Wide vs Skinny Lapel

Superfluous · Jul 19, 2011

Assuming you couldn't have a standard width lapel on a suit/sport coat, would you rather go with a skinny or a wide lapel?

Personally, I hate skinny lapels and kinda like wide lapels, thoughts?

David Reeves · Jul 19, 2011

uhm, wide. I may have said narrow about 5 years ago though.

Gdot · Jul 19, 2011

Wide is certainly the up and coming trend. If for no reason than nearly everybody now owns a skinny lapel suit and the fashion industry must create demand for new garments. Thus lapels will be widening without fail in the next few years - mark my words.

Other than that it is largely a matter of what is right for your particular build/body. A tall thin man, or a stocky built man tends to look good in very wide lapels. Shorter men of normal to slighter build tend to look better with smaller lapels. (In general)

I personally like a really wide (like 1940's wide) FU lapel most - but don't wear them as I'm not a big guy.

In any case - the current skinny lapel look is doomed as all style trends are doomed from the moment they begin - that is their very nature.

tobiasj · Jul 19, 2011

Well, it's interesting: in my pre-SF days (six months ago; I'm a newb) I would've answered this question according to current fashions. Now I'm inclined to think about what best suits my particular body. I'm a skinny guy (36 jacket), medium height, but I've got a big head, so a little collar and skinny lapels just make me look even more like a chupa chup (sorry, Australian reference?). I need bigger shirt collars and wider lapels to balance out that area of my body.

Like the last poster said: fashions will change. Find out what suits you and stick to it in order to win.

JayJay · Jul 19, 2011

If this question was asked in 2007 up until 2009, then I would have answered narrow. Now my answer is wide.

TheTukker · Jul 19, 2011

Gdot said:
...Other than that it is largely a matter of what is right for your particular build/body. ...

This; it's really about the right proportions.

RSS · Jul 19, 2011

I'd prefer to go wide if I can't have 'just right.'

I have one great old Chester Barrie coat from way back in the 70s ... and the lapel is far too wide. That said, the cloth and colorway are so outstanding that I wear it anyway as a 'knock around' coat.

Ianiceman · Jul 19, 2011

I dunno where all these skinny lapel suits are being worn but I certainly haven't seen many/any in real life.

I'm aware of the whole Mad Men is the **** vs. Mad Men is **** debate but it's completely passed me by.

Anyway I've always loved the sixties mod style, and I lived through those hideous wingspan monstrosities of the seventies. Tom Ford can kiss my arse, I prefer skinny!

anginaprinzmetal · Jul 19, 2011

Ianiceman said:
"I dunno where all these skinny lapel suits are being worn"

same place were skinny ties are born ...

yoshii · Jul 19, 2011

Ianiceman said:
Anyway I've always loved the sixties mod style, and I lived through those hideous wingspan monstrosities of the seventies. Tom Ford can kiss my arse, I prefer skinny!

hahaha i was wondering when his name would be brought up. His lapels look ridiculously wide!
i think i'd still lean more towards a skinnier lapel as i feel it suits me better (though not extremely skinny, as it looks stupid...imo).

apolishedman · Jul 19, 2011

i'm a smaller guy, so i prefer narrower (not super skinny). i think larger lapels can look great on some men though.

MyOtherLife · Jul 19, 2011

Give me skinny over wide any day. Trend of no trend, narrow looks more elegant. Wide is clownish. :hide:

cc3peat · Jul 19, 2011

^agreed. Extremely skinny can look silly but extremely wide lapels always look ridiculous. But in general it really applies to the person's body type and proportions, as stated earlier.

PMac · Jul 20, 2011

Assuming we are not talking extremes here, I would go with a wider lapel over a skinny lapel.

Parker · Jul 20, 2011

That's a tough one. I used to loathe wide lapels, but now I really like them (well, not too wide, but wider than I used to like). But, the rest of the jacket shape has to work with it. Everything in balance. Some things from the 70s look way out of proportion.

I guess if I "had" to choose, I'd opt for too narrow than too wide.

RSS said:
I'd prefer to go wide if I can't have 'just right.'
I have one great old Chester Barrie coat from way back in the 70s ... and the lapel is far too wide.

That fabric is sexy.

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