How to choose and wear a double-breasted suit?

Ermenegildo Zegna

I've been watching the runways in Milan this last week for Spring 13 collections and one of the styles that stood out for me across the board was the double breasted jacket/suit. As expected on the runways, it wasn't shown just as the classic conservative version, but was shown done in bright colors and different fabric and patterns which added a lot of fun to break away from the formal and dressy. So i thought just in case you will get inspired for next spring, here are few style tips to help you get the right double breasted jacket...

Gucci

Ports 1961

1. Fitted and tailored - double breasted jacket is one that MUST be tailored to your waist and torso, otherwise it will look bad. when wearing a one or two button jacket you can get away with a bit of a looser fit but similar to a 3 button jacket the double breasted has to hug your body and be fitted. Generally speaking the double breasted looks best on men of medium or tall build.
2. Picked lapels - this is the classic on a double breast jacket, the peak lapels accentuates the shoulders and work nicer with the natural style of the jacket. you can still mix the classic and new by choosing picked lapel that are just thinner rather than the classic wide ones.
3. Four buttons or more - to highlight the fit of the jacket choose a jacket that has at least a four-button closure, meaning two rows of two buttons (make sure to have one additional closure button on the inside of the jacket). This way the neck opening of the jacket is smaller which will make the it more fitted and trimmer. keep in mind that even when you have a six button jacket keep the to two unbuttoned otherwise it will look outdated. stay away from two buttons jacket, it will look too 80's and more like a robe than a tailored jacket.

Milan Menswear Fall 2011 - Burberry Prorsum

I was actually watching this show live on TheAbsoluteman...Thank you guys, i think you can still watch it if you are interested.
Christopher Bailey sent a very colorful message for next fall! According to him his intention was purely to celebrate the coat in this collection and he did an AWESOME job doing it, sending out a coat after coat in vibrant colors or bold check patterns with a strong 60's inspiration. There were tailored single or double breasted wool car coats, an awesome down puffy yellow coat, colorful rain coats. herringbone tailored coats with fur collars and shearling coats indeed a coat celebration! I personally liked the more tailored fitted coats rather than the 60's like, boxier coat silhouettes although i will admit the colors are a big standout...hmm it might be my time for colored coat...

Findings - Burberry wool military coat

Military wool coat with button cuffs from Burberry

WHY: How can you say no to a coat like that??? I don't think i consider that a coat...this is ART WORK! When i posted about Burberry about a year ago i was drooling about the coats Christopher Bailey showed for this fall, so finally they are available and more so they are all on SALE! (needless to say they are still not the cheapest thing around and which is very understandable after taking one quick look at this coat...The fit of this coat is just amazing!, they way its being crafted and tailored is incredible...this is a lesson in how a coat should fit. In all honesty if i would to get this coat i would probably be afraid to wear it not to damage it. A coat like that holds a look by itself everything else you would wear with it has to be subtle and clean to leave the stage this piece of art. Yes the cuffs are not functional and i would assume they are probably quite heavy and i could do with out them and i to....

INFO: Double breasted pressed wool military jacket with cuffs embellished with multiple branded buttons. Epaulettes, long buttonable back inverted pleat and half belt. Hook and eye closure at collar, two oversize patch pockets and two interior welt pockets. Wool, Branded sateen lining, 39 1/2" long, Dry clean, Made in Italy.
WHERE: Burberry 
PRICE:  On sale for $2249 instead from $3195

The Trench Coat

Simon Spurr spring

Looking at the collections for spring 2011 that were presented last week in the NY fashion week there was one item that was shown by almost every designer - The Trench Coat!

A bit of history: The Invention of the trench coat is claimed by both Burberry and Aquascutum. Aquascutum's claim dating back to the 1850s, but Thomas Burberry (who was the inventor of the gabardine fabric), submitted a trench coat design for an army officer's raincoat to the United Kingdom War Office in 1901 where it all really began. A typical trench coat by this period was a ten-buttoned, double-breasted long coat (usually is knee-length) with cuff straps on the raglan sleeves, shoulder straps and a belt. Made in tan, khaki, beige, or black waterproof heavy-duty cotton drill or poplin, wool gabardine, or leather. Had generally a removable insulated lining; and was typically worn as a windbreaker or as

Gingham shirt - A must have for spring

After the spring decided to take a break from us last week, it's back and I can now get into SPRING MODE once again!..... next to check on my spring wardrobe's list is....a GINGHAM shirt! Gingham is a classic pattern that looks like plaid and universally recognizable, although.... not always in clothing. You all saw it before as the table cloth in your favorite little Italian restaurant or used it as the romantic mode setter cloth in a picnic.... like the one you planed for you and your sweetheart on your second date....I always liked the look of gingham  and actually today while browsing at Mood for some fabric findings i found this navy and cream canvas fabric that soon enough will form into a nice summer pants....I'll post it up once its done.....In the meantime i made this purple gingham shirt on top to cover my spring cravings.....
Generally gingham associated with a masculine, casual look such as in western shirts, or as the shirts Mods (British teenagers in the 1960s) wore (like the Ben Sherman shirt below), but if used right gingham can also add depth and sophistication to your wardrobe. The gingham shirting fabric is very comfortable to wear and due to the way its weaved is generally easy to clean (also because of the pattern being busy little spots are not as noticeable). 

Above: Paul Smith, Ben Sherman

Gingham shirts are fun...whatever your personal style is, you can find a gingham shirt to match it! The variety of colors and pattern sizes are wide and you can be as adventures or conservative as your heart desires.  As always keep in mind that

Designer of the week - week two Burberry/Christopher Bailey

Milan Men's fashion week for the Autumn/winter 2010-2011 season ended on Tuesday. I was browsing through the collections on the GQ site while contemplating who should be this week's designer of the week???? it all than clicked as i watched the Burberry Prorsum show with the amazing outwear pieces! A category that in my opinion, is the house's best and as a matter of fact the one that this British (i don't mean to brain wash you with Briticism.....) legendary, luxury fashion house was build around in 1856 by Thomas Burberry . Piece of info: Not a lot of people know but in 1881 Burberry invented Gabardine - a water-resistant and breathable fabric, in which the yarn is waterproofed before weaving and that is used to make suits, trousers and overcoats. Although that by itself is a great contribution to fashion and definitely one to be known for, its distinctive trademarks are: The tartan pattern in black, tan, and red (known as haymarket check or the "Burberry classic check") that was widely copied, and the Trench coat! In 1914 Burberry was commissioned by the war office to redesign it's officer coat and that resulted in the trench coat which in 1920 was lined with the famous iconic tartan print and the rest is history..... (check out The art of the trench coat).
During the 1970s, the brand became popular with the British football (soccer, which is my favorite sport for those of you out there who don't know me....) casual cult, leading to it being associated with hooliganism by the 1990s. In 1998 The Burberry Prorsum (meaning forwards in Latin) ready-to-wear collection was launched, introducing a youthful and sexy image of the Burberry conservative, quintessential Briticism. This major resurgence was elevated in may 2001 when Christopher Bailey (who is currently the chief creative director) joined Burberry and transformed the fortunes of the company. Christopher was faced with the challenge of forging a hip and fashion-forward identity for an old British company. He was able to successfully merge Burberry's venerable English heritage with the punky vibe of London street fashion! And to that I say......Hallelujah!!!
oh.....and on the way he grabbed few British designer of the year awards as well....
Going back to Milan fashion week....it was all about heritage and simplicity (apparently there are some advantages to the global financial meltdown....), and Burberry did it best with artfully crafted wool overcoats that took over the whole look ...at times Hulking and blanket-y and at times fitted and smartly simple, all seasoned with a touch of Russian, militant feel! Craftsmanship in it's best.
I tend specifically to not write about future seasons because we live in the NOW, but this one i just couldn't resist... so the bad news are that all the beautiful overcoats below are available only a year from now, but the good news are that for those of us who can't afford them we have a year to work hard and save for them......




Pics by GQ