How to Wear a Double Breasted Suit

Co-authored by Kara Allan and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 6, 2022 References

Double-breasted suits are defined by a full panel of fabric at the front of the jacket that is closed with 6 buttons. They were originally made in the 1930s, but they have gone in and out of style throughout the decades. If you’d like to wear a double-breasted suit, make sure it fits you well in the shoulders and hips, add a plain tie and a shirt, and keep the middle button closed while you wear it to look your best.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Following General Style Guidelines

1
Make sure your suit is tailored properly for your body size and proportions. Classic double-breasted suits have wide shoulders and snug hips. They also have peaked lapels and may be slightly shorter in length than a modern suit. Take your suit to a tailor to make sure that it fits your legs, arms, and waist well without being baggy or too tight.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Kara Allan
Celebrity Stylist, Makeup Artist & Personal Brand Consultant
Expert Interview. 25 February 2022.} Most tailors know how a double-breasted suit should fit on your body.^{[2]
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- There should be slight tension in the jacket when it is buttoned.
2
Button only the middle 2 buttons when standing up. Double-breasted suits usually have a row of 3 buttons on either side of the jacket. When you put on your suit jacket, button the middle button and leave the top and bottom buttons open. If you sit down while wearing your suit, unbutton all of the buttons to give yourself room to move.^{[3]
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- The middle button acts as a “corset,” so it can help to tighten up any loose areas in your stomach.
Tip: Most double-breasted suits come with an “anchor” button on the inside of the jacket. Button this button to help keep your jacket closed as you wear it.

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3
Save your double-breasted suit for special occasions. You can wear a double-breasted suit anytime that a single-breasted suit would be appropriate, but it shouldn’t be your everyday suit. Double-breasted suits are slightly more formal than single-breasted ones and they call more attention to you than a single-breasted suit would.^{[4]
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- Formal events, weddings, and work parties are all great times to wear a double-breasted suit.
- You can make your double-breasted suit less formal by foregoing the tie. That way you can wear it to slightly more informal events.
4
Opt for a modern style double-breasted suit. Older double-breasted suits have a slightly more boxy fit that might require extra tailoring. Modern double-breasted suits have wide shoulders but are not quite as boxy looking.^{[5]
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- If you do buy an older double-breasted suit, set aside some money to get it tailored to a more modern fit.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Dressing the Suit for Special Occasions

1
Wear a solid-colored shirt and tie for a simple outfit. Double-breasted suits are a statement all on their own.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Kara Allan
Celebrity Stylist, Makeup Artist & Personal Brand Consultant
Expert Interview. 25 February 2022.} If you are new to wearing one and you are worried about making too much of a statement, pair it with a solid-colored button-down shirt and a complementary tie.^{[7]
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- A white shirt and a navy blue tie work well together.
- Pair a pale blue shirt with a navy blue or black tie.
- Double-breasted suits already have a bright color or pattern. So keep everything else simple.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Kara Allan
  Celebrity Stylist, Makeup Artist & Personal Brand Consultant
  Expert Interview. 25 February 2022.}
Tip: If your suit has a pattern, you should always pair it with a solid-colored shirt and tie.
2
Add a conservative pattern to either your shirt or tie to make a statement. Double-breasted suits have so much style on their own that they don’t need much help from your underclothes. If you want to add a pattern to your look, choose one that isn’t outlandish or very large.^{[9]
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- If you do add a pattern, choose one for your shirt OR your tie, not both.
3
Include a pocket square for a little extra flair. If you want to add some spice to your suit but you don’t want to overwhelm it, put a pocket square in your front pocket. Your pocket square can either match the color of your shirt exactly or add a pop of color and pattern on its own.^{[10]
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- If your suit is patterned, stick with a solid-colored pocket square.
4
Wear cufflinks to elevate your look. Double-breasted suits are classy, and you can play that up by adding cufflinks to your shirt. Use gold ones to make a statement or silver ones to downplay them a little more.^{[11]
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- Cufflinks are pretty formal, so you should only wear them to formal events.
5
Wear dress shoes that complement your overall color scheme. If your suit is navy blue or black, choose dark dress shoes. If your suit is gray, brown dress shoes may go better. Never pair a black suit with brown shoes.^{[12]
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- Try on a few different variations to see what looks best with your particular suit.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Wearing a Double-Breasted Suit to Work

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Choose a pinstripe double-breasted suit for a classic look. Wearing a double-breasted suit to the office is a statement on its own. To stand out even more, wear a pinstripe navy or black double-breasted suit. This will turn heads at the office while also keeping a professional appearance.^{[13]
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- Pinstripe suits are a throwback look to the original days of double-breasted suits.
2
Pair the jacket with khakis for a business casual look. If your office isn’t quite the full suit type but you’d still like to show off your double-breasted suit, wear the jacket with some trousers or khaki pants. This look works great if you have a bright-colored suit jacket, like cranberry or maroon.^{[14]
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- Pair navy or black trousers with a gray or tan double-breasted suit jacket.
3
Stick to darker, neutral colors. Offices are typically a little more formal than casual, so you'll want to wear colors that match this type of setting. This means that you should wear darker colors, like charcoal, navy, and black, and wear color-blocked outfits instead of suits with patterns.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Styling the Suit Casually

1
Pair your suit with a turtleneck for a fashion-forward look. Turtlenecks are not classically paired with double-breasted suits, so this outfit is a modern take on an old-fashioned look. Wear a neutral-colored turtleneck under your double-breasted suit to create this look.^{[15]
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- Adding a turtleneck makes the double-breasted suit slightly less formal.
2
Wear the suit jacket with dark wash jeans for a simple outfit. If you want to wear your double-breasted suit but not look totally buttoned up, wear a pair of good-fitting, dark wash jeans. Use a light gray or tan suit jacket to emphasize the difference between the pieces in your outfit.^{[16]
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Tip: You can play up the classiness of the suit jacket with some dress shoes or make it more casual with some solid-colored sneakers.
3
Add some patterned pants to stand out. Just like dark wash jeans can make a double-breasted suit casual, some checkered pants can make a suit jacket feel easygoing. Pair a navy suit jacket with some gray patterned pants or a lighter suit jacket with some black checkered pants.^{[17]
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- Try not to pair patterned pants with a patterned suit jacket. This can make your outfit look too busy.
4
Put on a T-shirt for ultimate comfort. A button-down and a tie makes any suit look more formal. If you want to stay cool in the summer and look breezy too, throw on a T-shirt that complements the color of your double-breasted suit. Gray shirts pair well with black or navy suits, while white shirts go great with black suits.^{[18]
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- This look is great for events that are formal but fashion-forward, like award ceremonies.