How Many Buttons Do You Need? Blazer, Coat, Shirt & Cardigan Counts
Nothing stalls a project like discovering you’re one button short. Here’s exactly how many buttons each garment takes — fronts, cuffs and spares — so you can buy the right matched set once.
Blazers & suit jackets
A single-breasted blazer takes 2–3 front buttons and 3–4 cuff buttons per sleeve: 8–11 buttons. Double-breasted jackets carry 6 on the front. Cuffs traditionally repeat the front design in 15 mm. A set of 12 covers a full blazer with a spare — which is why most archive sets come as 6s and 12s.
Coats
An overcoat uses 4–6 large front buttons (23–30 mm), sometimes with smaller ones for epaulettes or pockets. Double-breasted coats need 8–10. Count your existing buttons before ordering — and add a spare; coat buttons take the most punishment of any garment.
Shirts & blouses
Dress shirts run 8–10 placket buttons plus collar and cuff buttons — 12–14 total in 10–11.5 mm. Blouses vary from 5 to 9.
Cardigans & dresses
Cardigans take 5–7 buttons; button-front dresses anywhere from 6 to 14 depending on length. Shirt-dresses with buttoning to the hem sit at the high end — count twice, order once.
The golden rule: buy the set
Mixed buttons read as mended; matched buttons read as designed. Vintage archive sets were factory-matched decades ago — identical dye lot, identical die — at roughly $2–3 per button. Replace the full garment’s worth and keep the spares.
Can’t find the button you need? Our Button Finding Service searches thousands of unlisted archive styles — send a photo and rough size and we usually reply within one business day.
Frequently asked
How many buttons does a blazer need?
Single-breasted: 2–3 front buttons plus 3–4 cuff buttons per sleeve — 8–11 total. Double-breasted: 6 front (2–3 functional) plus cuffs. A matched set of 12 covers either layout with spares.
How many buttons on a shirt?
Typically 8–10 down the placket plus one per collar point and cuff — 12–14 in total. Buy a set of 12–14 so every button matches.
Should I buy extra buttons?
Yes — always one or two spares. Vintage sets are finite; if you lose a button in two years, the exact style may be gone. Spares cost little and save the garment.
Do cuff buttons need to match front buttons?
On tailoring, yes — same design in a smaller size (usually 15 mm cuffs with 20–25 mm fronts). Many archive sets include both sizes; check the listing's size options.
