Week Long Expose': How to Buy a Suit Part 2

The Jacket:

Happy Tuesday Style & Swag Nation! Continuing our week long expose' on how to buy a suit, I present to you part two. Today I will discuss every aspect about the jacket that are available out there. What you choose as your own personal preference is up to you.

The jacket is quite possibly the most integral part of the suit as it's what is first noticed. Jackets come in varieties of different shapes, sizes and styles, and I'm here to lay them out for you from top to bottom.

1. Lapels: the lapel on your jacket is the flap/collar that is folded over. It generally starts at around the midpoint of the jacket and goes up and around your neck. While the style of the lapel serves no real functional purpose, it can dramatically change the aesthetic appeal of your ensemble. Many of you are probably only familiar with one type of lapel (even though there are three major ones). They will be discussed below.

A. The notch lapel. The notch lapel is the most common lapel found on jackets. It is called a notch lapel because you will find that there is a "notch" cut into the lapel itself creating a sideways triangle cutout shape. As aforementioned, these used to be reserved for more casual looks, thus why they used to only be found on suit jackets, blazers and sport coats (before you even start, YES, back in the day, suits were considered casual and still are, depending on the situation). These days, in an attempt to make society more casual (not a huge fan of this), notch lapels are becoming more and more common on formal wear, particularly those run of the mill default tuxedos you find high school and college kids renting for their proms, fraternity/sorority formals, and first weddings. There is nothing wrong with having a notch lapel as it is still considered to be a classic and conservative look, particularly on business wear. Those with a higher sartorial sense may want to consider the latter options.

B. The peak lapel. Peak lapels, also referred to as point lapels, have been making a return to the suit scene as of late, and with good reason. The peak lapel used to be reserved for formal tuxedo wear ("classic" tuxedos will have an all satin peak lapel) but, as aforementioned, are being re-introduced on many suits. My personal preference, the peak lapel helps to narrow and elongate your neck line making you look taller, particularly in slim form. They can be differentiated from notch lapels by how they look. Whereas the notch lapel seems to have a piece missing from the collar, the peak lapel is full and then some. Notice how the shape of the lapel points up and "peaks" if you will, like a mountain top. This shape is where the name is derived from. Most people will never notice the difference in what lapel you're wearing, but those who do won't hesitate to praise you for being a non-conformist. Remember, the smallest detail can often make the biggest difference.

C. The shawl lapel. Sometimes also referred to as the the wrap lapel, there's not much of a lapel here. The entire collar is rounded and untouched, giving a much different look than both the previous options. You will notice most dinner jackets with shawl lapels and, much like the peak lapel, they used to be reserved strictly for formal wear. Lately, I have seen many suits with shawl lapels, too. This may be a trend however, so I would be wary about purchasing a suit for daily wear that has a shawl lapel. If you're looking at a tuxedo with a shawl lapel, this is also a classic formal look; I say go for it.








2. Single vs Double Breasted: this is honestly more of a personal preference, but I will distinguish the two for you, though the difference is pretty simple. Single breasted suits seem more popular these days, as we strive to achieve a slimmer, more streamlined look. The breast (or the body of the jacket) is only buttoned once, and does not overlap (single). Double breasted suits are exactly the opposite and require a significant more amount of fabric (perhaps why DB suits are also generally more expensive). The jacket will overlap and button once in the inside, and then once again on the outside opposite end. The decision is yours regarding which style you prefer, but I have deducted that generally the older male population is still keen to double breasted jackets. It is also important to distinguish the difference between having a double breasted suit jacket/sport coats/blazer as opposed to having a double breasted overcoat, trench coat, or pea coat. The term "jacket", for the purposes of this dicussion, will refer only to suit jackets, sport coats, and blazers.

3. Buttons. The number of buttons on your suit jacket is largely up to you. The standard and classic looks call for 2 or 3 button jackets. Edgier individuals may opt for the 1 button and generally, anything above 3 button is considered a major fashion faux pas (think of those atrocious suits that Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer wear). The number of buttons will generally only alter how much shirt/tie is shown and how high the apex goes. The apex is higher (less shirt/tie shown) on 3 button jackets, and is lower (more shirt/tie shown) on 2 button jackets.

 

4. Vents. Suit jackets will feature one of three different kinds of vents (or slits, however you want to refer to them): no vent/ventless, center/single vent, or side/double vents. These vents, obviously, are featured at the back of the jacket. Again, what you choose is up to you as these days, it's more form over function. A little history lesson: ventless jackets are of Italian descent and the main reason for having a ventless jacket was to take focus away from one's rear end. Center vent jackets are classic Americana and came about in American style to allow the individual to sit down and avoid having the back of his jacket being wrinkled and sat on. It's also traditional Ivy League style. Double vents are derived from British style. Side vents were useful when horseback riding because they allowed the jacket to drape naturally while the individually was riding on a saddle. I personally prefer double vent jackets, as they also become very useful if you're the "hand in pocket(s)" type of guy; excessive bunching and wrinkling is prevented with double vents when you have your hands in your pockets. 

Hopefully today's article will help you know what to look for in suit jackets and also what you're personal preferences are. Stay tuned for parts 3-5 the rest of this week and, as always thanks for reading and being part of the Swag & Style Nation!