The Double Breasted Suit for Everyday Life
The double breasted suit is nothing new in men’s fashion. In fact, it first became popular in the 1930s, and remained a popular suit cut until the late 1950s when slimmer fitting single breasted suits started taking over. When thinking about the “early” double breasted suits, pictures of Al Capone’s pin striped, double breasted suit with pronounced peak lapels come to mind.
Not until the 1980s did the double breasted suit come back into fashion, and by the mid 1990s did it, once again, vanish from designers’ mens collections. It was not until recently that the double breasted suit cut made it back into the limelight of men’s fashion. Tom Hanks, for instance, decided on a double breasted tuxedo during this year’s Oscar nomination, and earlier in 2011 did celebrities like David Beckham, Ryan Gosling, and Tom Cruise occasionally opt for the modern-cut double breasted suit.
You don’t have to be a celebrity to wear a double breasted suit. What matters most is a good fit and classic colors. Charcoals, navy, and midnight blue will be your best options. Preferred are patternless fabrics (or very subtle pattern contrasts) over pin stripes or checks. Medium width peak lapels are usually more stylish than notch lapels, and pants should be pleat-less (straight cut) without cuffs. Last but not least, proper jacket length is very important. All to often do we see double breasted jackets that are too long – making them appear boxy and un-stylish. As a good rule of thumb: the jacket should not extent past your hands’ knuckles when standing with your arms hanging down straight.
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