What does “I won’t be wearing a red carnation in my buttonhole!” mean?

[RogerIvy]

Someone sent me a message recently and ended with this after saying we’ll meet up on Friday.

“I won’t be wearing a red carnation in my buttonhole!”

What on earth does he mean?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Someone sent me a message recently and ended with this after saying we’ll meet up on Friday.

“I won’t be wearing a red carnation in my buttonhole!”

What on earth does he mean?

He has no love or affection for you?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

he's not a suffragette?
or he's not James Bond
or his mam's brown bread

 

[Erichalfbee]

or his mam's brown bread

Then he’d be wearing a white one

 

[Sutty]

I think it's a reference to wearing something like that to be recognised by someone you've not seen before - can't remember where it came from - spy stories possibly.

 

[Garry R]

Someone sent me a message recently and ended with this after saying we’ll meet up on Friday.

“I won’t be wearing a red carnation in my buttonhole!”

What on earth does he mean?

The petrol station has sold out of flowers due to Valentines Day!!

 

[RogerIvy]

Haha now I’m none the wiser … I’ll have to casually ask him

 

[Sutty]

Haha now I’m none the wiser … I’ll have to casually ask him

10:1 it's what I said

 

[Bryang]

I can remember a song..from my youth.. "A white sport coat and a pink carnation" ???

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Then he’d be wearing a white one

but not a red one

 

[Goran]

Not having English as mother language, at the moment wasn't certain on which hole is referring and was stunned for a moment until I translated it right..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not having English as mother language, at the moment wasn't certain on which hole is referring and was stunned for a moment

That would make for an interesting design of vase

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Not having English as mother language, at the moment wasn't certain on which hole is referring and was stunned for a moment until I translated it right..

Possibly auto correct added the on ?

 

[rossbyjove]

Haha now I’m none the wiser … I’ll have to casually ask him

I think they were joking.
You are not expecting a romantic involvement ?

 

[Pembroke]

I think it's a reference to wearing something like that to be recognised by someone you've not seen before - can't remember where it came from - spy stories possibly.

Also there was "meet me under the clock at Waterloo station" (other venues around the county are available).

 

[RogerIvy]

I think they were joking.
You are not expecting a romantic involvement ?

No

 

[Wilco]

Also there was "meet me under the clock at Waterloo station" (other venues around the county are available).

I think the Bourne films put paid to that!

 

[Paul_Ward1]

We used to have a florist near our house called the buttonhole. Someone kept removing the ‘on’. As soon as the shopkeeper replaced it, it would happen again