Tuesday, March 30, 2010

TENDER BUTTONS


You might just walk by this tiny shoe-box of a store, if it wasn't for the whimsical giant button, dangling from the storefront's brownstone facade, welcoming you to Tender Buttons. A store devoted entirely to buttons; who knew there could be so many? Tender Buttons, named after the 1914 classic by Gertrude Stein, has been an Upper East Side fixture for years, a museum-like shop with wooden bookshelves lined with small, perfectly catalogued boxes of buttons.  I went searching for dressy black buttons to update up an old (can I call it vintage?) Moschino jacket and spent nearly an hour trying to pare down my choices. The selection of buttons is vast: couture jeweled buttons from Paris, exotic shell buttons from China and over 400 blazer buttons, perfect for updating the ubiquitous men's navy blazer in style.  I found the perfect set of jeweled jet black buttons, a classy second act for a beloved old jacket.





Couture jackets always seem to have the most fabulous buttons.  I love taking an ordinary jacket and changing the buttons-instant glamour! Some of my favorite spring jackets this season, all with beautiful buttons-

Chloe

Dior

Milly

Milly

Chloe
Philip Lim

10 comments:

Lauren said...

This looks so neat! Can't wait to check it out over the long weekend, thanks for sharing.

HAMPTON HOSTESS said...

Hi Lauren,
It's a fun little trip-bring cash if you plan on buying-they don't take credit cards! Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.
Barbara

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

One of my favorite things about NY is all these hidden treasures. Buttons really can change the whole look of a jacket. Great share!
Best,
Stephanie

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

One of my favorite things about NY is all these hidden treasures. Buttons really can change the whole look of a jacket. Great share!
Best,
Stephanie

Kathysue said...

OMG!! This is incredible I would be like a kid in a candy store!! kathysue

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! I lived on the UES for almost a decade, I can not recall ever seeing this shop, too bad for me!It looks like the most fun.

M.A. the 2nd ~ Frances Russell said...

I love buttons ... it is the fashion equivalent to passementerie in the interior design world. I have jackets in the Chanel style that I put buttons on and it looks amazing. I have one Chanel jacket that the buttons are the main feature! I also have a Ralph Lauren jacket that I have had for 10 years with the gold emblem that the buttons had tarnished on but new buttons just renewed it for the next 10 years. Great post and I have joined your blog... feel free to visit me anytime! Happy Easter!

Pemberley said...

Amazing! I need to get to that store. Thanks for a great post.

red ticking said...

i have been there... years ago... when i worked in the clothing industry we scoured places like these everywhere we went... this is truly a jewel box...

Punctuation Mark said...

I love that place... so cute... i would spend hours there just picking things up!