The Virtues of Single and Double Breasted Jacket Styles.

The virtues of double and single breasted jackets are as follows: 

The single breasted is the most common type, flattering some body types more than others, while the double breasted is less common but more flattering to certain body shapes.

The single breasted jacket  is one that can be worn by any man, but its intricacies will make a man look as elegant as he possibly can. A single breasted suit with a nipped waist and two buttons will make any slim to average man look good because it creates the ideal silhouette of a narrow waist and broad shoulders. This is particularly true of those jackets with peak lapels that accent broader shoulders.

The three button single breasted jacket will give shorter men the illusion of height, more so if it is a long jacket with rolled to the middle button lapels. Some say that one button jackets are even better for shorter men as there are no superfluous buttons on the jacket, creating a smoother look. The fewer flapless pockets, the less cluttered the jacket looks which will also add to the illusion of height.

Less fitted single breasted jackets, with two buttons more often that not, are better for a wider man as it stops him looking any wider than he already is.

Double breasted jackets on the other hand serve a taller, slim gentleman to a greater extent. The two rows of buttons break up the height and emphasize width to stop him looking ridiculously tall and thin. Short men should avoid double breasted jackets for the same reason; it makes him look smaller because there are too many horizontal lines on the jacket. The most flattering of double breasted styles is the uncommon six on two (two buttons to fasten)  rather than the uncommon six on one( only the one button to fasten) because it creates the most flattering look on a man. 

This information provided has been aided by researching the works of Nicholas Antongianni and Alan Flusser.