Wide lapels or skinny lapels?

[redlinerobert]

What do you prefer? I, for one, can not and will not wear skinny lapels. I don't think they're very flattering on me. Not a fan of the skinny tie or the tiny shirt collars either.

 

[Wesslyn]

Depends. I like late 50s/60s skinny lapels. I think they're very "clean" looking. But obviously wide lapels, especially peak lapels rule.

 

[scottyrocks]

With me it's not the width of the lapels, but the length. I prefer a jacket with shorter lapels that looks correct with a (usually contrasting) waistcoast underneath.

 

[Zoukatron]

The modern fashion for very skinny lapels, skinny ties and tiny collars definitely gets the thumbs down from me. Rather than saying that I like wide lapels though, I will say that I like a lapel which, at its widest, is roughly half the width from where the lapels fold over to my shoulder (peaked lapels I like to be slightly wider than half). This width also generally means that if you unfold the lapels to cover up your shirt (in cold weather, say) they will line up neatly with only a little overlap like an older tunic-style jacket.

 

[redlinerobert]

I think this is perfect.

 

[Canadian]

I prefer a wider lapel, which works best with PL.

However, if a suit looks comical, the lapels don't matter. If you have great wide lapels, that's good on a city suit, but a tweed jacket with silly looking proportions is less appealing to me. I volunteer with the homeless at a mission eight times a month (2 times a week). Today there was a guy who came in in a suit. I asked him if he had a job interview and it turned out he was at a funeral. His suit was probably 80s or late 70s in era, and the lapels were so wide he looked ridiculous. It was one possibility taken to the extreme.

So yes, I prefer wide lapels, but only if it meets other standards such as proper jacket length, placement of buttons and where you plan to wear it.

I have yet to find a seersucker jacket with wide lapels that I really like. I think it might depend on a city suit being naturally more traditional than a regular suit.

C.

 

[redlinerobert]

The suit has to fit the individual. In other words, wear the suit, don't let the suit wear you.

 

[MondoFW]

Depends. I like late 50s/60s skinny lapels. I think they're very "clean" looking.

I disagree, and am disappointed with the conservative turn fashion took in the latter half of the 50's and throughout the 60's. I preferred the accentuation of the waist with the jacket cuts, which earlier styles did nicely. And the ultra-skinny tie and lapel thing was laughable. To be more direct with the OP, I always liked how powerful the wide lapels made the wearer look. One notable exception is the mid-40's tuxedos fad where the jackets would have REALLY low lapels.
Exhibit A:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/vtg-1940s-...800185?hash=item5b3a93f9b9:g:SmwAAOSwrhBZDi1b

 

[redlinerobert]

I think this is absolutely perfect.

 

[MeachamLake]

The wider the better - I love wide lapels, notched and peaked. A wide shawl collar tuxedo looks fantastic too.

Being bigger, I find wider lapels suit me infinitely more than any of the current skinny trends. I was hoping that Tom Ford's influence on current fashion - i.e. wide peak lapels - would trickle down to more mainstream brands, but it hasn't done yet.

 

[Mathematicus]

Much of the look of a lapel is given by the angle and vertical placement of the gorge. Width is only an aspect and, I would also say, sometimes it is secondary.

With that said, I usually prefer an average lapel, 3.75 at its widest. Peak lapels have to be slightly wider, of course. I like skinny lapels as well, but only if they are well well cut (i.e. with a nice roll and with a pleasantly wide angle). The lapels of the 50s and 60s are usually well cut, while the trendy ones of today looks like they were chopped down.
I don't like overly wide lapels and I really loathe wide lapels with high gorge or narrow notch.
Another aspect is the curve of the lapel's outer edge. I prefer it very slightly bellied, not too curved. Changing this parameter even so slightly would alter dramatically the look.

 

[MeachamLake]

Some lapels I like...

B&Tailor do some absolutely exquisite stuff - very Neapolitan, but with their own touch. I love the softness of the construction and lapel roll combined with a quite hard, straight edge and gorge angle. Looks sensational to my eyes.

Tom Ford's Shelton/Windsor block has superb proportions as well. Most of the finer technical details here were ripped straight from Anderson & Sheppard, but Ford altered a few aspects - slightly stronger shoulder, slightly less belly to the lapel, barchetta breast pocket etc. I think the result is superb, and certainly the antithesis to the whole skinny suit trend that's been going on forever. I blame Hedi Slimane!

 

[redlinerobert]

I have a few pieces from Tom Ford while he was at Gucci. The wide lapels are timeless. Although his name brand is very nice, I'd rather go bespoke than buy another of his suits. I have a very dark grey Windsor three piece shark skin suit. Although it's well made, for a bit less I'm getting a custom Beckett and Robb.