He’s got the look – working through a fashion puzzle
photo by jurvetson
There is much to a man’s attire including business shirts, ties, jackets and pants, belts, shoes, cufflinks. If you want to make a positive impression in the office you must give some consideration to a number of these components, mess one up and the consequences could mean you a branded unstylish for life! (this may be a slight exaggeration but you get our point!). So let’s turn our attention to suit jackets and delve into the merits of single breasted jackets vs. double breasted..
Single breasted jackets have a single row of buttons that allows the jacket to overlap just enough to button together. Double breasted jackets have two rows of buttons; the front of the jacket overlaps enough to allow each flap to attach to the opposite button row.
Your jacket style is whatever you prefer…although Australian men tend to use the single breasted jackets. There are exceptions to this norm however- if you think you a some form of royalty or you own a mega yacht and a sailor’s hat!
Now, your suit jacket is going to have either one row of buttons or two rows of buttons. If you have chosen the single breasted jacket, you’ll note that it’s got anywhere from one button to four; however, two and three button suit jackets are also very common. It’s more traditional to see the three button configuration. Two button jackets allow the person to show more of their business shirt and tie and can give the person a slimmer look. When you have a two button jacket, the top button should be the only one used. Unless it’s one button jacket, the button bottom should never be done up.
A look at lapels
When you look at jacket lapels, you’ll see that they have an array of styles. There have also been numerous fashion experiments with them over the past few decades. In fact, it’s difficult to look at the styles of the 1970s and not shudder from the horror of seeing lapels extending toward the shoulders. No doubt, this was not flattering to the men of this time (but they sure thought so). Who knows flairs and big lapels may not be that far away from a revival…
As with any classic clothing, the best and timeless lapels are ones that are of moderate width and match the wearer’s proportions than the fashion trend of the time. If you can use the lapels that match your proportions, your jacket won’t look too big or small.
A look at the main pockets
Jetted pockets – When you’re going for a formal look, you need to have jetted pockets, which are pockets that are sewn into the jacket lining and a narrow horizontal opening will show on the jacket’s side. Jetted pockets are practically invisible and give a sleek, polished appearance; it’s often seen worn in very formal occasions.
Flap pockets – When you don’t need something so formal, you can go for a jacket with flap pockets. These are closely identical to the jetted pockets but it also includes a flap that’s sewn at the top of the pocket, which will cover the opening of the pocket. Most jackets have these pockets. If you want to, you can tuck in the flaps and mimic the jetted pocket look.
Related posts:
- Jackets and pants: an in-depth look at what you didn’t know about your attire
- The ‘always’ ‘sometimes’ ‘never’ rule for buttoning a suit
- Build on your business shirt – helpful tips to wear a pocket square to add to your look!
- Accessories with suits and business shirts
- What you need to know: 13 frequently asked questions on tailoring of jackets, blazers and shirts