The Mandarin Suit

The mandarin suit is a unique style associated with eastern cultures.

Oriental nations along with many religious sects use this style suit in day to day activities.

The most apparent notice of this in western society is the catholic priests weekly uniform. In fact, you really won't see too many other people wearing a suit with a mandarin style suit.

This suit has a mandarin style collar, meaning the collar is short and stands erect rather than at a downward facing angle.

The difference is this collar stands straight up rather than lying flat on the shoulders and chest like a typical British, Italian, or American suit.

Jackets are also noticeably different in that they have buttons all the way up the jacket and do not end until they close the jacket up at the neck. This causes the average jacket to have five to six buttons.

Here is a good example of this type of suit. Please ignore all the icons on it, I just got bored while editing the picture and decided to throw them in. Notice that even though it is very different looking, it is still well crafted and very handsome.

Accessories worn are the same in theory, but must be adapted to the jacket. For instance a mandarin shirt is often worn with this style jacket. Also the tie is often non-existant, while the pocket square takes the central role in adding a touch of style to the outfit.

You'll also notice that some designers make a mandarin suit that works well with a typical dress shirt and tie. This is nice for those looking to wear a mandarin style suit without sacrificing their favorite shirts and ties.