# Female Suit Etiquette?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 1, 2008, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146 "2008-12-01T05:26:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/1 "2008-12-01T05:26:31Z")
So, I have a med school interview coming up, and I have a suit for it. Rather than wearing a button down under the jacket, I was planning on wearing a full-coverage camisole (which is what the woman at the store recommended).
However, I know that for men it’s customary for them to unbutton their suit jackets when they sit down. Is this true for women as well? Or could I acceptably leave my suit jacket buttoned throughout the interview?
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/2 "2008-12-01T05:38:11Z")
In Winter that’s fine.
---
### Author:  [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/3 "2008-12-01T06:09:47Z")
I find that my jackets tend to sit oddly if I don’t unbutton them when I sit down, but I’m also incredibly short waisted. YMMV.
---
### Author:  [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/4 "2008-12-01T06:43:02Z")
The old standard was for a male to unbutton the bottom button, if necessary, when sitting. Not all the buttons, just the bottom. In the past (go memorize Miss Manners works’ yourself for a cite. I’m lazy & surly.) only the Very Well Turned Out (read “rich”) were fat enough to need the relief of loosened buttons.
Way back when, the underfed made for more compliant employees.
A hundred-some-odd years later, I suspect you’ll be fine even if you don’t fiddle with your buttons, since there are only four of us old cats who remember Queen Vicky’s rules. 😉 Remember, in those days, girls didn’t try for real jobs, and us old cats are more interested in your competence than in your waistcoat.
Seriously, stop worrying about your buttons, and wow them with your knowledge.
---
### Author:  [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/5 "2008-12-01T07:28:13Z")
Don’t wear one! It’ll only result in the cops knocking down your door looking for all the missing wo…
Oh. Not _that_ kind of female suit. Carry on, then.
---
### Author:  [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/6 "2008-12-01T08:44:34Z")
> [@MadPansy64](#):
>
> The old standard was for a male to unbutton the bottom button, if necessary, when sitting. Not all the buttons, just the bottom. In the past (go memorize Miss Manners works’ yourself for a cite. I’m lazy & surly.) only the Very Well Turned Out (read “rich”) were fat enough to need the relief of loosened buttons.
Generally speaking, a gentleman should not unbutton his bottom coat button when he sits because it should never have been buttoned in the first place.
[http://www.esuit.com/stylefaq.htm](http://www.esuit.com/stylefaq.htm)
---
### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/7 "2008-12-01T14:36:10Z")
Suit rules for women are nowhere near as codified as suit rules for men. It is entirely fine for a woman to keep buttoned all day if she likes, as long as it doesn’t make her look funny.
---
### Author:  [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/8 "2008-12-03T04:19:59Z")
> [@TWDuke](#):
>
> Generally speaking, a gentleman should not unbutton his bottom coat button when he sits because it should never have been buttoned in the first place.
>
> [http://www.esuit.com/stylefaq.htm](http://www.esuit.com/stylefaq.htm)
Thank goodness I’m a girl, because I would have totally biffed that, assuming the interviewer knew better. 😛
---
### Author:  [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/9 "2008-12-03T04:51:11Z")
> [@MadPansy64](#):
>
> Thank goodness I’m a girl, because I would have totally biffed that, assuming the interviewer knew better. 😛
I doubt an interviewer in this day and age is going to make a big deal of such a thing. I imagine a great number of people do not know this. I do, and don’t button my bottom button but I am certain that I make other elementary mistakes that might be noticeable. 😉 This is one of those thing that’s not so much going to be a strike against one who doesn’t know it, but might be a check in favor of someone who does.
---
### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/10 "2008-12-03T13:15:26Z")
> [@Tengu](#):
>
> Don’t wear one! It’ll only result in the cops knocking down your door looking for all the missing wo…
>
> Oh. Not _that_ kind of female suit. Carry on, then.
Ed Gein, Jame Gumb, please call your offices.
---
### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/11 "2008-12-03T14:23:47Z")
I always left my double breasted suit buttoned all day. In my opinion, women’s suits are designed to be buttoned (at least the double-breasted ones). I will wear a jacket unbuttoned, but it doesn’t look goofy to button it, either.
---
### Author:  [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-suit-etiquette/475146/12 "2008-12-03T18:25:54Z")
> [@TWDuke](#):
>
> Generally speaking, a gentleman should not unbutton his bottom coat button when he sits because it should never have been buttoned in the first place.
>
> [http://www.esuit.com/stylefaq.htm](http://www.esuit.com/stylefaq.htm)
Hrm. I disagree with them. At least for me it causes no difficulty walking and looks much better (no buckling). I do unbutton it when sitting down though.