How to Wear a Double Breasted Jacket Men's coats usually come in two different styles: Single-Breasted and Double-Breasted. The single-breasted coat style is much more common and consists of buttons on one side and button holes on the other. The double breasted suit on the other hand has two rows of buttons on each side and one side overlaps the other. Although single breasted suits will make a great outfit for any occasion, a double breasted jacket can, with some proper investment of time, be a fantastic addition to the modern gentleman's wardrobe. Below are the pros and cons of wearing this jacket style.

Why You May Want to Pass on a Breasted Jacket
Because both sides of the jacket overlap, this extra fabric layer will add to a man's waistline. Therefore men with a smaller frame will look shorter. The same is true for men that have a narrow torso and narrow shoulders. The overlapping section of the suit should never cover the chest area. Enough of the shirt and tie should always be visible. Also keep in mind that the double breasted construction will add more formality to the look making the jacket much less versatile. Finally, the extra layer of fabric can make the jacket uncomfortable to wear in warmer climates.

Why to Wear a Double Breasted Jacket
Those men that can wear a double-breasted jacket have the opportunity to don a more stylish garment without adding too much unnecessary attention to the ensemble. At first glace, the double breasted jacket doesn't look too different from the single breasted counterpart, but a closer look will reveal an older and more elegant look. Because it is nowadays difficult to find a perfect fitting double breasted jacket, we suggest you get yourr garment custom tailored to your body type. Do a little bit of research on tailors and pick one that has experience in this jacket style.

When getting your jacket tailored you should only consider the peak lapel style. You have the choice between four and six buttons. The six button style is the original. It looks best on tall men. Shorter men should opt for only four buttons which is also called the "Kent - after the inventor the Duke of Kent.

Accessories for Double Breasted Suit
While single breasted suits can be worn without a necktie, the more formal double breasted suit should always be worn with some sort of neckwear - be it necktie, bow tie, or ascot. You also want to consider the necktie width. Usually the tie width is determined by the lapel size of the jacket. Most double breasted suits have a peaked lapel that has a width of about 4 inches. Therefore, you want to wear ties that have a width of at least 3.75 inches. Because more than half of the tie is covered by the jacket, the type of necktie knot tied will take center stage. Make sure to match the necktie knot to the dress shirt collar style (for more info please also see our guide on How to Tie a Tie )

Finally, you may want to consider wearing a pocket square. Choose a pocket handkerchief whose color harmonizes with the rest of your outfit. Also consider showing more pattern on pocket square to add a more sophisticated touch. The bets pocket square folds are the classic styles such as the two, three, and four corner up folds. For more info please also see our guide on How to Fold a Pocket Square

Other Suggested Reading:
Custom Tailored Mens Shirts
Shopping Guide for Pin Striped Suits

Your Cheap-Neckties Team - Cheap Neck and Cheap Bow Ties on the WWW

Wearing Sports Jackets in Business

Nowadays most businessmen look for comfort in their work clothes. Even though comfort is wanted, it is equally important to keep an overall elegant and professional look. While in some industries the ensemble of Suit & Tie may be seen as overdressed and stuffy, the sport jacket may serve as a perfect alternative. Here are a few tips on how to wear and combine a sports jacket.

You can always dress down the classic suit by taking only the jacket and pairing it with a polo shirt, tie-less dress shirt, or turtleneck sweater. Even though this does create a more relaxed look, it does not provide the comfort and casual elegance a sports jacket would.

When shopping for a sports jacket there are a few things to keep in mind. Both, two and three-button jackets are popular styles while the latter is more popular among a younger and more youthful audience. Next, the sleeve length is a touch longer than it is on the traditional 2-piece suit. Having slightly longer sleeves not only compliments the longer cut of the sports coat, but covering the shirt cuffs also creates a more relaxed body language. Finally, you want to consider the fabric. More casual are rougher weaves such as tweed or worsted wool. The more delicate the fabric and finer the pattern the dressier it will look.

Further Suggested Reading:
Dress Shirt Fabrics
Stype Tips for Casual Fridays

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Sample Outfit for a Job Interview

If part of your New Year's resolution is to find a new job, then knowing how to properly dress for a job interview will have a big impact on your success. Like it or not, impressions are formed withing the first few seconds of meeting someone. The type of clothes you wear, eye contact, handshake, and personal hygiene are the four main things that you can use to create a favorable first impression.

Good eye contact - meaning one that is friendly and confident rather than a creepy stare - as well as a firm handshake is a must. When it comes to your clothing, you want to create a professional impression that is elegant, somewhat conservative, and not too stylish and/or flashy. Suit and tie is almost always the ideal choice - even if the job doesn't requite you to wear this type of business uniform. The best suits are patternless and either dark blue or charcoal gray in color. The dress shirt should be solid white and freshly pressed, and the necktie should add color and contrast but without being too overpowering. The best necktie colors for a job interview are navy blue and burgundy. As far as patterns are concerned, choose simple diagonal stripes or fine foulard patterns. Stay away from big-picture ties (also known as novelty ties), ties in very bright and flashy colors, as well ties made from materials other than silk or silk imitations such as leather or wool.

We at Cheap-Neckties put a timelessly classic outfit together for you (see picture at the top). The charcoal gray suit and solid white dress shirt are classic, conservative, and instantly will create a professional and mature impression. The burgundy tie adds just enough color to add some contrast to the outfit and the narrow stripes in amber and navy add a lively, not too flashy touch.

Good luck on your job search!

For More Related Readings we Suggest:
Job Interview Dress Code
Basic Job Interview Attire for Men

Basic Job Interview Attire

Charlie interviews are stressful enough experiences without having to worry about what to wear. So instead of spending your time agonizing over the perfect wardrobe choices focus on these key rules to help you make the right clothing decisions leaving you free to come up with the best interview answers.

Keep it Simple
An interview is not the time to show your personality through novelty clothing choices. Leave those ties your kids got you for Father’s Day at home and keep your wardrobe choices simple. The less complex your choice in wardrobe the better. Remember you want your interviewer focusing their attention on your qualifications and answers rather than your sense of fashion and style.

As far as colors go strongly consider a neutral palette of grays, navy blues, blacks and whites with color accents if you feel that a little bit of flash is appropriate. Pocket square and solid colored ties are a fantastic way to add a little bit of personality to a conservative wardrobe choice. As a general guideline: best are suits in either charcoal or dark navy blue, the best shirt is a freshly pressed solid white one, shoes should be black and polished, the best ties are navy and burgundy. Keep your necktie designs classic and simple. Best are fine foulard patterns, classic “business-stripes�, and solid color ties.

Dress Up
It doesn’t matter if you’re interviewing for a blue-collar position, white-collar position or gold collar positions; you want to dress for success. Nothing says hard-working employee better than a suit and tie. Under no circumstances should you show up for an interview in anything that resembles a casual dress outfit.

If you can’t afford a suit, or you feel that for whatever reason it would be far too dressy for the occasion; you can substitute the suit for a smartly pressed dress shirt and tie. This is generally considered acceptable for most blue-collar positions; though if you really want to stand out consider wearing a blazer with your dress shirt.

Be Tidy and Clean
It does without saying that you should practice good personal hygiene on interview day however keep in mind that cleanliness should extend to your cloths as well as your body. Make sure your shoes are polished, your clothing well pressed and there are no visible frays exposed on any seams. In essence your clothing should appear perfect. The less distractions to your interviewer the more time he or she can focus on your qualifications. Keep in mind that you want to make a professional impression right of the bat. Usually it is those first impressions that will dictate the rest of the interview.

Related Topics:
Style Tips for Casual Fridays
The Perfect Interview Tie
Choosing the Right Neckties

Your Cheap-Neckties Team

What to Wear to a Job Interview

Are you currently looking for a job and have had no luck getting the job you want despite having plenty of interviews? Well, the great news is that you are already getting called back for a face to face interview. Your resume seems promising and you have done the hardest step in the job search: Preparing a good resume and sending it our to potential employers.

Practicing interview skills is not something you will learn from one second to the next, but there are a few tips that will help you leave a better impression:

Dress Right:
It is better to overdress than not. Wear a classic 2-piece suit. Dark gray is the preferred color. A white dress shirt is conservative and professional. Wear black shoes and definitely wear a black dress belt. Your socks should also be gray, or black. Finally wear a necktie that is tied with a good looking necktie knot. The best color neckties are dark blue neckties and burgundy red ties. Both of those colors are classic necktie colors for business. They are professional and conservative. The last thing you would want to do is to offend someone. Also, stay away from an outfit that is too trendy or flashy unless you are applying for a particular industry like fashion or design.

Show Eye Contact
Have eye contact during the interview, but do not stare. Having eye contact shows that you are listening and that you are interested in what the other person has to say. It also shows that you feel comfortable during the interview. Making eye contact is practiced best through repetition. Simply have more interviews. You will get good at it, and it will put you more at ease during the interview.

Have a Good Handshake
When meeting the person that will be interviewing you, shake their hand firmly. Do not over-think this one! Just shake their hand as you would shake any other person's hand in a different situation. Make eye contact while doing so.

Smile
A smile is contagious. Be friendly and smile when appropriate. Do this right at the beginning. Show that you are excited to be there, and that you are just as excited about the interview as you are about eventually working for that company. You will be surprised how well this will be remembered. After all, it is mostly likely that you will be working with the person that is interviewing you directly. A large majority of employers say that it is more important that a person fits into their company's, and their office's culture than it is for the person to have specific industry, or job-related knowledge. This is in particular true for entry level positions and first time job seekers. Good Luck!

Your Cheap Neckties Team