Suit Jackets

Some of the most stylish items in any man or woman’s wardrobe are suit jackets. A suit jacket can come in a variety of colors or fabrics, including linen, wool, tweed, or flannel. A man’s suit jackets generally go with matching pairs of trousers, while women wear theirs with coordinating pants or skirts.

Wearing suit jackets is not as simple as it sounds, however. Over the years, a certain etiquette has developed with regard to when one wears a jacket and also how it is buttoned. For example, if you were about to go for a job interview, you would probably put on a suit jacket rather than turn up in your shirtsleeves, to give an impression of respectability and professionalism. However, once you are accepted for the job, your mode of dress may change once again. Until the 1990s, standard office dress was a suit. But as many workplaces became more egalitarian and trendy, people left their suit jackets at home. However, if you are a lawyer or in upper-level management, you are probably still likely to wear your suit jacket at work.

The cut of your suit jacket also varies according to the occasion. Suit jackets with tails used to be very popular – along with top hats – but these are now more or less out of style unless you are a student of Eton College, one of England’s most famous public schools. For going to your job interview (see above), you will probably wear an informal suit jacket, but if you are about to get married you will probably put on your best tuxedo.

Once you have decided which suit jacket to wear, another issue that is very important to resolve is whether you should leave it open or buttoned up. If you are wearing a double-breasted suit jacket, it should always be buttoned up. In this case, if there is more than one button, you may either fasten only the top button, or the bottom button – a style favored by Prince George, Duke of Kent. If you like wearing single-breasted suit jackets, on the other hand, the choice is yours. However, if there is more than one button, it is commonly accepted that the bottom button is left unfastened. Some believe that a single-breasted suit jacket should be left unfastened when sitting but should always be buttoned up when standing.

Whichever types of suit jackets you choose, you should know that you are probably in the vanguard of fashion. In fact, suits have come in and out of style quite often in recent years. For example, in the 1980s, corporate women were often seen wearing “power suits” – composed of a suit jacket with large shoulder pads and a miniskirt, usually pinstriped, in an almost masculine style. However, with the “caring” nineties, these went out of fashion as corporate women became more secure in the workplace and could start dressing in a more feminine style. Today, suits are coming back into style for women, but in a softer, less aggressive style – and without the shoulder pads.

For any man or woman, choosing the right suit jackets can build their entire image, and if worn in the right way, can project an air of class, professionalism, and chic.