I think most of us would choose the single-breasted jacket over the double-breasted, however, for good or bad they’re sneaking back into the stores. In fact, choosing jackets for clients that fair well in double-breasted is easy right now! With it’s strong structured shape, and military origin the modern double-breasted jacket is still influenced by traditional designs and men’s suiting.
Donning a jacket with an outfit instantly brings up the formality, and a double-breasted one will lift it even more adding an air of command and confidence.
The double-breasted jacket, however, does come with style and fit issues for some women.
1. Large busted women
2. Petite women
3. Curvy women
4. Women with no waist
But if you really love this style there are ways to make it work if you.
1. Lighter fabrics will help to avoid overwhelming a petite frame or large busted woman.
2. A semi to a very fitted jacket will elongate and flatter the woman with a defined waist rather than a straight boxy style.
3. If you’re wider through the waist a soft skimming tailored jacket will sit better.
4. A jacket with high placed armholes will elongate the torso.
5. The straighter the design of your double-breasted jacket the better it will look and sit worn open. This also achieves a good elongating vertical line rather than an overwhelming horizontal effect.
6. If the jacket has a belt or tie doing it up at the back will give it a nipped in style shape and minimise any unnecessary volumes of fabric.
7. If you’re large busted make sure the lapels are not too large and bulky.
Good fit is also very important with this tailored item. Ensure lapels sit nice and flat against the chest, that every button is able to be done up without strain, the fabric sits smoothly across the back and shoulders, and that the sleeve hems fall no longer than the base of your thumb.
By using a greater number of buttons you create a nice vertical line leading the eye up and down giving the illusion of height rather than width. And by placing them close together gives the jacket a more slimming look. Wide placed buttons particularly with a high colour contrast to the jacket will broaden through the torso giving a boxy look.
Large busted woman are best to avoid buttons that move up into an inverted triangle manner as this will increase the apparent size of your bust. This display of buttons will however, give balance to a woman who is smaller above the waist than below. Keep in mind that buttons, particularly with a contrast colour difference to the jacket will become a focal point for your upper body, hence draw attention to it, and you need to be comfortable with that.
