The Etiquette of Twin Coat Buttons

“If you put their inception back into the time when the big square art embroidered and gorgeously lined overcoats were worn, two centuries ago, and when the gallants of the time were wont to go forth on dress parade with the sword at the side and ready to resent any informality of etiquette, you will find that in order to reach the side arm more readily the skirts of the coat were turned back in a reverse shaped way and buttoned or looped upon two buttons at the back placed as these are at the present day.” – Image source, Pinterest : Coat National Trust Inventory Number 1348779 Date 1760 - 1770 Materials Linen, Silk, Silk twill, Steel Collection Snowshill Wade Costume Collection, Gloucestershire (Accredited Museum)

For many years the two buttons have figured at the waist line of the back of the man's skirt or frock coat. Now, why are they there? For ornament and effect? Not so, originally, for these two buttons were at their beginning for service and not for decoration. 

If you put their inception back into the time when the big square art embroidered and gorgeously lined overcoats were worn, two centuries ago, and when the gallants of the time were wont to go forth on dress parade with the sword at the side and ready to resent any informality of etiquette, you will find that in order to reach the side arm more readily the skirts of the coat were turned back in a reverse shaped way and buttoned or looped upon two buttons at the back placed as these are at the present day. 

In this way they secured an immunity from drapery when the command came, “Draw and defend thyself,” and at the same time exploited a segment of the rich inside of the skirt of the coat in a very effective way. The tinsel, the side arm, the court etiquette, the duello and the gorgeous flowered texture of the coat have gone before, but those two buttons remain on the tail coats of to-day, a suggestion of that period of laces, brocades and romance. — Lewiston Journal, February 14, 1891

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