cyc wid it
Stylish Dinosaur
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Large scale herringbones
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Afternoon all
Here's an update on the previously mooted balmacaan project with Styleforum (codename: Balmacaan Project with Styleforum) ...
It is no longer mooted. Rather, it is definite and it is happening.
For anyone not privy to discussions thus far, we will be making a special version of the balmacaan along with and alongside Styleforum. The balmacaan proved the most popular choice among the people here on the thread when the idea was introduced last month, and in particular, a version slightly longer than our current offering (below).
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The next step is the fun part: picking cloth.
I've been in discussion with the mill in Donegal which supplies every year the cloth for our balmacaan, and received this week a selection of tweeds with a herringbone design. These are all the same weight (and indeed, exactly the same quality) as the barleycorn tweed used for the balmacaan above.
Again, herringbone was a popular suggestion when the idea was first discussed here last month. However, we're by no means wedded to it, and the only governing criteria for the cloth for the balmacaan are the weight (the weight must be coat weight, i.e. about the same as used previously) and from the same mill (we're loyal) ... that's it. The herringbone seems to have wide appeal, but nice alternatively might be a plain version of the cloth, since the Donegal yarn is already alive with those neps and burrs of colour. Or, indeed, a barleycorn again.
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What do people think is the best way to go forward? One of those voting polls? Perhaps some more photographs, closer, of the tweeds here, and a description of the colours for any members for whom descriptions would be useful? Bigger swatches of a handful of them? I am at your service!
I was thinking if we can trim the selection eventually down to a final three, we could make mock-ups of the balmacaan -- i.e. a collar and front -- before a final vote and then ... we make some coats (after the summer).
Paul (and Sara)
Hi,
If I may say... I tried the last year iteration of the balmacaan and indeed the collar didn't stand very strongly. Although, I own the iteration from 2 or 3 years ago (the one posted before made with this extra heavy charcoal tweed) and the collar holds its shape greatly. A matter of fabric and weight maybe?
Fantastic initiative Paul!
For my part I would go with a herringbone instead of barleycorn.
Regarding colour I would prefer grey, navy, or even one of the paler colours. I think that brown together with the donegal tweed makes the coat too much of a country coat and less versatile in the city. There are also more balmacaans in brown so perhaps it would be less unique.
I also agree that in general the length is too short.
Does the chesterfield end at the knee here and the tielocken just below?Cheers!
In terms of length, here is our Chesterfield, which at 41" (in size M) is 4" longer than our balmacaan (37").
View attachment 1569517
And then there's our tielocken, which is 43.5" in length and thus 6.5" longer than the balmacaan.
View attachment 1569518
For reference, the chap here is about 6' 1".
Are these the sort of lengths folks have in mind for the Styleforum edition?
I had a Bal made for me recently that reached lower-mid-calf length and it brushed against the ground when I sat down, and loved clinging to my car door's side skirts.I would probably be most interested in something that ends just below the knee. I think longer than that and it starts to get impractical
View attachment 1569524
The PS one looks about the right length to me and that runs 42-44” depending on size:Yep, something around 42-43 inches for a size S would be great.