The Overcoat Thread

[ppk]

Another one for the balmacaan fraction.

View attachment 2114113

From Husbands Paris in a classic herringbone donegal tweed.

I love the Husbands Paris' style.

 

[WoolyLamb]

Picked up a new to me vintage skye tweed coat. It is not very fitted so not sure if it is just the style coat or could it be taken in 1-2 inches?

I’m not even sure I know what style it is because it looks like a balmacaan but the shoulders are not raglan style. The third pics shows with a sport coat under and the fourth without.

 

[William Kazak]

Picked up a new to me vintage skye tweed coat. It is not very fitted so not sure if it is just the style coat or could it be taken in 1-2 inches?

I’m not even sure I know what style it is because it looks like a balmacaan but the shoulders are not raglan style. The third pics shows with a sport coat under and the fourth without. View attachment 2116495 View attachment 2116497 View attachment 2116499 View attachment 2116501 View attachment 2116503 View attachment 2116505

Looks like what we wore in Chicago as kids.

 

[Peak and Pine]

Picked up a new to me vintage skye tweed coat. It is not very fitted so not sure if it is just the style coat or could it be taken in 1-2 inches?

I’m not even sure I know what style it is because it looks like a balmacaan but the shoulders are not raglan style. The third pics shows with a sport coat under and the fourth without. View attachment 2116495 View attachment 2116497 View attachment 2116499 View attachment 2116501 View attachment 2116503 View attachment 2116505

You have the makings of a very fine coat. Great vintage cloth.

What Kazak, above, says about his youth, that must have been a Midwestern thing. We New England kids, and I am older than Kazak, did not wear coats like that.

Yes, you would benefit from a nip or two at the waist. The previous owner has attempted this by moving the buttons. Which is cheating. Look at the front of the coat, see how the buttons are much further inward than their corresponding holes? Buttons and holes should be equal distance from the edge. This discrepancy is further highlighted when you look at the pocket flaps. They too should be equal distance apart when coat is buttoned. And they're not by a long shot. Again, this is because the buttons have been moved. Put them back, and have the sides tailored in properly.

 

[WoolyLamb]

You have the makings of a very fine coat. Great vintage cloth.

What Kazak, above, says about his youth, that must have been a Midwestern thing. We New England kids, and I am older than Kazak, did not wear coats like that.

Yes, you would benefit from a nip or two at the waist. The previous owner has attempted this by moving the buttons. Which is cheating. Look at the front of the coat, see how the buttons are much further inward than their corresponding holes? Buttons and holes should be equal distance from the edge. This discrepancy is further highlighted when you look at the pocket flaps. They too should be equal distance apart when coat is buttoned. And they're not by a long shot. Again, this is because the buttons have been moved. Put them back, and have the sides tailored in properly.

Wow i had no idea. Ill look into that.

 

[Peak and Pine]

^
Jackets, as they come from the manufacturer, do not usually have the buttons sewn clear through to the inside. But when they are tinkered with, either at home or by another tailor, they often do get sewn straight through the cloth, knotting on the inside. Check your coat to see if the button thread does this, further corroboration they've been fiddled with.

Again, swell coat. Your pics, at least on this cell phone, do not show full length. If you can spare a couple of inches at the bottom, you might consider cropping that off and use the cuttings to craft an adjustable belt for the rear. Not that you'll necessarily need it, but it drops the style temperature, it becomes cooler.

 

[DorianGreen]

Picked up a new to me vintage skye tweed coat. It is not very fitted so not sure if it is just the style coat or could it be taken in 1-2 inches?

I’m not even sure I know what style it is because it looks like a balmacaan but the shoulders are not raglan style. The third pics shows with a sport coat under and the fourth without. View attachment 2116495 View attachment 2116497 View attachment 2116499 View attachment 2116501 View attachment 2116503 View attachment 2116505

Beautiful cloth. The suggestions above look very reasonable to me. I would also make the buttons on the sleeves functioning.

 

[WoolyLamb]

You have the makings of a very fine coat. Great vintage cloth.

What Kazak, above, says about his youth, that must have been a Midwestern thing. We New England kids, and I am older than Kazak, did not wear coats like that.

Yes, you would benefit from a nip or two at the waist. The previous owner has attempted this by moving the buttons. Which is cheating. Look at the front of the coat, see how the buttons are much further inward than their corresponding holes? Buttons and holes should be equal distance from the edge. This discrepancy is further highlighted when you look at the pocket flaps. They too should be equal distance apart when coat is buttoned. And they're not by a long shot. Again, this is because the buttons have been moved. Put them back, and have the sides tailored in properly.

^
Jackets, as they come from the manufacturer, do not usually have the buttons sewn clear through to the inside. But when they are tinkered with, either at home or by another tailor, they often do get sewn straight through the cloth, knotting on the inside. Check your coat to see if the button thread does this, further corroboration they've been fiddled with.

Again, swell coat. Your pics, at least on this cell phone, do not show full length. If you can spare a couple of inches at the bottom, you might consider cropping that off and use the cuttings to craft an adjustable belt for the rear. Not that you'll necessarily need it, but it drops the style temperature, it becomes cooler.

Wow you guys are good and could see that from a crappy phone pic. The buttons were definitely moved. I will get those moved back and then I feel more comfortable nipping it a little to get it right which wont be much. As far as length it reaches my knees which is what I look for simply to help my lower body proportions.

Appreciate all the positive comments. As much as something new feels nice I find that getting an interesting vintage piece back into use brings me more joy and value.

 

[LuxLemon]

I posted this on another thread but this is probably the better place. RTW Ulster - 800g wool fabric. Debating whether to keep or not. It feels a little too big on the skirt and too tight in the waist/hip.

Looking for feedback here if the jacket is worth keeping and tailoring, and if so, what to tailor.

I’m not used to this style and it’s a bit bold so if I keep I want to be confident in the choice.

 

[Despos]

I posted this on another thread but this is probably the better place. RTW Ulster - 800g wool fabric. Debating whether to keep or not. It feels a little too big on the skirt and too tight in the waist/hip.

Looking for feedback here if the jacket is worth keeping and tailoring, and if so, what to tailor.

I’m not used to this style and it’s a bit bold so if I keep I want to be confident in the choice.

View attachment 2117019

May seem bold because its something you haven't worn before but it is a classic design and well proportioned. You want the skirt to be full enough to walk and move in. If the room isn't there you will be fighting the coat when you walk or sit. This looks perfect.
Adjusting the waist is your preference and you want the coat fitted when wearing what you typically might wear under this. If you wear this over a jacket, have it fitted wearing a jacket. Makes a difference.
If you reduce the skirt and let out the waist you will create a weird unbalanced line and silhouette.
From just a front view, cannot tell how the waist fits

 

[Despos]

You have the makings of a very fine coat. Great vintage cloth.

What Kazak, above, says about his youth, that must have been a Midwestern thing. We New England kids, and I am older than Kazak, did not wear coats like that.

Yes, you would benefit from a nip or two at the waist. The previous owner has attempted this by moving the buttons. Which is cheating. Look at the front of the coat, see how the buttons are much further inward than their corresponding holes? Buttons and holes should be equal distance from the edge. This discrepancy is further highlighted when you look at the pocket flaps. They too should be equal distance apart when coat is buttoned. And they're not by a long shot. Again, this is because the buttons have been moved. Put them back, and have the sides tailored in properly.

Not necessarily true about the button placement on a topcoat. We always place the buttons further from the edge on SB topcoats. This looks about right. If you look at the vertical line of the front edge it is just right and aligns with the spacing between the points of the collar. The slight increase on the overlap keeps the wind from passing thru.

The front edge is cut to taper closed from just above the chest to the neck. You can see how the vertical line of the edge is cutting off vertical line of pattern in the cloth. Designers choice. Some choose this way and some like to cut the front edge straight to preserve the line of the cloth pattern.

The pockets are the same distance from the front edge. You only see the edge on the left front with the buttonholes. The overlap of the fronts reduces the distance to the pocket on the right side. If the pockets were equal distance from the edge when buttoned, they would be place at a different distance from the front edge that would be visible when unbuttoned.

 

[WoolyLamb]

Not necessarily true about the button placement on a topcoat. We always place the buttons further from the edge on SB topcoats. This looks about right. If you look at the vertical line of the front edge it is just right and aligns with the spacing between the points of the collar. The slight increase on the overlap keeps the wind from passing thru.

The front edge is cut to taper closed from just above the chest to the neck. You can see how the vertical line of the edge is cutting off vertical line of pattern in the cloth. Designers choice. Some choose this way and some like to cut the front edge straight to preserve the line of the cloth pattern.

The pockets are the same distance from the front edge. You only see the edge on the left front with the buttonholes. The overlap of the fronts reduces the distance to the pocket on the right side. If the pockets were equal distance from the edge when buttoned, they would be place at a different distance from the front edge that would be visible when unbuttoned.

Thanks Despos for your perspective and knowledge. I will need to get the ruler out and see what the case is. I know it “looks” untouched and it had tags in the pocket plus no lint or anything in the pockets.

 

[Despos]

Here's two images taken from this thread.
You want the buttons a good distance from the edge as you can see here

This is the norm.
I put the buttons 2.5" to 3" from the edge depending on the size of the coat.
Looking thru this thread for these images; realized how many more DB topcoats than SB topcoats there are.
My 70 year old Southern Italian coat maker was making a SB topcoat for a friend. Being a tailor since he was a teenager, he said it was the first SB topcoat he ever made. Guess I believe him.

 

[DonRaphael]

I'm just glad @Despos is posting and I'm all here for it

 

[Despos]

I'm just glad @Despos is posting and I'm all here for it

You're very kind, Thank you!