Suit and Tailoring Glossary
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Asola Lucida Hand Made Lapel Button Hole is marked by its clean and seamless finish
Asola Lucida, Hand Made Boutonniere Lapel Hole, Milanese Button Hole
A type of boutonniere hole technique often found in Northern Italian cut suits. It is a button hole made by hand, marked by its clean and seamless finish.
A Barchetta Pocket has a curved appearance and is found in Italian suits (in contrast to the sharp, straight lines of American and British cut suits welt pockets)
Barchetta Pocket, Canoe Pocket, Little Boat
This is a type of welt pocket found on Italian Cut suits. Barchetta is Italian for “little boat” and is a style of welt pocket placed on the breast of a suit jacket. Its is defined by its canoe like shape where the pocket curves upward following the curve of the jacket chest.
Pierece Brosnan during a bespoke suit fitting with a Master Tailor
Bespoke Tailoring, Bespoke Suits, Custom Suits, Tailor Made Suits
First found on Savile Row in Central London, Bespoke tailoring is a process of custom making a suit, sport coat or blazer from scratch. In this style of tailoring a customer works with a tailor to select the fabric, and details of his new garment and then it is custom built to those exact specifications. Legend has it the word bespoke comes from customers choosing fabrics that have been previously selected, to which the tailors response was “I’m sorry but this fabric has already been spoken for”. Bespoke tailored suits are generally known for their precise fit and exceptional quality.
A blue blazer jacket with gold buttons featuring a wolfs head crest
Blazer Jacket, Club Jacket
A tailored jacket worn with contrast pants. Blazer jackets are often found in a solid color, most commonly in navy blue, and have contrast brass, silver, gold or pewter buttons that may have a crest or markings. Blazers are generally found with a constructed and formal tailored feel. These jackets come from a naval heritage and often denote a membership, rank or inclusion in a club, sport or fraternity.
A Client getting fitted for a made to measure suit
Made to Measure Suits, Made to Measure Tailoring, MTM
A process of custom made suits where a factory or design house uses pre-made patterns which are modified to fit a certain customer or client. It allows the customer to get the best fitting version of the designers cut as the made to measure suit will feature the same pattern but made and modified to the closest size. It is different from a full bespoke custom suit as made to measure suits are limited to the scope and cut of the existing pattern.
Hand pic stitches visible on the jackets edges and seams
Pic Stitching, Pick Stitching
This is a visible hand stitch found on the edges and seams of tailored suits and jackets. Used by master tailors to denote the hand made nature of their suits and the skill required in their work. Many off the rack suits will add these only on the edges of the pockets and lapels as this can be done when the machine made suit is done.
Roped shoulders (right) have a raised lip.
Roped Shoulders, British Roped Shoulders
A type of shoulder construction commonly found in British cut suits. Its defined by its structured aesthetic. This is accomplished by using canvas and stacked over cotton giving the sleeve head a pronounced “lip” or ridge as if a rope was hidden underneath it. This type pf suit shoulder gives the wearer a broader “stronger” shoulder as well as gives the suit a more formal feel.
Shirt Shoulders, Neapolitan Shoulders, Deconstructed Shoulders
A type of suit jacket shoulder made with very little (one 1mm layer of stacked cotton) to no canvas or padding. Pioneered by Southern Italian tailors this type of shoulder is meant to create a softer and more casual feel in a tailored garment. One of its most defining characteristics are the ripples often found on the jacket sleeve head.
A tweed half lined sport coat. Sport coats are often made with heavier materials and are less structured than other tailored jackets
Sport Coat, Sportcoat
A type of tailored jacket worn with contrast colored pants. Often found in a heavier fabrics such as tweed featuring texture and pattern, it was originally intended for hunting. Modern sport coats are often deconstructed and have a softer less tailored feel and are worn in a more casual setting.
Working button holes aka Surgeon cuffs.
Surgeon Cuffs, Working Button Holes, Functional Button Holes
Found on the sleeves of a suit, surgeon cuffs are working/functional button holes that allow the placket of a jackets sleeves to be opened and rolled up. Legend has it that surgeons used this feature to roll up their sleeves to perform surgery. Today surgeon cuffs or working/functional button holes on suit sleeves are a sign of bespoke or high end suits as they can only be placed after the wearer has been measured and fitted.
The open weave of tropical wool