Have I seen it? --yes, especially where people are eating lobster or crab. (Usually actual bibs are available, too.)

You could run a ribbon through the button hole and USE the napkins like bibs for no-button available types.

But seems most appropriate for messy meals or messy situations (like potential turbulence while eating) so I don't see a large need in my own sphere.

Well, if you are going to wear an adult bib - can't think of a more stylish way than this. It's really quite lovely...kudos to those who would rather was a pretty napkin than ruin a shirt...

When I travel to our other location for work, the woman I meet with does this every time we go out. She layers her chest with napkins. Maybe I'll make her one ;)

HAHAHAHA, genius! My husband needs this; his dinner stains are a running joke. I wonder if he would USE them, in the privacy of home, if I maybe used NFL logo fabric or something...

My father-in-law does the napkin collar tuck. I'm so used to it that I forget that some might think it odd! Recently, my husband and I were in a trendy local restaurant that had button hole napkins. Though he didn't attach it to the button at the neck of his shirt, he did put it right on the second button up from his belt. I even snapped a quick camera phone photo to remember the idea. Glad to see this!

My husband can benefit from this for sure. He is so bad that every time my mom invites him for dinner, the first thing she reaches for is her old aprons for him to wear.
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Not a new idea. In the early 1900's his is how 'aprons' were worn; they were buttoned to the 'servants' uniform.

Hahaaha, now this is what I need!!! I have a habit of dropping food at the 3rd button from top of a shirt part.. A lot in the family now say, I did a 'insert my name' when they spill food there!!

when we were kids my grandmother used to make these for us, so we wouldn't mess up Sunday church clothes.

Hillstone in Midtown offers these to at lunch time. I think it's genius and it sure helps to lighten the mood if you're at a particularly heavy business lunch.

I'd most definitely buy this. I only bib it up when the food and attire calls for it. Eating lobster/crab or my favorite Vietnamese soup, Bon Bo Hue (excuse the spelling), and I'm definitely wearing a bib. My girlfriend may laugh but sometimes, it's a necessity.

My grandmother made these for my grandfather. He still uses them.

I've seen adults use bibs when eating crab, lobster, etc. Done it myself, too. It really is a somewhat mortifying experience to all sit around tucking napkins into your shirt and then try to have a conversation like normal. I suppose there is little pride allowed when you're nibbling meat out of a shell (or off a rib, for that matter). Worth it, though!

If I'm trying to make a good impression I'll stick with something that can be politely cut with a fork and knife, but otherwise, suit up or stand back!

I'm a sloppy eater, always dropping food on my shirts. I'd use these . . . if any of my shirts had buttons!

yes! I bought a plain white set of these several years ago from Restoration Hardware. They described them as airplane "first-class" napkins.

I do the napkin thing if I'm wearing white, I don't trust myself.

My well endowed older coworker does while eating lunch (my in-laws should)

I guess I'm the only one who has never seen these before! I think it's a brilliant idea. If I ever figure out how to use my sewing machine, this the first thing I'll make.

go to south Philly to Italian joints, you see it all the time. clams and linguni can be very messy.

Yes, I've seen men often tuck napkins into their collars in restaurants in NYC and in France, although not like the one pictured! I think it's kind of charming to see an older man with a bit of a panza do it! To me it says he wants to keep his shirt pristine for the evening, doesn't want to hear his wife complain out getting out the stains and that he plans on enjoying his meal with gusto!!

umm...complain about, I meant...

ewwww....

I used to work for a federal judge in NY and every single day at lunch he tucked a napkin into his shirt to protect his silk tie. If we had flimsy napkins from takeout, he would double or triple them up, saying, "Better this than one stupid mistake to ruin a perfectly good tie!"

Napkins with buttonholes were used in Germany at one time. Not sure if it's still done.

"Not a new idea. In the early 1900's his is how 'aprons' were worn; they were buttoned to the 'servants' uniform."

They showed this on Downton Abbey, in fact!

Be nice if it did catch on. I work in healthcare, & most of our residents wear "clothing protectors" (calling them "bibs" is almost a hanging offence) at meals. Having it go mainstream would make it less degrading for them, I suspect.
Since I'm one of the world's messier eaters, I tuck a napkin into my collar when ever I think I can get away with it. Beats wearing my food.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Poirot . . . in both the books and the Suchet series the fastidious Belgian would always place the napkin into his collar during a meal (or trimming his moustaches). Actually, being somewhat generously endowed, I've often wished I had the nerve to do this myself (which is worse - napkin or stain? ;-) )

I literally can't remember the last time I spilled food on the front of my shirt. Probably when I was a toddler.

Thank you vwings for mentioning my hero, Hercule Poirot.

I always tuck my napkin in my collar, except for when I'm wearing a turtleneck. Then I cross my fingers and hope for the best.

The sad day came recently when I had finished viewing all of the Poirot episodes on streaming Netflix. At some point next year I will start all over again! Such style, such savoir faire! Who better to emulate at table?

Bandera, one of my favorite restaurants here in Chicago uses these, but I've never seen anyone there actually USE them this way. I have, however, seen many people - mostly older people - use them in Germany, France, and the US.

My grandparents used to have napkins like these in their restauran, it was considered a very "shi-shi" place, but they stopped using them YEARS ago! They were cream and coral, and I never once witnessed anyone ever use them.

I am going to (discreetly) sew buttonholes into all of my napkins. Genius! Some ideas are worth a second go-around!

I have 4 messy boys (ranging in age from 8 - 13) who manage get food stains on their shirts on a regular basis. During most meals I have them each tuck a paper napkin in their shirt collar so that any splashes or stains land on the absorbant paper rather than their clothes. Since we rarely if ever use cloth napkins at home, the button hole idea will not be of much use. I do like the idea of using those clips that the dentist uses to secure a napkin around your neck. You would likely get better coverage with the clips versus tucking a paper napkin in the collar.

Yes,we've seen them - my great grandmother had this type of cloth napkin - and my mother remembers when the men used to dress, they would use this type of napkin instead of tossing their ties over their shoulder like you see nowadays. It's certainly more elegant than the plastic bib at seafood restaurants and I've seen them in first class while flying. I see men tuck napkins into their shirts STILL and understand why when they are wearing silk ties + nice shirts but eating messy meals. Certainly more elegant than those plastic bibs!