Ideal lapel size on a double breasted jacket

[panegyrical]

I’m having a double breasted suit made by Edit Suits and I’m quite unsure sbout the lapel size, so thought I’d gauge the view of others.

I’ve read other similar discussions on the forum and the sizing doesn’t seem to match up and so I don't think that Edit Suite are referring to it in the same way as others conventionally do. The options that they give for peaked lapels are the regular sizing which is described as being 7.6cm and then the wide lapel at 8.9cm for which the description is that “the wide peaked lapel is the boldest choice amongst the lapels and the right choice for a flashier look that makes a statement”.

That description makes it sound like the wide lapel would be more of a trendy than a classic look and I also don’t think that I want to “make a statement” really. What are your views on the merits of these choices and what people usually go for?

 

[TheIronDandy]

It depends.

Generally, "middle of the road" is the safe bet, somewhere around 3,5 inches. Give or take maybe half an inch.

But that's just one factor. How the rest of the suit is cut will also play in; if you have an extended shoulder with some roping, I find going with slightly wider lapels are usually better. Double breasted suits also have some more leeway for wider lapels, and likewise can look very odd if cut with slim lapels.

Your body also factors in: I have a friend who is of similar height as I am, but with a much more slender build: on him, 4 inch lapels look bold. On me, 4 inch look balanced, and I go for 4.5 if I want to make a statement.

I personally would consider 8,9cm (just about 3.5") to be the bare minimum for a DB suit. But that's my personal preferences based on the cut I prefer and my body type. Your milage, as always, may vary.

 

[panegyrical]

Thank you - that is very helpful. Your view that 8.9cm is the bare minimum is interesting. It’s quite an expensive outlay for me and so I want this to be classically cut, not outrageous, and therefore have some longevity (ie not be “too trendy”).

Sounds like your instinct is to go for the wider lapel then if it was you then.

Of course, YMMV but I suppose my concern is that I want to make sure that I have a nice suit rather than an unusual suit!

 

[DorianGreen]

Thank you - that is very helpful. Your view that 8.9cm is the bare minimum is interesting. It’s quite an expensive outlay for me and so I want this to be classically cut, not outrageous, and therefore have some longevity (ie not be “too trendy”).

Sounds like your instinct is to go for the wider lapel then if it was you then.

Of course, YMMV but I suppose my concern is that I want to make sure that I have a nice suit rather than an unusual suit!

Well, I think that it's more a matter of personal preference rather than a choice between classic and eccentric (too bold), and to be honest the sizing they offer is very conservative, to say the least, and 7,5cm is way too skimpy for my taste. You may also consider that a double breasted jacket traditionally has wider lapels.

Here you see the same gentleman wearing suits with differently sized lapels, both look good and classic (I prefer the wider ones), it's just up to you to choose one or the other, or something in between.

 

[panegyrical]

I expect that you don’t know for certain, but what kind of ballpark widths do you think those lapels are in the two photos you sent?

Both do look amazing, of course!

 

[DorianGreen]

I expect that you don’t know for certain, but what kind of ballpark widths do you think those lapels are in the two photos you sent?

Both do look amazing, of course!

Unfortunately I don't know the width, but would guess around 14 (even more) and 10cm.

 

[TheIronDandy]

Well, I think that it's more a matter of personal preference rather than a choice between classic and eccentric (too bold), and to be honest the sizing they offer is very conservative, to say the least, and 7,5cm is way too skimpy for my taste. You may also consider that a double breasted jacket traditionally has wider lapels.

Here you see the same gentleman wearing suits with differently sized lapels, both look good and classic (I prefer the wider ones), it's just up to you to choose one or the other, or something in between.

View attachment 2292205 View attachment 2292207

In all fairness, @UrbanComposition has the superpower to look cool in almost anything. While I like those wide lapels, it's not something I'd suggest for mere mortals.

I took a look at Edit Suits homepage, and it seems like their suits are very much on the "slim, Italian-style suits" with slimmer lapels, high buttoning points and lower rise trousers. That doesn't have to be a bad thing if you like that style, but that's a look quite different from what most people on these forums would suggest (and it's funny since ES claims they're the UKs "premier suit tailor, specialising in business suits - their look is NOT a classic English business suit, and they would have to be pretty creative with their interpretation of "premier" considering that the UK is home to a significant part of the worlds bespoke tailoring houses) . I personally think that for a DB suit, their lapels are on the slimmer side. For a single breasted suit, the widest lapels just about work if you're not too broad-chested.

@panegyrical based on what you said about wanting a classically cut suit, I don't know if the Edit Suits cut is really what you're looking for. They're still cutting according to a rather extreme trend of slim, short suits. Granted, that trend lasted over 10 years, but it was still extreme considering how suits have traditionally been cut.

There's really no such thing as a "timeless" cut for a suit: suits in the 90s were cut differently from suits in the 60, which were different from suits in the 30s. But the closest you will get to timeless is cut in moderation: not too roomy or slim, not too short or too long.

 

[DorianGreen]

Thank you - that is very helpful. Your view that 8.9cm is the bare minimum is interesting. It’s quite an expensive outlay for me and so I want this to be classically cut, not outrageous, and therefore have some longevity (ie not be “too trendy”).

Sounds like your instinct is to go for the wider lapel then if it was you then.

Of course, YMMV but I suppose my concern is that I want to make sure that I have a nice suit rather than an unusual suit!

If you want to have a more precise opinion of what you like and better works for you, and furthermore developing your own aesthetic taste, you could go into a clothing store and try on different garments and see what is more attractive and flattering.

Given that the offering from that producer is so limited, I would also consider other options.

 

[othertravel]

I’m having a double breasted suit made by Edit Suits and I’m quite unsure sbout the lapel size, so thought I’d gauge the view of others.

I’ve read other similar discussions on the forum and the sizing doesn’t seem to match up and so I don't think that Edit Suite are referring to it in the same way as others conventionally do. The options that they give for peaked lapels are the regular sizing which is described as being 7.6cm and then the wide lapel at 8.9cm for which the description is that “the wide peaked lapel is the boldest choice amongst the lapels and the right choice for a flashier look that makes a statement”.

That description makes it sound like the wide lapel would be more of a trendy than a classic look and I also don’t think that I want to “make a statement” really. What are your views on the merits of these choices and what people usually go for?

What's your budget?
Spier and Mackay might be a better bet:

Double-Breasted | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

 

[Despos]

Another way to look at this is not to approach lapel width as a stying choice or a preference but as architecture. Is the shape, size and width in harmony and balance with the jacket as a whole. Balanced proportions are what create classic looks.
You wouldn’t choose doors or windows that weren’t sized properly to scale of the entire structure.
Have only ever made DB lapels less that 4” a couple times and they were on smaller jackets, 38” chest or smaller. Have gone as wide as 5.5” on a larger size and they looked right in relation to the entire garment.

 

[panegyrical]

What's your budget?
Spier and Mackay might be a better bet:

Double-Breasted | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

They look great, but don’t seem to have any presence in the UK.

 

[othertravel]

But they ship to the UK.

 

[Camerashy]

But they ship to the UK.

Have you bought from them and, if so, what duty/taxes did you have to pay please

 

[Andy57]

You could go full Edward Sexton:

Or a little more moderate:

Both these jackets are 4x1 configurations. If you are going to use a more standard 4x2 or 6x2, the buttoning point will be higher, which will mean that your lapel width will probably have to be a little narrower as there will be less "sweep". But, personally, I wouldn't go narrower than 4 inches.