Are the embroidered buttons we see here useful or just ornamental? Some are really cute?

I have used them for closers on purses. My favorite way is to glue a magnetic closer on the button, and the other side to the purse, attach the button to the flap and voila. I also use a loop as a button hole, but you have to make the loop(or button hole) a bit larger so it's not too hard on the button.

Do you have a link to which ones you are talking about? There are many that are only ornamental.