There are two main kinds of cassocks in the Western Ritepractice; the single breasted and the double breasted cassock.

The '''single breasted cassock''' or '''soutane''' is a cassock with buttons down the front. This type of cassock is also worn by Roman Catholic priests, and comes in a number of styles or cuts, though no particular symbolism attaches to these. A Roman cassock often has a series of buttons down the front – sometimes thirty-three (symbolic of the years of the life of Jesus). A French cassock also has buttons sewn to the sleeves after the manner of a suit, and a slightly broader skirt. An Ambrosian cassock has a series of only five buttons under the neck, with a sash on the waist.