Fashion & Beauty

Types of Suit Lapels

Name: Types of Suit Lapels
Creator: Community curated
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Notch, peak or shawl - which lapel actually defines the jacket and the wearer? The three-way war of the collar.

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Source:Community curated

Updated:4/9/2026

#fashion #menswear #suits #tailoring #formal

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Lapel↕	Shape↕	Formality↕	Common On↕	Origin↕	Notes↕
Notch Lapel	Triangular notch cut where collar meets lapel	Business casual to business	Single-breasted suits, blazers	Late 1800s business attire	The default modern lapel, safe and versatile, seen on 90% of off-the-rack suits
Peak Lapel	Pointed tips angling upward toward shoulders	Business formal to black tie	Double-breasted suits, tuxedos, power suits	Frock coats and tailcoats, 1800s	Dressier and more aggressive than notch, adds perceived height, Wall Street favorite
Shawl Lapel	Continuous curved unbroken line with no notch or peak	Black tie	Tuxedos, dinner jackets, smoking jackets	Victorian smoking jackets	Softest and most elegant lapel, reserved almost exclusively for evening formalwear
Slim Notch Lapel	Narrow version of notch (under 7 cm wide)	Business casual	Slim-fit modern suits	1960s mod revival	Thom Browne and Hedi Slimane pushed this, looks best on slim frames
Wide Notch Lapel	Broad version of notch (over 9 cm wide)	Business to formal	Classic 1970s and Neapolitan suits	1930s-40s golden age	Balances broad shoulders and chests, making a comeback via Italian tailors
Wide Peak Lapel	Broad upward pointed peaks	Formal	Double-breasted suits	1930s-40s	Dramatic Gatsby-era statement, dominant in vintage Savile Row cuts
Fishmouth Lapel	Horizontal notch shape resembling a fish mouth	Business	Italian suits	Neapolitan tailoring	The notch opens horizontally rather than angled, a regional signature
T-Lapel	Notch cut perfectly horizontal forming a T	Business	Modern minimalist suits	Contemporary designer brands	Rare angular variant, favored by avant-garde tailors
L-Lapel	Sharp L-shape at the notch	Business	Modern suits	20th century	Subtle angular variant on the standard notch, often bespoke detail
Cran Ouvert	Open notch with wide gap between collar and lapel	Business	French tailoring	Parisian bespoke	French signature, exaggerated visible gap at the notch
Grosgrain Peak Lapel	Peak with grosgrain silk facing	Black tie	Tuxedos	Mid-1900s evening wear	Ribbed matte silk facing, less shiny than satin, traditionalist's choice
Satin Peak Lapel	Peak with satin silk facing	Black tie	Tuxedos	Early 1900s	Shiny satin peak, Hollywood glamour, Oscars standard
Satin Shawl Lapel	Continuous curved satin facing	Black tie	Dinner jackets	Victorian smoking jackets	Softly curved satin, Bond's Casino Royale tux, summit of evening elegance
Velvet Shawl Lapel	Shawl cut in contrasting velvet	Black tie	Smoking jackets, dinner jackets	19th century	Plush velvet contrast, dandyish holiday-party energy
Notch with Sword Stitch	Notch with decorative hand stitch around edge	Business	Bespoke suits	Neapolitan tailoring	Visible pick stitching along the lapel edge, a mark of handmade quality

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