A GAME OF LAPELS
I like pastry.
I’m fairly guaranteed to be seen every morning with a Pain au Chocolat in hand, to accompany my non negotiable coffee, provided the 36 year old waistline I’m nurturing is being kept in check regularly at the gym.
Pastry is a detail’s driven business, much like menswear.
When it comes to jackets, you can’t forget to get the details right, especially when it comes to lapels. In this guide, I’ll give you the highlights on the different lapel types, via the beauty of pastry, so you know what and when to wear.
NOTCH LAPEL:
Let's start with the notch lapel, the plain croissant of the lapels. While at first the simplicity of a croissant may seem unremarkable, on reflection this is the ultimate game of details. My baker at Birley Bakery would not consider a croissant to be ‘just a croissant’. Lamination, aeration, internal chew and slight rustiness all make for a master stroke of simplicity, unrecognisable from a pre baked petrol station pick up.
It’s a safe choice for any occasion, but it is also an opportunity to demonstrate subtle mastery. Firstly, the width of the lapel is absolutely vital. For a taller gentleman, down to the limit of 6ft such as myself the limit to the width does not exist - the wider the better. For anyone in possession of a slightly more diminutive stature, take it down a notch, but don’t go too slim. To quote, as I often do, Mr Tom Ford, “A skinny lapel always makes me think that the jacket looks poor – like someone could not afford enough fabric to make a proper lapel.” To the point, indeed.
The second consideration of a notch lapel, and one of personal preference is the ‘Gorge’ - the joining line where the longer knife like blade of the lapel meets the collar of the lapel. Personally, I love a high Gorge level with my shoulders. Coupled with a broader width his accentuates the breadth of my shoulders and chest, giving balance to a long, bean-like figure. A low Gorge shouldn’t be dismissed however. During the 90’s a boxier more relaxed and less tailored silhouette demanded a more relaxed approach to the Gorge of a notch lapel. The look has been perfected by overlords of the oversize look; The Frankie Shop. While a little too disproportionate for my frame, the overall look with a more wider trouser can look impossibly luxurious, especially when worn in the cafe’s of Florence, Tortona in Milan or Fulham Sands End…
Wear this when: you’ve got a casual lunch, a stylish dinner, first dates. A great option if you’re medium build 6”ft or less.
PEAK LAPEL
Switching things up a touch, the peak lapel is the Pain au Chocolat of lapels - in principle similar to the notch, but with the naughtiness added in. A peak lapel is sharp & eye-catching but artistically elegant when executed best. The peak lapel experienced a significant reinstatement in culture in the late naughties after Tom Ford decided the minimalism of Helmut Lang’s 90’s had enough airtime. The “Suit and Tie” era receded while streetwear had its rightful moment, but in a post Abloh world, the new rules of luxury are looking at the peak lapel once again for a little fun in formality.
The peak lapel is my go to style of lapel for a jacket, and most often in a double breasted arrangement, for its chest accentuating properties. The peak of the lapel adds an extra touch of width to the eye, slicing a skyward line of glorious elegance upward of the shoulders. If you put any effort into back day at the gym, this lapel knows what you’re trying to do and will assist with the gains.
The peak lapel is also a great option for a formal jacket, elevating the single breasted suit to fit the occasion. Personally I would avoid a single breasted peak lapel jacket in satin (or other occasion wear fabrics) with more casual fits, the end look is a little nonsensical, in an unfinished way. A silk wool mix knitted tee will suffice, but miss out on the chance to wear an impeccable formal shirt? I think not. Look at David Beckham showing up his son at the Peltz-Beckham nuptials, dressing with less formality than the groom and still outdoing him? Ultimate daddy move.
Wear this when: Elevated drinks, dinners, social events. Make sure everyone else knows to step up their game too. Perfect for taller men to broaden the shoulders.
SHAWL LAPEL
Finally, we have the shawl lapel, the “I’m not like other lapels” of lapels - the macaron of pastry. The shawl lapel is rounded so as to look like it’s trying to hug you with the sweet cradle of sophistication. A broad, rounded shawl lapel would be my preference for the moment I step out onto the altar, but don’t inform Miss English as to ruin the surprise.
Not that you should need a justification to stand apart on a black tie event - it is after all an unspoken competition, to be treated with the same intensity as a Pierce & Pierce business card comparison - but the shawl lapel originates with a healthy degree of decadence. Victorian members clubs dictated the need to wear smoking jackets as per code requirement, the smoking jacket possessed the same shawl collar, and was therefore known to be entirely separate from business dress, a mishmash of traditionalism and excess.
The shawl collar , quite simply, exists only to set you apart at a black tie event. Only ever refer to it as your black tie, do not show your hand, and dispatch the competition on revealing your armoury on occasion.
Wear this when: You need to be the star of your own show, effortlessly. Perhaps try a peak lapel if you are more robust of waist.
Ultimately, the beauty of tailoring is that details are not rules, they’re the fingerprints of your identity. While certain shapes work to trick the eye, they are there to be enjoyed for their uniqueness. So however you choose to furnish your tailoring, own the touches you love as part of who you are, part of your tapestry, just as much as I love dipping my pain au chocolat in a foamy flat white every morning.
