Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 3 min read
Coat collar on a kameez: lapels and notches explained
A coat collar kurti design borrows the folded lapel of a jacket. What the notch is, the firm fabrics and interfacing it needs and how it pairs with a front opening.
InspirationWhat a coat collar is
A coat collar is the folded-back collar you see on a blazer or a tailored coat, used on a kameez or kurta. It has two parts: a collar that wraps the back of the neck, and lapels, which are the front edges of the garment turned back on themselves. Where the two meet there is usually a small V-shaped gap called the notch.
On a kurta it gives a sharp, office-ready look, halfway between a shirt collar and a jacket. Shops call it a coat collar, a lapel collar, a notch collar or a blazer collar, and they all mean much the same thing.
The parts and the variations
Knowing the parts makes it much easier to describe the version you like.
- Notched lapel: the standard version, with the notch sitting roughly at collarbone height. The easiest to wear every day.
- Peak lapel: the lower corners of the lapel point upwards past the collar. Bolder and more formal.
- Shawl collar: collar and lapel are one smooth curve with no notch at all. Softer and a little more relaxed.
- Break point: the spot where the lapel stops folding back and the front closes. A high break gives a narrow V; a low break gives a deep, open neckline.
- Lapel width: narrow lapels look modern and light; wide lapels look dramatic and need a broader frame to carry them.
Fabric and interfacing
A lapel only looks crisp if it holds a clean roll and lies flat against the chest. That takes a fabric with some body and an inner support layer. Cotton twill, linen, khaddar, karandi, cambric and suiting weights all work well; the khaddar guide and the linen guide cover two of the most common winter and summer choices. Soft lawn can work for a small collar if it is well supported, while chiffon and georgette are too fluid to hold a lapel.
Tailors normally add interfacing, a stiffening layer, to the collar and the lapel facing, and cut the under collar so it curves neatly round the neck. Ask for it in your quote, and we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design.
How it pairs with the front opening
Because the lapels are the front edges folded back, a coat collar needs a front opening at least down to the break point. Below that, the kameez can close with a short placket, a row of buttons to the hem like a coat, or a hidden fastening. The plackets and buttons guide shows the options. A double-breasted front with two rows of buttons is another choice for a heavier winter kameez.
The collar looks best on a straight or gently A-line body, with straight or cigarette trousers, so the outfit keeps one tailored line from top to bottom. A full frock skirt under a sharp lapel tends to look as if two outfits were joined together.
Asking for a coat collar
A coat collar is not one of the fixed necklines on our form, so send a photo and say which lapel style you want, how deep the break point should be and how the front closes. The collar styles guide compares it with band, shirt and Peter Pan collars if you are still choosing. Use Send Your Design for the brief and request a quote; we confirm the details in the written quote.
Common questions
Is a coat collar suitable with a dupatta?
Yes, though the lapels already frame the neck, so a dupatta draped over one shoulder or worn loosely looks cleaner than one pinned across the front.
Can a coat collar be made in summer fabric?
Yes, in linen or a firm cotton. Keep the lapels narrow and the interfacing light so the collar stays crisp without feeling heavy.
What is the difference between a coat collar and a shirt collar?
A shirt collar sits on a stand round the neck and has no lapels. A coat collar folds back into lapels down the front, so it always comes with an open V neckline.
