Vent - emergency advice required...

[Melcombe]

My tailor is a superb craftsman. He has made several suits and an overcoat for me, and all of them have received extensive praise from friends and colleagues.

A small problem has however turned up in relation to my new suit: it has no vent when I had (or at least I thought I had) asked for a single vent.

The suit has of course been cut on a "no vent" pattern-and despite the generous margins of extra cloth in the seams that you would expect, I don't believe that there is sufficient to form a single vent with sufficient overlap. The suit is a fairly conservative two button single breasted lounge suit with slanting pockets and modest, notched, lapels.

The cloth is a medium (on the heavy side) wool worsted in a beautiful shade of dark blue, short of navy. Obtaining more cloth is not expected to be a problem. The question is therefore: how best to deal with this?

I would say from the outset that there is no way I will expect my tailor to bear the cost of any remedial work and I am quite happy to pay what it takes to achieve an acceptable result.

I think I have three options:

1 - Obtain a sufficient length of cloth to cut a suitable replacement rear (right) panel in a format that will enable a single vent to be constructed in the orthodox way.

2 - Insert a small but sufficient piece of cloth to extend the right-hand panel under the left to create sufficient overlap. This will of course leave a vertical seam where normally there would be none.

3 - Insert more cloth, sufficient to create a box pleat. I have only seen box pleats on a (foreign) military uniform, but it would be an interesting if slightly unusual design for a suit.

The fourth option, which I am tending to discount already, is to put up with a ventless coat to my new suit.

I really would appreciate comment and advice on this matter since I am seeing my tailor tomorrow. Is the box pleat a daft idea? Should I put up with a ventless coat? I really have no clear idea on this.

Regards

David

 

[texas_jack]

I actually like ventless.

 

[RSS]

You mention that this tailor has made for you before. Assuming that your prior suits were cut with vents, unless you gave the tailor license to do as he wanted, I'd return the suit and ask him to make it right.

 

[lee_44106]

Since you are such a pushover, just wear the jacket as given you and stop complaining.

 

[inimitable]

Originally Posted by lee_44106

Since you are such a pushover, just wear the jacket as given you and stop complaining.

 

[Melcombe]

Originally Posted by lee_44106

Since you are such a pushover, just wear the jacket as given you and stop complaining.
I could demand my rights under the Sale of Goods Act, of course, bang my fist hard on his ancient cutting table and complain. At the same time I would likely wave goodbye to a valuable personal as well as commercial relationship - and there are not many tailors outside London who could match his quality and price : I have looked long and hard. My last order was a dinner jacket (obviously, without vents) which is where the misunderstanding might have arisen. I know that ventless is supposedly more formal and flattering and that single vents on lounge suits are a grotesque transatlanticism, but... I just like them (single vents I mean)! (I'm tending to the box pleat solution since eating my lunch.)

 

[Despos]

I would add a piece at the vent to create the vent. It would help if there is a pattern in the cloth to help conceal the seam.
If no pattern and you don't like that idea. Cut a new back panel and do it right. It is a pain but not that bad to do.

 

[Ianiceman]

Originally Posted by texas_jack

I actually like ventless.

Me too but don't tell anyone!

 

[RSS]

Originally Posted by Ianiceman

Me too but don't tell anyone!
I have a ventless jacket. I won it in a friendly game of poker (no strip) ... one that got a little out of hand.

 

[Melcombe]

Originally Posted by Despos

I would add a piece at the vent to create the vent. It would help if there is a pattern in the cloth to help conceal the seam. If no pattern and you don't like that idea. Cut a new back panel and do it right. It is a pain but not that bad to do.
Thanks very much for the advice. I did venture the idea of the box pleat solution, but my tailor looked very shocked indeed. He is adding a piece as you suggested, and with that addition is taking the opportunity to make the vent overlap a little deeper than might otherwise have been the case. The cloth isn't patterned as such but is a subtle pick & pick. I don't think the seam will be obvious, and the deeper overlap will, I hope, look well planned and purposeful. I'll post some pics when its done. Regards David