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Men have a
lot of options out there when it comes to suit lapels, but not all suit lapels
are created
equally. For example, did you know that a shawl lapel is a more formal look? Did you even know that
there was
such a thing as a "shawl" lapel?
If the
answer is "no." then you need to brush up on your men's suiting
knowledge and learn the
difference
between the various styles of lapels and what they mean for your outfit. This
will not only
help you
make better decisions as to style and what occasion to wear what, but also will
give you
insights
into how to accentuate your best features such as your shoulders and waist.
Notch Lapel
To start, let's discuss three different types of suit lapels.
There are
notched, peaked, and shawl lapels and they are distinguished both by their
shape as well as
by how they
lay on your chest. Notched lapels get their name from the distinctive V-shape
they form
in the
break between the top portion and the rest of the lapel. As far as styling
goes, the notched
lapel is
considered the default settings, meaning it fits everywhere. From formal
business attire to
more casual
affairs, the notched lapel is easily the most versatile of the three and one
that you can't
go wrong
with in terms of selection.
Peak Lapel
Peaked
lapels are named because they extend out from the collar and create an
elongating effect on
your
shoulders, making them wider. This is great for guys who are conscious about
their shoulders as
well as
those who want to show off their V physique. The only real difference with this
lapel style is
that it is
a very formal look. You want to have some balance between the width of the
lapel and the
rest of the
suit. You don't want everything to be big, bold, and wide or you could make
yourself look
heavier
than you are. Peaked lapels take a certain kind of skill to pull off that most
of us may not have.
Given their
formal nature, you often see this style on garments like morning jackets,
tailcoats, and
dinner
jackets. One type of man that might benefit greatly from a peaked lapel are
those on the
shorter
side. Why? Because they make him appear wider and thus larger.
Shawl Lapel
Shawl
lapels are the most formal of all and actually evolved from Victorian smoking
jackets. As such,
they are
very formal and often found on tuxedos, among other jackets. It is recognizable
by its long,
unbroken
rounded edge. A feature that distinguishes shawl lapels from their more modest
cousins is
that they
are typically made from a different, shinier material such as satin. These
lapels are best for
the man
that wants to get noticed and maybe even try an edgier look. That said, shawl
lapel jackets
would look out of place at most casual events.
As far as
the size of the lapel goes, you want something that lines up with the shoulder
seam at the
top. As a
general rule of thumb, slim lapels two and half inches are great for men with
chest sizes up
to 38
inches, regular lapels of three inches are great for men with chest sizes
between 36 inches and
50 inches.
And a wider lapel size of three and half inches or more is great for chest sizes
over forty
inches.
What about
pairing a tie with your lapel?
There's
another general rule at work and that is that your lapel and tie width should
be roughly the
same. This
isn't a hard and fast rule but it's a good one. If there's a slight difference
between the two,
no one will
really notice though we do recommend you try to keep the tie slimmer than the
lapel never
wider than the lapel. It just looks awkward.
And there
you have it: Everything you need to know about men's suits and lapel styles.
Hopefully the
next time
you pick out a suit for you, you will choose the style