Unlike popular belief, lapels are not a mere aesthetic addition to your suit. They are far more than that. A wrong kind of lapel or lapel stitch can quickly make even a decent men’s suit a blasphemy. Let’s talk about these folds of your jacket, what their types are and what each type of lapel brings to the table.

Take It Up a “Notch”

As the name suggests, the Notch lapel is identified with the notch at the upper side of your lapel, where the collar meets the lapel. This is the most popular suit lapel and it has reasons to be so. This suits men of any physique and stature. Additionally, it also goes well with most types of men’s suits, whether it’s a blazer, a single-breasted suit, a men’s wedding suit or a sports suit.

Apart from these, the notch lapel suits also fit in a variety of occasions: casual events, formal events and even weddings.

Point It to the “Peak”

The peaked lapel or the pointed lapel is our favourite. This lapel characterises a pointed edge at the place where it meets the collar. The peaked lapel suits are the more formal brothers of the notched lapel ones. Hence, they are ideal to wear in formal events like formal office parties, weddings and black tie events.

The peaked lapel imparts an air of sophistication and savviness to your look. Since this lapel is a little tricky to stitch, hence it costs a little more but it is definitely worth it.

“Wrap” It Up

The last but definitely not the least is the shawl lapel. As the name suggests, this kind of lapel acts as a shawl and “wraps” your suit in the form of a sweeping curve. This type of lapel has a limited usage, since it is restricted to tuxedos and dinner jackets. 

Our Tip

When it comes to deciding the width of your lapel, it’s best to leave it with your tailor, as each individual has a different body type and frame. You wouldn’t want your lapel to overpower your suit and vice versa. The lapel should neither be too wide nor too narrow. 

Ideally, the width of the lapel is considered directly proportional to your body frame. Despite this, it hardly exceeds the range of 2-3.5 inches.

Let Bentex help you with getting a quality bespoke suit, customised to your needs. You are always welcome to visit us at Castle Hill or CBD.