Fast Fashion Rules: Double Breasted
Double breasted is the new favorite of the men’s fashion set, appearing on runways from Milan to Melbourne. While it can hardly be expected to replace the standard single breast style as the day-to-day option, its unusual details and silhouette give it a unique appeal.
Everyone agrees: it’s a whole other look from the single-breasted convention. Folks used to the old execution of suits might have some difficulty with handling the new take on the traditional design. Here are a few rules to wearing the classic while keeping it in 2011.
Keep It Classic
Part of the appeal of the double breasted jacket is its references to 1920’s Americana, a nod to everything great about a Boardwalk Empire-era United States. Keeping to that tradition is crucial to bringing out the best in your double breasted jacket.
Stick to today’s tailoring conventions: shoulder seams that sit on your own shoulders, a hem that hits your own seat and sleeves that reveal about an inch of cuff. It’s the slimmed down aesthetic that updates the DB for 2011. While the original designs were loose and baggy for a variety of reasons (including status, for when wartime fabric was scarce), the modern style is all about dressing to flatter your figure.
One of the most notable features of the DB style is its ability to give you a strong, defined chest. Do this by requesting for a jacket with a wider, defined chest and a trimmer waist. The difference doesn’t have to be very much, but the contrast tends to create that ideal masculine inverted V figure in a way that few other fashions for men can.
Balance It Out
The DB can be a very commanding style with its strong shoulders and wide lapels. It’s important that the rest of your outfit doesn’t fade into the background, or else they’ll look misplaced next to the magnitude of your jacket.
Narrow neckties, for example, usually aren’t a good idea with most DB jackets. Slim to regular width neckties done in a heftier knot are better matches because they stand their own ground with the rest of the outfit. Similarly, feel free to experiment with larger prints on your shirt; the size will look just in scale with the magnitude of double breasted styles.
Dress It Down
Although DB jackets were meant primarily for formal outfits, they also have versatility in spades. It’s a very simple matter to tweak a double-breasted style for casual use, with the added bonus of injecting a quirky, SoHo-esque attitude to your outfit.
The easiest and quickest style swap involves replacing shirt, necktie and trousers with a plain white tee and jeans. Throw in a pair of sneakers and you have an ensemble ready for a nice lunch, preferably somewhere with a Hollywood zip code. Wear a bold shirt and dark wash slim jeans, and then roll up the sleeves for a configuration that can go for a fun night out on the town.
Attitude is always the most important element if you’re going to dress down a DB jacket. Remember, what you’re wearing as a casual piece used to be the height of men’s fashion. Throw in cheeky touches like a graphic tee or a few colorful woven bracelets. The point is to add fun and personal flavor to a style that used to be so fusty and uptight.
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