Suits

By: Chidinma Promise

Hello fashionable, it’s the end of a beautiful new week in September and in this week’s article we’re going to delve into the world of suits; the various types and befitting aesthetics for all gender.

Suits started out as a traditional form of men’s formal clothing in the western world. It is popularly made of matching fabrics; jacket, waist coat and blazers. First in appearance in the royal court house in the 17th century, the garment has been in and out of fashion from the age of regency up until the post-war. We can boldly say, its ever-growing popularity in the fashion industry is well deserved.

The current existing types of suits can be generally classified into two; the two-piece suit is regularly worn by men, entails just an inner shirt and a suit jacket/blazer with matching pants. The second major classification is the three-piece suit which entails a blazer/jacket, a matching blazer and formal trouser.However, these two major types are further classified into styles which include:

Single Breasted suit: Easily identified by the placement of 1-3 buttons placed straight-line order along the along the seam: By virtue of the single row of buttons, a single-breasted suit usually reveals a narrower and tighter appearance.

Double breasted suit: In contrast to the single-breasted type of men’s suit includes additional buttons on either side of the jacket for aesthetic purposes. As a result of the extra button row, the focal point drifts from the seam to the sides which creates the illusion of a wider frame. This style of suit was originally relegated to formal events, it is strongly working its way into red carpet events, dinner and brunch gatherings and even wedding events.

Notch Lapel: Arguably the most popular style of the Lapel suit, the notch lapel also known as the tuxedo is defined by a visible indent at the spot where the collar meets the lapel. It is fitting for the boardroom, red carpet events and formal dinner gatherings.

Shawl Lapel: This is majorly a formal style of suit type, identified by it’s polished neckline detailing, this is a go to form of suit for your everyday male working a white collared 9am-5am job.

Peak Lapel: A stylish upgrade from the notch lapel, the peak lapel has top lapel edges facing upward at the sharp angles immediately below the collar. It is most commonly found only in double-breasted suits and thereby a frequent wear at formal events.

Similar suit type traits (two-piece suit and three-piece suit) are attributed to the females although, in style, they are diverse. two major female suit styles include: Notch-Lapel suit and Shawl Lapel suit which can be made into a pant suit, dress suit or skirt suit.