1830s Dress Coat - The Reveal

Look at those shoulders! Just look at them!

The shoulders are the only part of this coat I just don't like. Maybe someday I'll update the coat to some 1840s sleeves instead of the earlier poofs that it has now.

Here's a photo from when I wore the outfit to Old Sturbridge Village. As I recall the weather was warm and the snow was melting to make a lot of mud. But at least I was warm enough in my outfit. The hat is shaped wrong for the period, but it'll have to do.

Yesterday I had my wife take some other photos in our living room. I thought I'd pretend I was reading. :)

If this were the 1830s I'd be clean-shaven.

1830s Dress Coat - Finishing

It's been an awfully long time since I've posted.

I'm sorry.

We bought a house.

It was built in 1738.

It needs some TLC.

I actually finished the 1830s coat and went to the Old Sturbridge Village dinner wearing it, but basically as soon as I finished we bought the house and then I was immersed in home improvement projects. I kept thinking, "I have to post to my blog" but then projects took over.

That's not entirely true, because I've done a few other tailoring projects since then, but I somehow kept getting distracted from posting to my blog. And I apologize.

Here are the details on finishing the coat, and I'll post photos of the finished result next. Sooner than 8 months, I promise.

Anyway, after doing my fitting with basted seams I ripped the whole coat apart and started sewing it together for real. Obviously everything is hand-sewn - all seams are back stitched, and most everything else is felled or catch-stitched. As always, you can click on the images for a larger view.

The skirts are pleated into tails.

The collar canvas is basted to the cloth before being padded.

The collar and revers. I'm not sure why the left lapel is so wrinkled. It really isn't that bad when I'm wearing it.

The sleeves. The 1830s coat has funky, floppy cuffs. And giant poofy sleeve heads. I really don't like the style, but I'm a slave to fashion.

The sleeve linings. Obviously the cuffs have working buttons (i.e. "surgeon's cuffs").

The outside of the cuffs. Floppy, floppy.