One of life's minor frustrations is the discovery that you have buttoned up your coat/shirt incorrectly.

The evidence usually waits until you have reached the last button, only to discover that it has nowhere to go. The entire garment then has to be unbuttoned, and buttoned up again. Buttonright ensures that this can never happen.

The Buttonright system consists of two parts. The buttons have been restyled to have a contoured profile similar to the tokens used at some car wash machines. No longer just a stitched slot, the button holes are also now an individual, manufactured component, designed to receive the correct button like a key.

As each button hole and button are sold as unique, numbered pairs, they act like simple locks and keys.

With Buttonright fitted, you simply cannot button your coat up "the wrong way" ever again.
-- xenzag, Aug 06 2007

Irregular fastener spacing Irregular_20fastener_20spacing
Very similar idea [hippo, Aug 06 2007]

Buttinfront Buttinfront_20Fashions
I could adapt this technology [normzone, Aug 07 2007]

Not great if you need to replace a button though...
-- theleopard, Aug 06 2007


Most buttons come off in your hand due to the thread becoming loose in time, in which case you simply sew it back on.

If a button becomes lost somehow, you just check the number on the button hole and get the correct replacement. This is probabaly easier than trying to get a match for an obscure "designer" button.
-- xenzag, Aug 06 2007


It occurs to me that misalignment is normally only by one position, so it would suffice to alternate between two button designs. The simplest format would be every second button and matching hole to be larger than the holes between - you'd make a maximum of one wrong-buttoning before discovering your mistake.
-- vincevincevince, Aug 06 2007


I do believe the three Vinces are correct.
-- wagster, Aug 06 2007


Velcro?
-- DrCurry, Aug 06 2007


I think the alternating pattern is dead on. Is there a way to alternate magnets that will only link up with each other? (hurts brain trying to muddle through this notion)

(tosh. i see i've echoed [po] exactly from the link! great minds and all that...)
-- k_sra, Aug 06 2007


Irregular fastening pattern can still go wrong - with Buttonright no button can ever go into the wrong button hole. It also stops you from accidentally buttoning your self unto someone else's coat, should the circumstances be created where this is most likely to occur - for example, if you were crushed together on a train, and the airconditioner unexpectedly went haywire, releasing a sustained icy blast.... dozens of folk could be expected to end up buttoned unto growling, snarling stangers, but not you, as your Buttonright holes would smugly spurn the unwelcomed advances from alien buttons.
-- xenzag, Aug 06 2007


//but not you, as your Buttonright holes would smugly spurn the unwelcomed advances from alien buttons.//

heheh. too many jokes.

[xenzag], would this be like an IQ puzzle? becasue those are no fun first thing in the morning. may we have an illustration of some sort please.
-- k_sra, Aug 06 2007


I winter I often wear a gilet and a fleece to work - both manufactured by the same guys using the same sort of zip. I often get home to find I have zipped my gilet to my fleece and have to unwrap myself, spirally.
-- wagster, Aug 06 2007


You need Zipitright....
-- xenzag, Aug 06 2007


//spirally// Very nice to see that word getting out more.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 06 2007


(We have secretly interchanged two xenzag's Buttonright coat buttons while he has been dining with his friend xenzig. Watch now as he attempts to impress xenzig with his new invention.)
-- Road Show, Aug 06 2007


//Most buttons come off in your hand due to the thread becoming loose in time//

I guess I'll take your word for it, but most of mine come back broken from the cleaner's.

You could just give the top button another button on the inside, and sew a little rough pattern on the corresponding button hole.
-- nomocrow, Aug 07 2007


//Most buttons come off in your hand due to the thread becoming loose in time//

//You could just give the top button another button on the inside//

That has just given me an idea to avoid the misery of detached buttons. Recursive buttons! Each button on the garment is replaced by _two_ buttons back-to-back, and there are buttonholes on the button-bearing side of the garment. Thus, each button is actually buttoned in place.

Horrible thought just dawned - I have reinvented cufflinks by a tortuous route.

Second thought also dawned: button is one of those words that looks funny when you type it enough times.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 07 2007


So does Buttinfront [link]
-- normzone, Aug 07 2007


Do this with magnets - the button face alternating positive and negative, and the inner button hole alternating oppositely. When they resist coming together, you are on the wrong hole.
-- globaltourniquet, Aug 08 2007


sigh, [global], you're following hard after [po] and myself. but good description. two points.
-- k_sra, Aug 09 2007



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