The Guide: Pinstripes vs. Chalk-stripes

Striped suits aren’t an uncommon sight. However, you may notice that stripes on some suits are thinner or wider than others. That’s a deliberate choice, and these different styles have different names: pinstripe vs. chalk-stripe.

What’s Pinstripe?

The thinner, more common variant is called pinstripe. That’s because the stripe is really made up of a series of tiny, continuous dots about the size of a pinhead and set no greater than an inch apart. The background of the suit is typically a darker color, while its stripe detail tends to be lighter or brighter in color.

Pinstripes are a bit more formal than your average solid suit and carry an association with business or bankers. But that doesn’t mean it’s a pattern you can’t have fun with: after all, it was the basis for many classic Baseball teams and still graces the uniforms of the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs.

What’s Chalk-stripe?

The wider, bolder brother of the pinstripe is called Chalk-stripe. Chalk-stripes are wider and less defined, giving them a somewhat “fuzzy” look that recalls the chalk lines tailors traditionally drew on suits to mark them for alteration (ours tailors still use chalk to draw out suit patterns).

While chalk-stripes suits certainly work for business, they’re a bit louder and generally busier than the pinstripe. That makes them slightly more casual, and a great way to show off more personality.