How To Wear A Double-Breasted Suit

Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 11:49 pm

By Michael A. Lubarsky

The cookie-cutter two- and three-button suits are great for everyday wear, but there is no comparison to the swagger of a double-breasted suit. The glamour and heritage of the overlapping suit jacket is the quintessential gentleman’s style. Yet, the double-breasted suit is disappearing from many stores, in another sign that menswear trends have moved too far toward the casual and pedestrian. This may be partly because so few men actually know how to wear the double-breasted suit. This is a shame, because a simple two-button sack suit is far less comfortable.

The following are fashion tips to keep in mind when you're figuring out how to wear a double-breasted suit and bring back a classic look that should never have disappeared to begin with.

Assess your body shape
Like the three-button single-breasted suit, a double-breasted suit looks best on a man of medium or tall build. However, any man can wear the double-breasted, provided the jacket is tailored at the waist. This is the one suit jacket that every man should have tailored to his torso. By bringing in the waistline, the wearer’s shoulders become more prominent. Smaller men can actually benefit from the double-breasted profile. Even if your waistline is wider than your shoulder width, the overlapping lapels can help to hide that waistline spread.

Choose peak lapels
Double-breasted suit jackets should always have peak lapels. Notched lapels were sometimes seen in the early 1990s as designers experimented with various styles and cuts, but the shape of the jacket dictates a peaked lapel that accentuates the shoulders.

Look for 6-button jackets
The smaller the neck opening, or rather the higher the lapels cross over your chest, the greater number of buttons your jacket will have. The double-breasted suit is marked by two rows of vertical buttons. The optimal number is a six-button jacket with two rows of three buttons on the outside and one additional closure button on the inside.

Choose versatile fabrics and colors
The double-breasted suit has always been considered a conservative suit choice, but the style is timeless. It looks best in a fine all-season wool that can be worn from autumn to late spring and into summer. The sheer amount of fabric and coverage in the jacket are not ideal during the hotter months. Choose a dark-blue with either a pinstripe or windowpane pattern. The pinstripe is more formal and can be worn for business or evenings out. The windowpane lightens the profile and adds a dash of sporting athleticism to the cut. If this is your only suit, skip the black wool and go with a solid, dark navy blue that allows multiple tie and accessory options.

Balance the jacket with the trousers
Plain-front trousers have become the norm, but a traditional double-breasted suit demands a trouser with a pleat at the waist and hefty cuffs at the ankle. The suit jacket is simply too imposing and will look top-heavy without the pleat or the cuff.

Coordinate with shirt styles and accessories
A straight collar is acceptable, but take advantage of the broad shoulder profile of this suit and wear a wide-spread collar shirt. The jacket itself hides much of your tie and a spread collar widens the shoulder and neck area, allowing the tie to become an additional focal point.

For more formal events, wear a French-cuffed shirt with cuff links that reflect your personality. Whether or not you wear a French cuff or cuff links, you ought to wear a pocket square. You may feel too dressed up in this casual age, but when has a beautiful woman ever remarked how much she likes a man because he always dresses down? With this in mind, don’t be afraid to learn how to fold a pocket square and add a touch of class to your wardrobe. You can even wear the pocket square when you pair the suit with a dark-colored turtleneck for that quick weekend dinner in the city or last-minute business flight.

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