There’s an argument that tailoring has never been less popular. Where once it would be an almost daily requirement for men to wear suits, now it’s a chore.

This is largely because most people are no longer required to wear a suit to work, and because it’s now possible to look well turned out and be comfortable, all without strapping yourself into a tailoring straight-jacket. Casual dress dominates the menswear landscape right now largely because it’s easy to wear and fun, whereas formal clothing usually isn’t.

What if there was a way to inject some personality into your tailoring though? This can be done through fabric choice and of course colour, but mixing up the cut of your jacket is an easy solution. Sure, single-breasted may be the standard choice, but a double-breasted blazer is perhaps the quickest way to stand out and, due to its versatility, is an easy solution for tailoring experimentation.

Zara

Why You Need A Double-Breasted Jacket

In short, because it’ll make you look good – this is a style that flatters the majority of men. It broadens your shoulders, cinches your waist and hides your belly. The only guys who need to exercise caution are those who are shorter than average: because the jacket is cropped, it won’t do much to elongate the body.

For everyone else, you can dress it up, play it straight-laced and corporate, or unbutton the stuffy connotations with a boxy fit that slopes off the shoulders. Whatever your preferred style, it will see you right for job interviews, first dates, corporate away days, party season and more. Single-breasted blazers simply aren’t as versatile.

Brunello Cucinelli

The Best Ways To Wear It

Formal: Suit + Shirt + Tie

DB or not DB? If that is the question, the most obvious answer is yes – buttoned up, the centrepiece in a corporate suit of armour with smart shoes, a Windsor knot and a gold watch on your wrist. This is ’80s-style power dressing, resurgent lately with boxy, masculine cuts finding their way back into fashion. Look for a slightly shorter jacket than the average single-breasted blazer and wide peak lapels that broaden your upper body for maximum alpha male posturing.