The lapels on a jacket are the folded pieces of cloth that span the chest vertically from around the belly to around the shoulder. The lapel itself is separated from the collar by the stitching where they both meet. There are three types of lapels: notch, peak, and shawl.
Unlike pockets or buttons, lapels have no functional use on today’s formal attire. This doesn’t mean you should forego their consideration when buying a suit. Each type of lapel carries with it a different aura it will give its wearer, as well as all being a different level of formality. Some lapels are more appropriate than others for certain situations. We’ll discuss all of this here.