Lapel positioning

vncrz · Mar 9, 2010

I recently realized, though in hindsight it seems patently obvious, why some wider lapeled jackets, all else constant, look very appealing and others horrible to my eyes. As the pics below show, the difference is how high the lapel rides up to. In the top pic, the widest part of the label is roughly in line with the shoulders and the shirt collar, while it reaches considerably lower in the bottom pic.

Any name for this, and are they endemic to any particular style?

bigbris1 · Mar 9, 2010

It's high gorge/low gorge.

I personally prefer a higher gorge and the main thing I look for is that it is at least perpendicular with the shoulder line.

DocHolliday · Mar 9, 2010

High gorges are the big fad right now.

bigbris1 · Mar 9, 2010

IMHO a low gorge never looks good. I will always wear higher gorges and have passed on many suits because of low gorges.

DocHolliday · Mar 9, 2010

I've passed on some myself. But I've passed on others because the gorge was too high.

Too low or too high, both look silly and will eventually date.

texas_jack · Mar 9, 2010

I like normal gorges.

niidawg3 · Mar 9, 2010

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

I've passed on some myself. But I've passed on others because the gorge was too high.

Too low or too high, both look silly and will eventually date.

Gospel.

HitMan009 · Mar 9, 2010

Is this where the term "top notch" comes from?

The reason why most RTW suits have lower gorges is to allow for men with bigger chest. The bigger the chest, the higher the gorge would appear on the wearer. So to accommodate this, gorges have to be a bit lower on RTW. A high gorge is definitely better in most cases but not to some of the ridiculous extremes that fashion has taken things to.

vncrz · Mar 9, 2010

So THAT's what gorge meant; I'd seen the term thrown around in WAYWRN but was unaware of its meaning.

jo-fu · Mar 9, 2010

it looks gorges!

(sorry, too easy)

TheWraith · Mar 9, 2010

Originally Posted by bigbris1

IMHO a low gorge never looks good. I will always wear higher gorges and have passed on many suits because of low gorges.

+1, but I also agree with Doc, you can also go too high. It's a fine line, but looks great when you get it right (ie. to your own personal preferences).

bigbris1 · Mar 9, 2010

When you're 6' 4" anything will appear to be a high gorge to the average person. That said, I prefer a high gorge to a low one and when I see men in suits with the latter I immediately think, "dated suit". A higher gorge will always look sharper than a lower one. Screw fads.

TheWraith · Mar 9, 2010

Originally Posted by bigbris1

When you're 6' 4" anything will appear to be a high gorge to the average person. That said, I prefer a high gorge to a low one and when I see men in suits with the latter I immediately think, "dated suit". A higher gorge will always look sharper than a lower one. Screw fads.

+1

mack11211 · Mar 9, 2010

Ithaca FTW!

DocHolliday · Mar 9, 2010

Originally Posted by bigbris1

When you're 6' 4" anything will appear to be a high gorge to the average person. That said, I prefer a high gorge to a low one and when I see men in suits with the latter I immediately think, "dated suit". A higher gorge will always look sharper than a lower one. Screw fads.

You think the dudes in the '80s thought the same thing, only in reverse?

Lapel positioning

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