Replacing the buttons on button boots.

Yes, you can definitely replace your boots’ buttons! Just like in Victorian and Edwardian times, button boots were made to portray a slim ankle, like ours, and in reality, sometimes needed to be fitted to the ankle size of the wearer.  

Button boots should do up tightly. We stitch the buttons on with elastic thread to help with doing the buttons up. Be careful to not pull too hard on the buttons if you are using a button hook as this could break the thread.

It is common to see on original boots of the late 1890´s and early 20th century that buttons were moved, changed, and reattached many times. When I worked in costume departments on films, repairing buttons that would fly off a pair of boots on set could sometimes be part of the thrill of the job. Luckily for you, you can do it in the calmness of your home, without having the pressure of being on camera in the next 5 minutes.

This is not a quick job, so here’s a little how-to: 

1. You will need

•        The boots you want to change the buttons on

•        Pencil or chalk or dressmaker’s pen

•        Snips or small scissors

•        Small pliers

•        Leather needle

•        Seam ripper or leather awl (a sharp & pointy object)

•        Strong thread - leather thread called sinew or elastic thread doubled 

2. Method

Put the boots on and mark up on the leather or suede with a chalk pen (or if you have something similar that won't leave a permanent mark) the desired place of the buttons.

The boots we provide are sewn on with the same continuous line of thread. You will need to snip off the original buttons and pull or cut out the remaining thread, I use small pliers to do this as it can be a little stuck in between the layers of leather.

Then you need a leather needle, some sort of strong upholstery needle, and some strong thread. If you have something as well to make some small holes in the leather so you can just push the needle through the holes you make, this will make the process a lot easier.

 I like to use a sharp leather hole maker or an awl, but anything sharp like a seam ripper should work well. You can then choose to sew through either just the top suede leather, for that you would have to make the holes in the top leather or suede only and not the lining and wiggle your needle through the two layers. Otherwise, it's also fine to sew through the lining as well.

You don't have to use elastic thread if you know exactly where the buttons will go for you. There will be some little holes left from the previous holes, but these might not be so visible when on, especially on the suede top models.

I hope this sounds like something that you can do. We will be making step-by-step photos and a video to help move or replace buttons.