Style that Lasts Awhile
Written by Claire Blumenthal
Men who possess style often do not follow fashion that fades with time. To express yourself through your style means creating an identity that grows into an expression of your personality. It is therefore important that you listen carefully when your bespoke tailor guides you through the styling options for your suit to ensure that whatever you choose becomes a timeless and complete expression of yourself.
The first and foremost thing to consider is your suit's lapel. The general rule of thumb is to go with a peak lapel for a double-breasted suit and a notch lapel for a single-breasted suit. However, if you feel your personality and general appearance are such that you want to bring attention upwards to your face and shoulders, then it would be interesting to go for a peak lapel on a single breast. This will also give you a chance to test how good your bespoke tailor is at his craft, since it isn't an easy task to cut a good peak lapel on a single-breasted suit.
Unless your suit is meant for special events or occasions, it’s best to err on the safe side and opt for a slim lapel no wider than 2.75 inches. Always try to choose options that are unique and subtly different, such as angled bottom pockets, possibly with a ticket pocket. Bottom pockets that are slightly angled make you appear slimmer and signal to those in the know that your suit is custom-made, as regular suits don't offer this option. The ticket pocket is a small pocket on top of your right bottom pocket. In the early days, this pocket was used for opera tickets, since they were long and slim and did not fit in any other pocket. Today, it is used just as a style statement to set your suit apart.
Another unique option is to have the buttonholes on your sleeves functional, so you can leave the first or second one undone to reinforce that your suit is bespoke. Every bespoke tailor has their special signature style on the inside of the coat. When the opportunity presents itself, go for the signature style with a contrasting lining that is bold or subtle, depending on your personality, and top it off by having your first name or your initials inside your jacket to give a sense of possession. It is also a good idea to have the first buttonhole and button thread on your sleeve in the same color as your lining, so that whenever you are talking or shaking hands with people, that small, subtle detail is noticed.
Finally, it is important to have your bespoke suit convey the essence of the craft’s origins in England. Most English suits tailored on Savile Row almost always have a lapel hole, since it is well known that when Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg married Queen Victoria in 1840, he cut a hole in his lapel immediately upon being presented with a small bouquet of flowers by the Queen. He then simply put the flower in the self-cut hole on his lapel for the rest, and the whole crowd was in awe of his gentlemanly gesture. He henceforth instructed his tailor to always have a buttonhole on his lapel so he could put a flower in it whenever Queen Victoria decided to give him one. Today, every gentleman who knows this story makes sure they have a buttonhole on their lapel to remind themselves of the importance of having gentlemanly attributes as part of their style. It is this quality that makes your style last for a while.