The Origins of the Single-Breasted Jacket

The original distinction was that single-breasted was for civilian dress and double-breasted was for the military. For reasons both obvious and good, that separation has fallen by the wayside, but it remains that the single-breasted is often the style one first reaches for when beginning a tailoring project. And there’s a good reason for this too - its fundamental design offers a wealth of options. “I think the keys to the single-breasted jacket are versatility and variability,” saysEdward Sexton’s Cutter and Creative Director,Dominic Sebag-Montefiore. “From a closed in three or even four button to a short one button that is cut away and open, you get completely different looks and functions. The more buttons to fasten the more coverage you get, so the better at keeping you warm - not to mention the option of wearing a waistcoat, not usually done with double-breasted.” Should a layer of knitwear be more your stock-in-trade - or should the weather demand it - a fine jumper or cardigan will also make firm friends with a single-breasted jacket, the style’s easier-wearing and more open design allowing the knit to visually break things up.

From a more utilitarian point of view, the single-breasted jacket offers a single point of fastening, which brings with it its own benefits. “Placing the fastening button on the waist with long lapels swooping down to the narrowest part of the body can be very slimming and flattering,” Sebag-Montefiore tellsThe Rake. “A double-breasted jacket is less forgiving unless the cut and fit is impeccable, which is why it went into decline as ready-to-wear became more common. The single-breasted jacket can be quite simply and elegantly proportioned to flatter the male form - and don’t forget the modernists embraced the simple, minimal design of the single-breasted jacket.” Chester Barrie’s Creative DirectorChris Modooechoes this point. “Whilst some say the double-breasted does not suit everybody - which I disagree with - the single-breasted jacket can complement the most challenging of figures. It has become the international symbol of civilised business, but executed in less formal cloths such as tweed or linen, it still has an air of its original, casual stance.”

And that really is the crux of the single-breasted jacket’s steadfast relevance - it’s a beautiful canvas that allows for a world of possibilities. “The single-breasted jacket is not just one thing; it comes in many guises,” says Sebag-Montefiore.” The ubiquitous ready to wear high two button notch lapel - while it can seem a little bland - is very wearable as a suit jacket or a separate, fastened or open. The jacket can be casual with three buttons and slanting pockets or formal with one button on the waist and a peak lapel, like our preferred house cut.” Whether considering a foundational suit for one’s office attire, a bold seasonal piece in flannel or tweed, or even a smoking jacket, the single-breasted jacket can do them all. It is a design that is eternal due to its simplicity and utility. “I guess the less-is-more rule counts here, making the single-breasted coat timeless, versatile and totally able to transcend generations,” says Carey. Or, to use Pepys’ words, “I wish the king may keep it, for it is a very fine and handsome garment.”