placket with smaller sizes at the collar and cuff. Every listing shows exact millimetre sizing, and most sets of 12 will redo a full shirt with spares. Like everything in the archive, these are finite vintage stock — matched sets from decades ago, unused and in pristine condition.
Shirt Buttons — Questions, Answered
What size are standard shirt buttons?
Dress shirt plackets use 10–11.5 mm (16–18 ligne) buttons, with smaller 8–9 mm at collars and cuffs. Check the mm size on each listing against an existing button.
How many buttons are on a shirt?
Usually 8–10 down the front plus collar and cuff buttons — 12–14 total. Our sets of 12 cover most shirts; email us if you need a larger matched quantity.
Are these strong enough for frequent washing?
Yes — vintage nylon and metal shirt buttons are typically more durable than modern low-grade plastics. Wash cold and skip harsh bleach to protect finishes.
Do you have true mother-of-pearl?
See our mother of pearl buttons collection for shell-look styles, or ask the Button Finding Service — the unlisted archive holds many more small shirt sizes.
