In the early nineteenth-century machine-made buttons were in existence, but fashions did not feature buttons in abundance. By the 1830's fashions used buttons both for functional and decorative purposes. Most buttons were imported from Europe. By 1852 European button manufactures decided that there was enough American interest for them to participate in the New York Exhibition of Industry. Fancy buttons from Bavaria, Silesia, Saxe-Altenburg, Rhenish Prussia, Austria, and France were all exhibited.

Buttons were made from many different materials. Metallic buttons were made from brass, pewter, silver, steel, and gilt. Plant materials were used for buttons of hard rubber, wood, vegetable ivory (kernel of the corozo nut), paper machÈ, and polished nuts. Buttons of bone, ivory, horn, mother-of-pearl, pearl, cameo, shell, tortoiseshell, leather, or coral were popular. Other materials such as ceramic, cloth-covered forms, crocheted thread, embroidered fabric, enamel, jet (anthracite coal), and glass were also used for buttons. Tintype (pictures inserted in the button) buttons were also popular. Some buttons were even encrusted with jewels. Covered buttons or Florentine buttons, made in two parts and covered with fabric, were introduced in 1802. These were used mainly for outer wear. Thread buttons or Dorset buttons were made from thread stitched over molds or wire. These were used for underwear and household linen.

Prior to 1840, ladies' dresses were usually hooked or laced. After then, buttons reflected Victorian times. Black molded glass and jet buttons were popular. Some Victorian button designers imprinted buttons with popular garden flowers such as roses, pansies, and violets. Fruits, nuts, grains, leaves, and animals such as dogs, horses, deer, birds and insects were all used in button designs. Other buttons depicted paintings, characters from novels or operas, and personalities of the time. Religious, mythical, and astrological themes were used. Children, cherubs, famous buildings, dragons, cupids, fairy tale themes, and hot air balloons were also used on buttons.

By the 1860's buttons were an integral part of fashion design in the United States. Some women's garments used between 60 and 108 buttons on a single garment. In a January 1861 issue of Godey's Ladies' Book a little girl's dress was shown using 88 drop buttons. Boys' fashions also used a great number of buttons. Even if the number of buttons used was less, the buttons were larger usually in size. Men's clothing also used an abundance of buttons. The color of the button was more inconspicuous, but numerous large buttons were used.

Buttons were not only used on clothing. Girls collected and traded buttons from the button box to make "charm strings." Buttons for the "charm string" could be traded but never bought. They could be gifts from friends, a suitor, or family friends. A button was especially desirable if it had a story attached to it such as "Aunt Mabel wore this on the dress that she wore to the Inaugural Ball." The goal of a girl was to collect 999 buttons on a string. The one thousandth button was supposed to be given to her by her future husband. If she put the thousandth button on herself, she was doomed to spinsterhood.

Charm strings became so popular that a sentimental song was written about a dying girl giving her charm string to her sister.

Large, flat, brass buttons, known as "bangers" were used in place of pennies in the game of "Pitching Pennies." There was a variation of this game called "On the Line," in which the bangers were lined up and a "nicker" (a much larger metal button) was used to knock as many bangers a possible off the line with one throw.

Button trading was also popular among boys. "Sinkeys," concave metal buttons with holes for sewing, were also called "one-ers." "Shankeys" were either "two-ers" or "three-ers," depending on the size, beauty, or unusualness. The real prizes, having a higher value, were "liveries." These were the metal buttons from uniforms. They were larger or decorated in some way. There were rated as "three-ers," "four-ers," or "five-ers." Best of all were the "six-ers," which were large bronze buttons decorated with animals such as foxes, birds, deer, or symbols of various sports.

Buttons had other uses. When kerosene or lamp oil ran low or was unavailable, a small lamp could be made by taking a large overcoat button, wrapping it in a square of fabric, setting it in a saucer of grease, and lighting it. This was called a "button lamp."