Double-breasted suits are making a comeback thanks to Seth Rogen and A$AP Rocky
Hollywood’s leading men are reclaiming the jacket once seen as stuffy – and giving it a fresh, surprisingly easy-to-wear twist
It’s back, baby: the double-breasted suit jacket is making inroads into fashion circles of late, shaking off its dusty country club reputation in favour of a vibe that’s younger, fresher and, dare we say it, cool. It’s also surprisingly easy to wear.
“I always find double-breasted is the most flattering on most men’s figures,” said Chaise Dennis, a stylist whose client, the actor Tramell Tillman, glided down the red carpet at Cannes this spring to promote the latest Mission: Impossible film wearing a creamy double-breasted suit from Dolce & Gabbana, jacket insouciantly open.
“I’m all about making tailoring less stuffy,” says Dennis, who notes that for inspiration he looks to classically stylish men such as Bryan Ferry, David Byrne, Serge Gainsbourg and even the Blaxploitation stars of the 1970s and 80s. “These are men who have made a double-breasted jacket work for a variety of situations – it’s a real day-to-night look,” he says.
In his home of Los Angeles, Dennis says double-breasted jackets with throwback flair are now sought after at vintage shops around town. He sees young men wearing them open and pairing them with boots – sometimes even of the cowboy variety – and worn-in jeans. His advice, if you do try this look, is to let the jacket “do most of the talking”.
Jake Mueser, proprietor of the New York-based custom tailoring operation J. Mueser, sees this as a natural progression of the loosening silhouette that’s happening more broadly for men. Long gone are the slim – even skinny – suits of the 2010s. They’ve been replaced by a roomier, less edgy fit. And as fuller, pleated pants gain momentum, Mueser notes that the jacket needs to adjust to balance the proportions.