Etiquette For Wearing Men?s Double Breasted Dinner Jacket

Posted by Jacob Oram on April 28th, 2017

Dressing up for a formal evening doesn’t have to go beyond your comfort zone all the time. All you need is to be aware of the dress code and the right ways of pulling it off. When it comes to a dinner jacket, it need not always be a black tie event. The classic piece of clothing can be made to work in your favor in multiple ways and it is this versatility that makes them appropriate for formal as well as semi-formal occasions.

The rules of wearing a men’s white double breasted dinner jacket vary slightly from the ones that would apply to a white tuxedo jacket with black lapel. A throwback to the forties, the double breasted dinner jacket in different variants of white-ivory, pure or off- is an apt choice of clothing for weddings, dinners and of course, red carpet events. In fact, you can get away with wearing one when you are hosting an event.

• Get the basics right

The first rule is to ensure that the seems correspond with your natural shape so that the fabric doesn’t twist in odd ways. The length of the jacket should just pass the crotch-line of your trousers or hit the middle of your zipper. You would know that it is too short if it doesn’t lie flat on your hips.

• Choosing the lapels

If you want to play it safe, you should go slimmer. That is because double breasted jackets have peak lapels that make your chest look wider. One more thing that you should remember is to check that the lapels and the buttons don’t start to pull or feel way too tight as you move.

• The buttons and the fit

The one rule of thumb about double breasted dinner jackets is that the bottom button should always be left unfastened. On the other hand, the bottom interior button should be fastened so as to keep the jacket closed. The traditional number of buttons varies between six and eight but the modern ones can have two to four as well. The latter is more flattering for men with a shorter height.

• The pants

The modern dress rule is more about trimmed pants with the DB jackets. All that you know about the single breasted versions would work here too. Flat-front pants are totally acceptable and so are the ones where you loosen the cuff at the bottom too. You should know that the jacket doesn’t always have to be worn as a suit.

The author is a blogger. This article is about wearing men’s double breasted dinner jacket.