Vents popping open

So it has been discussed that poor balance can make a coat's vents splay open. Just exactly how far open is "open," though?

For example, should the vents be almost invisible when standing still? In this case a side-vented coat would look like an un-vented coat when at rest.

Or is a little gapping normal, even on perfectly cut and balanced garments?

(FWIW, I'm not interested in learning more about balance, just about what a "good" vent(s) should look like when "closed"/at rest. There is a wonderful post on balance that Manton wrote a while ago somewhere around here)

The vent should overlap the jacket. Balance is one issue but just as often it is not enough cloth on the side body to extend under the vent. RTW is very skimpy with leaving a good amount of cloth in this area.

Originally Posted by Despos

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The vent should overlap the jacket. Balance is one issue but just as often it is not enough cloth on the side body to extend under the vent. RTW is very skimpy with leaving a good amount of cloth in this area.

The coats of mine in concern (MTM) most certainly have enough overlap. I'm more curious about the amount of gap that's "acceptable" when looking at a profile view of the coat on the wearer.

No gap, none.

Originally Posted by Despos

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No gap, none.

Chris, I'd say the vents on my coats "hang closed" in a similar manner to this:

http://www.execstyle.com/products/Su...39506_side.jpg

How effed am I? If I am indeed effed, how easy/cheap will this be to correct?

I've seen some makers (Pal Zileri Sartoriale IIRC) that have a strip of fabric on the inside of the jacket that attaches from one vent to the other to keep the vents from flaring out. This is something you might consider.

Originally Posted by Doxe

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I've seen some makers (Pal Zileri Sartoriale IIRC) that have a strip of fabric on the inside of the jacket that attaches from one vent to the other to keep the vents from flaring out. This is something you might consider.

Brooks Bros. jackets have that system as well.

Originally Posted by Doxe

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I've seen some makers (Pal Zileri Sartoriale IIRC) that have a strip of fabric on the inside of the jacket that attaches from one vent to the other to keep the vents from flaring out. This is something you might consider.

Most of my jackets from the source in question have this. Coincidentally, I was just looking at some side vented jackets on the Brooks site. They exhibited a comparable am out of vent gapping as both my own coats and the coat in the link I posted a few posts above. I guess I may not be as effed as I thought.

Maybe Despos' status as an elite bespoker has spoiled him into thinking that all side vents will appear as to not exist when the coat is static?

Originally Posted by The Louche

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Chris, I'd say the vents on my coats "hang closed" in a similar manner to this:

http://www.execstyle.com/products/Su...39506_side.jpg

How effed am I? If I am indeed effed, how easy/cheap will this be to correct?

That looks fine to me. Might just need a good pressing.

Originally Posted by The Louche

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Chris, I'd say the vents on my coats "hang closed" in a similar manner to this:

http://www.execstyle.com/products/Su...39506_side.jpg

How effed am I? If I am indeed effed, how easy/cheap will this be to correct?

If they look like the picture then where is the gap? I may not be understanding you correctly.

BTW, in this picture it looks like a short back because the center back is flaring out a bit but the vent looks OK.

A lot of men are wise enough to avoid popped vents by keeping the basting at teh bottom of the vents on a NWT or NOS jacket. Give this a whirl and report back your success or failure.

Originally Posted by Despos

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If they look like the picture then where is the gap? I may not be understanding you correctly.

BTW, in this picture it looks like a short back because the center back is flaring out a bit but the vent looks OK.

I'm glad this is OK. When I envision zero gap, however, I imagine the vents to essentially disappear when standing still, appearing almost as a coat without any vents at all. Imagine having magnets on opposing sides of the overlap... I think I saw Manton write something to the effect that a properly cut and fit coat with side vents would display literally zero gap when at rest.

Originally Posted by dv3

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A lot of men are wise enough to avoid popped vents by keeping the basting at teh bottom of the vents of a NWT or NOS jacket. Give this a whirl and report back your success or failure.

I may not be a tailor or sartorial genius, but I knew that this was just plain wrong even before I started reading books on menswear and joining these forums 2+ years ago.

It makes you look like you don't know any better. Id also imagine that if you really had a rear end so large that you would feel compelled to do this in the first place, that it would create a funny "bump" that looks worse then the gapping vents.

Originally Posted by The Louche

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I may not be a tailor or sartorial genius, but I knew that this was just plain wrong even before I started reading books on menswear and joining these forums 2+ years ago.

It makes you look like you don't know any better.

I think he was joking....

Originally Posted by spertia

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I think he was joking....

I hope.