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The Men’s Suit

September 20, 2011 by
Note – the following is a Google Knol I wrote a while back; while a decent introduction, I feel it can be improved upon and welcome any comments to help me in that endeavor.

Introduction to the Men’s Suit

The men’s business suit is the most universally appropriate item in a gentleman’s wardrobe. There are few events at which a man in a good looking suit will be out of place, particularly if the man has a firm grasp of fashion and an understanding of his personal style. The path to elegance begins with the suit, the cornerstone of men’s fashion.

mens suitA suit is a pair of jacket and trousers of the same cut, made from the same fabric, and intended to be worn together. Such a simple definition, however, denies much of the suit’s personality, and it is that personality that has made the suit a lasting and essential element of a gentleman’s outfitting. The primary element of a suit is its jacket, so the discussion begins there.

Most experts agree that there are historically three major styles of suit, named for the countries in which they originated, though it is now quite common to find all three styles in any country as well as fusions of elements from one or more different styles. The first is the English style, typified by soft, unpadded shoulders, a long, hourglass body with a high waist, either double or single breasted, with two or three buttons and side vents. The next is the Italian or sometimes called Continental style, epitomized by a lightweight construction, squared & high shoulders, a short close-fitting single-breasted body, with two buttons and no vent. Rounding out the group is the American Sack Suit, a natural-shoulder suit with a straight and somewhat roomier body, two or three-buttons, and a back vent. Today you would be hard-pressed to find a tailor who hasn’t been influenced by all three styles, and most suits take only a few of the distinctive elements from one style or the other.

mens suit jacketSuit jackets are defined by many things: the fabric from which they are made (to include its color and weight); the style or cut of the suit; the details or trimming applied; and the degree of customization to its wearer, etc. Of these, the cut, or more precisely the fit, is paramount – a poorly fitting suit will never look right on the wearer, regardless of the quality or detailing.

The cut of a suit is a product of two elements: the overall silhouette and the particular proportions of the man who will be wearing it. A good tailor will cut a suit to flatter the wearer’s strengths and hide his weaknesses. For this reason alone a man should consider custom clothing; with a suit covering 90% of your body the message it sends more often than not trumps anything that may come from your mouth.

Assuming equality of cut, a custom-made or bespoke suit will flatter more than a made-to-measure suit, which in turn will have a better fit than an off the rack suit. Bespoke suits are custom-tailored to a gentleman’s measurements and built by hand by a master tailor; a custom pattern is created for each man, kept on record and pulled out only when small alterations or new garments are made. Made-to-measure suits are off-the-rack suits that have been fitted and altered to the wearer’s frame, made from a combination of various pre-built parts. Off the rack suits, as the name suggests, are garments built in mass based on the mythological average man; because they are made to an average specification they do not naturally fit a man without extensive tailoring; and even here, it is a compromise.

mens suits on hangersAfter cut and customization, fabric is the next consideration. While the difference in quality between an off the rack and bespoke suit is imminently obvious, both can appear quite stylish; that is not the case with poor quality fabric, which can make even the most expensive custom suit appear cheap. The most traditional suit fabric is wool. Suits, particularly for summer, are also available in silk, cotton, gabardine, as well as linen – a traditional favorite not without its own unique challenges – and even mohair and cashmere. There is also the tweed suit, a rugged classic best suited to weekends in the country or more casual affairs; its thick, coarse fabric is designed to repel wind and water in inclement weather. The choice of a suit’s color is an equally important decision, and one best addressed in a separate discussion.

The next indicator of quality is the suit’s trimming and overall style; it’s this selection of details which give a suit it’s ultimate distinctiveness. Options on a men’s suit include pocket styles, linings, button materials, and the addition of subtle signals of the suit’s quality such as ticket pockets and functional sleeve buttons. These little elements, though they may seem extraneous, are signs of the suit’s personality as well as the wearer’s. Good details won’t make a poor suit into a quality one, but they do elevate suits at every quality level from the ordinary to the individual. Below we go into the suit’s details.

The Suit in Detail

Single or Double Breasted Jacket

The first and perhaps most noticeable element of a man’s suit is whether the jacket is single or double-breasted. Single-breasted suit jackets have a single row of buttons down the front, with the jacket flaps overlapping enough to permit buttoning. A double-breasted suit jacket has two rows of buttons, with the front overlapping sufficiently to allow both flaps to be attached to the opposite row of buttons. The choice between a single or double-breasted jacket is a matter of personal taste, though the vast majority of American men choose the single breasted option as that this is what is readily available to them. In addition, a lack of familiarity with the double-breasted suit jacket may account for the single-breasted suit’s dominance. It’s unfortunate, as that the double breasted jacket has a number of advantages for certain men. Thin gentlemen, in particular those who are somewhat taller, can benefit greatly from double-breasted suits as they give a fuller appearance to the figure; on larger men, double-breasted suits can have a tendency to draw attention to the midsection, so

careful attention and an expert tailor should be employed. When it comes to formality, all things being equal a double-breasted jacket is more formal as that it is always buttoned, although a man wearing a single breasted jacket can negate this advantage by throwing on a vest. But for the modern man, the single breasted suit is the current standard bearer; a dark, well fitting, concervatively build single-breasted jacket is perfectly acceptable at all but the most formal of occasions.

Jacket Buttons

A suit jacket has either one or two rows of main front buttons. A single-breasted jacket has anywhere from one to four, though two and three button jackets are most common. The three-button jacket is the most traditional configuration, taking its cue from English riding jackets; properly worn, it gives the illusion of height. It’s common practice to button the middle or second buttons when standing, though the top two buttons may be fastened to produce a slightly more formal appearance (A great way to remember this is Sometimes – Always – Never). Two-button suits are a slightly later innovation, and because they show more of the shirt and tie, can have a slimming effect. Only the top button of a two-button jacket is fastened. With the exception of a the one button jacket, the bottom button is never fastened.

Double-breasted jackets most commonly have either four or six buttons on each side – where there are six buttons, only the lower four are for buttoning, though due to the design of the suit, only two will actually be buttoned at any given time. There is also an extra hidden button on the reverse of the outside flap of a double-breasted suit, onto which the inside or “hidden” flap attaches. Contrary to the habits of certain celebrities, a double-breasted jacket should never be left unbuttoned when standing; it is always securely buttoned upon standing and remains buttoned until one is again seated. Additionally, while the bottom button of a single-breasted jacket is always left undone, both of the operable buttons on a double-breasted jacket are fastened. As with the gorge of the lapel, the height of the waist buttons can been altered slightly to accentuate or diminish height, but this must be done carefully.

Lapels

Lapels come in a wide variety of styles, and have been the subject of fashion experiments for decades. It’s hard to look back at the 70’s and not cringe at the sight of lapels extending to the shoulders, and I’m sure years from now we’ll be embarrassed with our current obsession with slim cuts, especially on men who this does not flatter. As is the case with much of classic fashion, the most timeless lapels are of a moderate width and are matched to the proportions of the wearer rather than the winds of fashion. By doing this you can ensure your jacket doesn’t look too big or too small, despite it fitting you perfectly in other areas. The late Carey Grant used to have the notches on his lapels lowered so that he wouldn’t appear tall and lanky. A small, but effective, tailoring technique.

The vast majority of suit lapels fall into two styles: notched (seen to our left), which has a wide V-shaped opening where the lapel and collar join; and peaked (seen to our right), which flares out in a sharp point with a very narrow deep V at the join. Notched and peaked lapels are equally classic, though the latter are most commonly found on double-breasted jackets and somewhat signal a higher level of formality. A peak lapel on a single-breasted jacket is an excellent way to raise its level of formality, but is almost impossible to find on anything but a custom made suit.

Main Jacket Pockets

The most formal are jetted pockets, where the pocket is sewn into the lining of the jacket and only a narrow horizontal opening appears on the side of the jacket. These pockets, being nearly invisible, contribute to a very sleek, polished appearance, and are most frequently found on formal-wear. The next style, the flap pocket, is slightly less formal, though it is perfectly acceptable in all the circumstances where a gentleman is likely to be found in a suit. Flap pockets are made identically to jetted pockets, but include a flap sewn into the top of the pocket, which covers the pocket’s opening. These are the most common pockets on suit jackets, and in the very best, are fabricated so that the wearer may tuck the flaps inside, mimicking the jetted pocket. There are also diagonally-cut flap pockets known as hacking pockets, though they are somewhat less common; the

hacking pocket is derived from English riding gear, and is most prominent on bespoke suits from English tailors, particularly those traditionally associated with riding clothes. The least formal are patch pockets, which are exactly what the name implies: pockets created by applying a patch to the outside of the jacket. Patch pockets are the most casual option; they are frequently found on summer suits that would otherwise appear overly formal, as well as on sports jackets.

Ticket pocket

Some men’s suit and sport jackets, particularly those with a bespoke or made-to-measure heritage, include a small ticket pocket above the right side pockets (as see here in conjunction with the hacking pockets on the right). This pocket serves as an indication of the suit’s quality, although for tall men it can help them look less lanky.

Breast Pocket

Moving up the jacket is the breast pocket, which is always open, and into which only one item is ever placed: the handkerchief or pocket square. The reason for this is twofold: First, like the side pockets, any items placed in the breast pocket create lumpy projections which distort the sleek appearance of the suit, and second, the breast pocket and the inside left pocket share the same space in the jacket’s lining, meaning that objects in the breast pocket tend to force items in the inside pocket into the wearer’s ribs, which is quite uncomfortable.

Jacket Vents

Moving on from pockets we find the jacket’s vents, flap-like slits in the back bottom of the jacket which accommodate movement and offer easy access to the trouser pockets. There are three common styles: Ventless, Center, and Double. Ventless jackets, just as the name implies, have no vents, and are popular on Continental suits; they provide a very sleek look to the back of the jacket, though they can lead to wrinkling when the wearer sits down. This style works well for athletically built men, but larger men had best avoid it. Center-vented jackets, very popular on American suits, have a single slit at the back, allowing the jacket to expand at the bottom when sitting. Because of its placement, center-vented jackets have a habit of exposing the wearer’s posterior, though most seem not to mind. The popularity of the center vent is not in it’s functionality, but in that it is the least expensive vent to manufacture. The crown jewel of vents is the double or

side-vented jacket; it has two vents, one on either side, generally just behind the trouser pockets, to provide easy access and freedom of movement. Side vents facilitate sitting more easily, moving as needed to prevent the rumpling of the jacket back. Double vents do an excellent job of covering a man’s backside, especially when compared to the single vent.

Sleeve Buttons

There are numerous historical reasons for jacket sleeves bearing buttons, from encouraging the use of handkerchiefs to allowing a gentleman to wash his hands without removing his jacket (a traditionally grave social offense in mixed company). Whatever the reason for their arrival on jacket sleeves, sleeve buttons now form an important part of the detail work or trimming of the jacket. Most traditionally, jacket sleeves bear four buttons, though it is not uncommon to find three. Regardless of number, there should be at least as many of them as there are buttons on the waist, and they are always placed within a half-inch or so above the hem. On bespoke suits, and even some of the higher-quality made-to-measure jackets, the sleeve buttons are functional. When the buttons are functional, there is some temptation to leave one button undone in order to draw attention to the feature – and by extension, the quality of the suit – though this is a matter of personal taste.

Trouser Waist Band & Pleats

Trousers should not be the focal point of a man’s outfit; rather, their job is to draw the eye upward to your jacket or downward to your shoes, perhaps subtly flattering your legs. With that being said, the fit and design of your trousers is important; nothing is more uncomfortable for a man than a pair of pants too tight in the crotch or so loose in the backside as to cause a draft.

Here to our left we see a classic expanded waistband. Most men are familiar with the extra button inside a pair of dress slacks; few understand why it is there. The purpose of extra buttons in the waist area is to make the trousers

fit more comfortably. The idea is to distribute the weight more evenly, thus eliminating pressure points in your trousers while ensuring a snug fit. In order for this to work though, your trousers need to fit. Having them expanded or pulled in by an experienced tailor is well worth the trouble; having your trousers built custom is the best way to never have this problem to begin with.

To have your trousers pleated or non-pleated doesn’t seem to be a difficult decision for most men; whether or not they made the right one is another story. Fat fronts compliment thin men, while pleats flatter those who are a bit larger or just prefer extra room in that area. Your decision here does have consequences – it may determine your trouser cuff decision.

Trouser Cuffs

The general rules with trouser cuffs are this – Tall men should cuff, those vertically challenged should not. Also, if you chose to go with the double pleats, you should cuff while flat fronts should never be cuffed. And now that I’ve said this, you’re wondering “What if I’m tall and thin or 5?4? and 250lbs…..according to these rules and the ones above, I’m a contradiction.”

Perhaps this is a good way to wrap this up. All of these rules, all of these laws of fashion and style, well, they are more like guides. They are paths that have worked, they are techniques that have been tested; but they are not absolutes.

Conclusion

The journey to sartorial excellence is long, yet rewarding. This article only scratches the surface of the iceberg; writers whom I admire have written multiple volumes on men’s style and clothing, and still only capture a fragment of its essence. The truth of the matter is that there are as many styles as there are men; within each of us is our own personal style, in part dictated by our physical characteristics but more importantly determined by how we see ourselves.

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Choosing Men’s Suits – A Focus on Color

September 20, 2011 by

Most men choose a suit’s color based off of two factors. 1) The salesman says the color looks good and 2) it looks like a suit he has purchased in the past. The problem here is that most men do not know what colors compliment their complexion and instead of choosing a color that enhances their looks, they choose a color that simply fits in.  The result is a closet full of suits made from the wrong fabric

The purpose of this article is to open your eyes to the world of men’s suit colors and encourage you to choose a fabric that compliments your individual style.

The Triad: Navy Blue, Black and Charcoal Gray

These three colors dominate the men’s suit industry, and for good reason. Most men are complimented by one or more of these dark colors. Dark suits have the ability to seamlessly transition from business to pleasure, in addition to a slimming effect of the silhouette. Let us talk about each color quickly

Navy Blue

Navy blues strength lies in its sheer dominance. Most men own at least one, and if you have ever walked into a business meeting you can be sure more than half the men will be clad in one. But this is its chief weakness; how can you stand out when 90% of your body looks exactly the same as over 50% of the room. We tend to forget that our clothing sends off strong signals, and if you want to be anything but average you want to present yourself as such, not always try to blend in. In addition, those with a very light complexion need to pair navy blue with rich colored shirts; a white or ice blue shirt will drain the color right from their face. Finally, young men are advised to avoid this color as that it has a habit off accentuating youth.

Black

A more difficult color to wear, it is perceived by many as the choice for funerals and weddings. No argument there; however, it is so much more for the man with the right complexion. No other color has such a slimming effect, and depending on the dress shirt it can go from regular office wear to drinks with friends at the hippest nightclubs in New York. The key to wearing black is being a high contrast individual, a man with dark hair with light to medium colored skin. The effect is a properly framed face to where all the attention is drawn.

Charcoal Gray

Charcoal gray suits projects an image of authority, stability, and professionalism. It is an excellent choice for a first suit, especially for young men as that it does accentuate youth (unlike Navy Blue). Although clearly lighter than black or navy blue when placed side by side, it nonetheless is just as acceptable at all business functions and interview situations. Possibly the most versatile color, it looks good with almost any colored shirt imaginable.

 

Colors more men should consider.

Brown

Brown ranges from a light through a deep chocolate hue. Many men look their best in earth-tones, making the brown suit an important part of their wardrobe; it is also a popular color for causal options including tweed suits and sports jackets. One caveat: until the early 1980s, brown was not considered a color for business (we can thank Ronald Reagan for their return). While the times have changed there are still some members of the old guard who continue to hold to the old rule that brown does not belong in town. This should not dissuade the well-dressed gentleman from wearing brown with confidence, but it is important to be aware.

Tan

The navy suit for warm weather, tan is an excellent choice. Less flashy than white, it none the less commands attention and can set you apart from the crowd while keeping you cool. If you live in a cold weather city, a tan suit is ideal for spring and summer while in a warmer climate it is appropriate year round. The tan suit pairs well with white, light blue, or any pale pastel shirt. Best of all, this gives you the chance to really make your dark ties stand out.

Taupe

A color that falls between gray and brown, taupe is a great choice for the man who has a couple of the basic colored suits in his wardrobe and is looking for a color out of the ordinary that still maintains a professional appearance. Great for use year round, the taupe suit is a little less dressy than a charcoal suit but more likely to draw compliments because of it’s ability to compliment a man’s finer features.

Light Gray

A great spring and summer color that doesn’t draw attention to the wearer but instead signals a suave persona confident in his own skin, light gray is an excellent choice for any complexion. Live in a warmer climate? Then light gray is appropriate year round. The light gray suit pairs well with white, light blue, and almost any pale colored shirt, although if you are light complected you may want to go with a bolder hue.

White

The Classic color of summer. You don’t have to be Tom Wolfe to stay cool and look great. White compliments all but the lightest complexions, and even then the right shirt choice can remedy that situation. The key to wearing a white suit is confidence, especially in the United States where a suit in this color is hard to come by.

Where to find all of these fabric colors? Most stores only carry a small selection of the dark colors that they can regularly sell; the good news is that several online men’s fashion houses can make you a custom suit from one of thousands of fabrics.

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Exploring Patterns in Men’s Suits & Sports Jackets

September 20, 2011 by

As one might expect, patterns are a bit more difficult than solid colors, and require more thought in their selection. As a general rule, patterns are less formal than solid colors, and so should be reserved for more relaxed occasions. The exception to this rule is the pinstripe, which in all but the most formal cases is on par with any other dark colored suit, and indeed forms an integral part of certain kinds of formalwear. The same is true of scale and constituent colors; large scale patterns are less formal than small scale ones, and bold, multicolored patterns are less formal than reserved, monochromatic ones.

Stripes
With that out of the way, the first pattern to consider is the stripe. Stripes on suits are always vertical, but come in a number of different styles. The first, foremost, and most classic is the pinstripe. A pinstriped suit, particularly a navy pinstriped suit, is an extremely traditional look, almost a uniform of sorts for the businessman. Pinstripes, as the name suggests, are very narrow though generally prominent stripes, most often in white, although gray is a not-uncommon choice, especially on dark gray or black suits. Occasionally one will find stripes in other colors – pastels were in vogue for a time – though these suits will quickly become dated once the fad has passed. Additionally, they limit the opportunities for wear, being both informal and somewhat more difficult to match with shirt and tie. A classic, white pinstripe never goes out of style.

These, and all stripes, help to make the wearer appear taller, as they draw the face upwards, and can make a heavyset man appear thinner, by breaking up and drawing attention away from the solid midsection. This is particularly true for thin, close set stripes like the pinstripe. There are also other stripes, including the thicker chalk stripe, as an option for the gentleman’s wardrobe. These stripes, which are generally set farther apart due to their greater width, are significantly less formal than the pinstripe, and while continuing to provide the appearance of increased height, are less appropriate for large men, as they can draw attention to ones girth.

Checks
Moving on from the stripe is the check. Checks come in a number of different styles, though the best known among them is probably the plaid. Plaid in American English is synonymous with tartan, the check patterns most closely associated with Scottish clans. In British English, particularly in Scotland, plaid refers to a thick tartan cloth used both as a blanket and thrown over the shoulder when wearing a kilt. What plaid is not synonymous with is check, which describes any fabric with crossing vertical and horizontal stripes. With the exception of a legitimate Scottish tartan worn as part of a formal occasion, checks are always less formal than solids or stripes.

Glen Check
While tartans are arguably the most familiar checks to most individuals, Glen check is likely the most common for suits. This check, often called Prince of Wales check, resembles a tartan, though it is primarily monochromatic. It utilizes bands of vertical and horizontal stripes which, when viewed as a unit, create a wider check effect in the fabric. Glen check has deep associations with the country and weekend wear – having been created for use by English nobles in Scotland who lacked a family tartan – though it is appropriate for most semi-formal occasions. It may be frowned upon in certain professions with a particularly strict dress code, but should be an acceptable if not welcome divergence for most men.

Windowpane
Another check option is windowpane, a much more bold option where the stripes forming the check are far apart, creating a checkerboard effect. Full windowpane suits are not frequently found anymore, though windowpane sports jackets may appear from time to time. A heavy dose of confidence and a certain amount of panache is required to carry off this kind of daring pattern.

Herringbone and Houndstooth
A more subtle option is the herringbone, a small arrow-shaped pattern most often found in heavy woven fabrics like tweed. Herringbone, like Glen check, is an appropriate pattern for most occasions, though because it usually adorns heavy fabrics, it is most often found on winter and country suits. Similar is houndstooth, which somewhat resembles a saw-blade, a pattern far more common on sports jackets than full suits.

Bird’s Eye and Nailhead
Somewhere between solids and stripes in formality is bird’s eye or nailhead, which examined closely has the appearance of tiny dots of a lighter color on a darker background. A bird’s eye suit generally appears as a solid somewhere in between the two colors, similar to the effect of an Oxford cloth shirt. Nail-head is appropriate in any occasion where stripes would be, and can be substituted for solids on all but the most formal of occasions.

There are a number of other patterns – bolder varieties of check, diagonals, argyle, paisley, Madras – though they are not to be found on suits, at least not on suits worn by a gentleman. These are things to be considered in the realm of shirts, ties, and socks, which will be taken up in future, along with the true pattern art-form: matching two or more.

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Taking Care of your Custom Clothing (Wool)

September 20, 2011 by

Precaution should be taken when it comes time to clean your wool garments. To ensure a long life for your clothing, take the following advice to to heart.

Always
Use a professional dry cleaning service – When your clothes are dirty, use the services of a professional dry cleaner. We do not recommend dry cleaning

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Understanding the Men’s Double Breasted Suit Jacket

September 20, 2011 by

Every coat that has a collar and lapels, whether sport coat, suit jacket, or overcoat, is either single-breasted or double-breasted. The single-breasted construction is much more common, and consists of buttons on one edge and button holes on the other, meeting in a vertical line over the navel. The double-breasted coat bears symmetrical sets of buttons on each side, with the left side folding over the right to be secured by one or two of them.

Single-breasted jackets are easy to find and look good on just about everyone. Whether blazer or suit jacket, it can me made with two or three buttons, wide or narrow lapels, and high or low gorge, according to the particular needs of one’s body. For every man, there is a single-breasted configuration that is guaranteed to look handsome. For this reason, the model as it has evolved over two-hundred years today holds the center-place of men’s style.

While the double-breasted coat demands a greater investment of time and effort to acquire and wear successfully, for many men the payoff is fantastic. Since every man will own some single-breasted jackets and suits, the question of single or double-breasted is really a question of double-breasted or not. First, I shall consider its drawbacks; for those who remain undeterred I shall then recount its glories.

Reasons to Pass on a Double Breasted Jacket
With an extra layer of fabric across the front and two rows of buttons, the double-breasted jacket is enough to drown a smaller man’s frame. Those of narrow torso and shoulders will find it covers almost their entire chest, barely allowing the shirt and tie a glimpse of daylight. Neither is it friendly to short men, as its bulk can diminish height. The double-breasted suit is also more formal than the single-breasted, and is therefore less versatile. It is anachronistic over anything other than a conservative dress shirt and neck tie. It looks ridiculous unbuttoned, and must therefore always stay closed, and this combined with its double-ply front can make it uncomfortable in the heat. Finally, double-breasted suits have waned in popularity over the past half-century, and it is therefore quite difficult to find one that fits correctly.

Reasons to Choose a Double Breasted Jacket
Nevertheless, for the man who can wear it, the double-breasted suit provides a rare opportunity to don a more stylish garment without attracting undue attention. To the casual observer, a double-breasted suit differs little from a single-breasted one, but on closer examination it yields an older, more elegant look. While it is indeed hard for most men to find one that looks really superb, when custom made its length, gorge height, button stance and lapel roll may each be selected to amplify a body’s virtues and distract from any shortcomings.

The double-breasted coat always sports peak lapels, and these contribute to its superior refinement. The original style has six buttons, with two to close. While this suits tall men well, shorter men do better with a four- or six-button configuration in which only the bottom one closes (the four-button double-breasted jacket is sometimes called the “Kent,” after its supposed inventor the Duke of Kent). The long, diagonal lines of lapels rolling to below the waist gives the impression of height and downplays width. Indeed, a well-cut double-breasted jacket minimizes girth on all portly men, especially if it has broad shoulders to drape from.

The Double Breasted Suit and Accessories
The accessory rules when wearing a double-breasted suit are very similar to single-breasted suits. When it comes to neckwear, either a bow tie or neck tie can be worn. However, the presence of no neckwear whatsoever is a definite style blunder, as that the double-breasted jacket’s formality by default demands something to adorn the neck. A neckties width has always been determined by the jacket’s lapel, although with the double breasted jacket this can be difficult when the are wider than four and a half inches. Average lapel widths range from 3.375 inches to 4.25 inches, with most double-breasted coat lapels leaning towards the later. A necktie within the width range of 4 inches is always a safe bet. More important than the width of the necktie however is the tie’s knot; with 70% of the tie hidden under a buttoned jacket, the knot takes center stage. Be sure to pay attention when you compress the knot to form a strong inverted “V”. With it’s proximity so close to your face, a blunder here will surely not go unnoticed. Finally, carefully choose a pocket handkerchief that conveys the message you wish to send. With little shirt and tie showing, the breast pocket handkerchief will have a stronger effect than when it is worn with a single-breasted jacket.

For men who are tall, broad-shouldered, or both, the double-breasted suit is a boon to the wardrobe. The double-breasted blazer, too, is a brilliant way to do causal with flair. While every man will own and wear single-breasted jackets, going double-breasted provides a special opportunity to broaden one’s sartorial horizons without straying from tradition.

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