There's no denying it - shopping for groomswear can be exceedingly confusing, particularly if you've never bought a suit before, or have only purchased casual separates on the high street. If the terms "notched lapel" and "wing tip collar" mean literally nothing to you, don't worry! All you need is a quick briefing of some intermediate-to-advanced menswear terms and you're ready to pick out the wedding day look of your dreams! Our groomswear style glossary will help you articulate exactly what you're looking for, so you can be confident when you walk into the menswear store too buy the all-important suit!

David O'Connor of Louis Copeland & Sons believes that a groomswear look should be a collaboration between the groom-to-be and the wedding specialist at his menswear store. "It's important that he communicates clearly what he has in mind, this should include the way he wants the suit to fit as well as the pattern and style." He's kindly agreed to give us a hand with our groomswear style glossary, fleshing out some of the terminology with some handy hints and tips. So let's get started! 

Tailoring Terms: Bespoke Vs Made-To Measure, and Off-The-Rack

Bespoke suit - a suit made from a brand new pattern, created to fit your specific measurements. "This is usually a very lengthy and expensive process," David explains. "Most customers now favour Made-to-Measure instead as it doesn't take as long, isn't as expensive and gives the same great result."

Made-to-Measure suit - a suit made using an existing pattern, but created to fit your specific measurements.

Ready-to-wear or off-the-rack suit - a ready-made suit that comes in a selection of sizes and must be altered to achieve the correct fit.

Suit separates - when a suit's jacket and trousers are sold separately, and may be different colours and fabrics. A great option for casual affairs.

Dart - a fold sewn into fabric to add shape to a garment.

Measurements: Inseam, Seat, Half-Back

Inseam - the measurement taken from the crotch along the inner side of the leg, straight down to the floor.

Seat - the measurement taken at the widest part of your bum.

Half-back - the measurement taken from the midseam at the back of the shoulder seam, 6" below the bottom of the collar.

Fabric: Tweed, Velvet, and Worsted

Tweed - a rough-surfaced woollen cloth, typically of mixed, flecked colours. A nice compromise between smart and relaxed, it's perfect for a countryside wedding.

Flecked fabric - a fabric with small marks or spots in a contrasting colour.

Pin-stripe - a fine white vertical stripe made up of small white dot.

Wool, cashmere and cotton - the three most popular fabrics for suits, all of which are versatile and smart. Wool is good for colder weather, while cotton is breathable for summer. Cashmere is the most luxurious of the three.

Worsted fabric - another really popular choice for suits, a fine smooth yarn spun from combed long-staple wool.

Velvet - a closely woven fabric of silk, cotton, or nylon, that has a thick short pile on one side for a luxurious and vintage look.

Linen - an extremely lightweight fabric woven from flax, perfect for a warm-weather wedding. Be warned, it creases easily!

Check - a pattern of modified stripes consisting of crossed horizontal and vertical lines forming squares, which can be large or small. "Subtly patterned suits are becoming more popular," David says, "especially subtle checks and small houndstooth patterns."

Houndstooth - a zig zag or broken check pattern used mostly on tweeds. Smaller versions are called dogstooth and puppytooth.

Suits: Dinner Suits v Tuxedos and Morning Dress

Dinner suit or black tie - a formal dark suit worn with a white shirt and a black bow tie.

Tuxedo - same as above, but with satin facing on the lapels, buttons, pocket trim, and a satin side stripe down the leg of the trousers. "Tuxedos seem to be growing in popularity too, but not the traditional black tux," David tells us. "As an alternative, grooms are choosing a midnight navy or even royal blue tuxedoes."

Morning dress - a very formal daytime suit comprising a jacket with tails (known as a morning coat), trousers (usually pinstripe) and a waistcoat.

Jackets: Single-breasted Jacket Vs Double Breasted Jacket, Gauntlet cuffs and Supressed Waists

Single-breasted jacket - a jacket with one column of buttons and a narrow overlap of fabric.

Double-breasted jacket - a jacket with a wider overlap and two parallel rows of buttons.

Vent - a slit on the back of a blazer. Very slim-fitting jackets have none, some have a single vent in the centre to give you a bit more room to move around, while the roomiest jackets have double vents.

Suppressed waist - the effect when a jacket is tailored in to fit the waist, rather than falling straight down from the arms.

Gauntlet cuff or turnback cuffs - a narrow turnback at the wrist, usually with a curved edge.

Fused - when the interlinings that are glued to the jacket’s shell. One of the cheaper construction techniques.

Canvassed - when a separate interlining is sewn to the fabric. This allows the suit fabric to drape naturally, creating a clean, polished look, but tends to result in a more expensive suit.

Lapels: Notched Lapels, Peaked Lapels, and Shawl Lapels

Notched lapel - featuring a small gap or notch where the bottom of the collar meets the top of the lapel.

Peaked lapel - featuring an upward-pointing edge where the bottom collar meets the lapel.

Shawl lapel - featuring a continuous curve without any breaks or points. Usually seen on tuxedo jackets.

Pockets: Jetted Pockets Vs Flap Pockets, Patch Pockets

Jetted pockets - pockets with no flap. These are considered the most formal due to their sleek appearance.

Flap pockets - pockets with a visible flap.

Patch pockets - a casual pocket that is sewn on as a patch after the jacket has been completed, not sewn into the main fabric of the jacket.

Shirt collars: Wing-Tip Collars, Spread Collars and Band Collars

Point collar - a standard shirt collar with pointed tips that turn straight down.

Button-down collar - same as above but with small buttons securing the tips to the front of the shirt. Usually seen on more casual shirts.

Spread collar or Cutaway collar - a collar with wide points that are angled outwards instead of turning straight down, making room for larger tie knots.

Wing-Tip collar - a heavily starched short collar with pointed tips that fold out, resembling wings. Usually seen on very formal shirts, often with a tuxedo.

Grandad collar or Band collar - a band-shaped collar that encircles the neck without a full turndown. It can be tied with a button or stand upright for a casual look.

Mandarin collar - same as above but usually with a small gap in front.

Shirt Sleeves: Barrel Cuff Vs French Cuff, Convertible Cuffs

Barrel cuff - a standard shirt cuff with one or more buttons and no turnback.

French cuff - a formal cuff that must be folded back and secured with cufflinks.

Convertible cuff - a cuff that may be worn either buttoned as a barrel or with cufflinks as a French cuff.

Trousers: Cuffed Leg Vs Hemmed Leg and Traveler's Crease

Traveler's crease - the crease worn down the front of the trousers, originally a product of folding trousers for travelling, hence the name. It's generally only worn on formal trousers.

Cuffed leg - the effect you get when fabric is turned up on the outside of the trouser leg.

Hemmed leg - the standard finish on a pair of trousers, created when the bottom fabric is folded up inside the pant leg.

Accessories: Cummerbunds, Cravats and Pocket Squares

Cummerbund - a broad sash worn around the waist, usually with single-breasted dinner or tuxedo jackets.

Cravat - a short, wide strip of fabric worn around the neck and tucked inside an open-necked shirt.

Pocket square - a small handkerchief worn in the breast pocket of a suit jacket or blazer to add colour and personality.

Tie pin - an ornamental pin for holding a tie in place.

Featured image: M2 Visual Studio via One Fab Day

Need some inspiration to get you started? Click here to see what some incredibly stylish real grooms wore on their wedding day!