Mister Tuxedo

peak, shawl, or notch lapel…what’s the difference?

Houstoun G. Waring

One of the first decisions our clients make when they select a tuxedo, whether for rent or purchase, is the style of lapel.  The lapel is the front portion of the coat attached to the collar that is folded back on either side of the opening.  The lapels of our rental tuxedos are faced in black satin, while our retail coats are available with either satin or silk grosgrain facing.  The difference between satin and grosgrain will be the subject of another entry.  Formalwear lapels are available in three different styles: peak, shawl, or notch.  This is where we frequently receive blank stares from clients who ask us, “What’s the difference?”

Strictly speaking, the peak lapel is the most formal of the three.  Its lower point is elongated and extended outward and upward.  With its origins in the full dress tailcoat, the peak lapel is suitable for any black tie occasion and is a classic, conservative option that will never be out of style.  It is most often found on tailcoats, where it is de rigueur, single or double-breasted tuxedos, and double-breasted business suits.  The additional width of the lapel results in a more commanding appearance and an additional level of distinction. 

While the peak lapel is the most formal due to its derivation from the tailcoat, the rounded shawl lapel is the most traditional in that the first dinner jacket commissioned was a shawl lapel.  In 1865, the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, ordered his tailors to produce a coat with no tails as a more comfortable alternative for private dinners.  Henry Poole created for His Royal Highness a single-breasted dinner jacket with shawl lapels and satin facing, in the style of the smoking jacket.  The shawl lapel’s origin in the smoking jacket makes it inherently less formal than the peak, but its preeminence as the original dinner jacket makes it equally suitable for any black tie occasion.  Today, the shawl is most often found on single breasted tuxedos and is the most common lapel style for the white (ivory) dinner jacket.  While the peak lapel is more visually commanding, the shawl offers a degree of subtle sophistication.

The notch lapel is the most recent invention and one borrowed from the standard business suit.  As such, it is the least formal of the three lapel styles and the most modern.  Nevertheless, it has been exhibited at black tie events for over a century and remains suitable for any occasion.  It may well be the most common style worn in America today.  

When our clients inevitably ask which lapel style we would personally choose, we tend to have different opinions and tastes just like our clients do.  The ultimate decision in choosing a lapel style is simply personal preference.  We advise our clients to select the lapel they feel fits their personality best or the one to which their eye goes first.  At the end of the day, all three lapel styles will be on display at a given event, and one really cannot go wrong in choosing.