Menswear. Hmmm. I do not have a lot of experience with menswear and this was my first foray into it in a long time. For my event, it would be historic menswear and I have even less experience than that. Making something for my husband, well that is a whole other situation. He’s not really into dressing up, but agreed to it for my 50th birthday. Good man. I decided simpler was better. He’s the gent pictured on the right in the photo above, incognito without his requisite gray Levis and zip hoodie. I made the waistcoat and breeches. The shirt, hat and stockings were purchased and I still have a long way to go.
And Kudos to Robb who also made his outfit (pictured to the left of my husband, Mark). He upcycled his coat from a vintage Naval Officer’s Jacket, cutting off the front from the waist down, to create tails and adding fabric to the sleeves for cuffs. This type of remodel was also on my mind, however I wasn’t feeling 100% confident about it. Very impressed with Robb here. His trousers were also made by him. For his shirt, he told me that he used an old tuxedo shirt and added a false bottom to look like a waistcoat. His Cravat/Mask was made from a bed sheet. I think he did a terrific job creating a look similar to the one in the above inspiration photo & illustration (to the left of the boys). You can find out more about Robb and his partner Lisa and all their shenanigans over at: http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/
I am always inspired by Mr. Knightly, shown above played by Jeremy Northam opposite Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma. Men’s trousers of the era (aka Breeches) were usually a high waisted affair and they often laced up in the back. The shirt voluminous and white. No Seinfeld pirate shirt jokes, ok. It is a much more refined affair.
For the breeches, I thought I would start with a pair of men’s khaki trousers from the thrift store. I wanted them to have the drop front and initially a long, narrow leg. At said thrift store Khaki trousers are a-plenty, however they have a multitude of pockets both front and back, which is common in modern menswear, and quite difficult to work around.
So I headed over to the ladies section to find some pants without pockets on the butt or side seams. I found two pairs of linen pants. The first pair were Khaki linen and zipped up the side. They turned out to be too small in the waist and crotch depth so I went to pair no. 2 which were these striped linen pants from Lane Bryant. They were plus sized and very roomy, and they were also cropped. Plenty of fabric to work with, but they were going to need to be short breeches and not long as I had first wanted. Also, they were going to be less formal as they were made from linen and quite soft, instead of a crisp twill. Not bad for a less than $20 investment in supplies.
The pants needed a waistband so I started by seam ripping the elastic band from the top edge of the pants. It was stitched down to form the elastic casing, so there were several rows of stitching to get through, before I could unfold and press to get the height I needed.
I ended up using the first linen pants as extra material to create the waistband lining and also the drop front section. I used a similar construction as that from the Folkwear Sailor Pants from my recent post to create the side panels for drop front. I also used the fabric to create the facing pieces that finish the drop front on the inside. I used shell buttons that I had on hand purchased in bulk for another project. (I LOVE shell buttons!)
For the back, a lace up section was created on the waistband using the drawstring from the original pants and hand sewn eyelets. The pants were narrowed considerably and I was able to create a fake button placket at the bottom, with covered buttons.
In the end, I shortened the length of the pants in the legs. they needed to be closer to Mark’s knees and not his calf. And, I added another waistband on top of the original to make it 2+ inches taller as the pants were much too low and didn’t even meet his waistcoat. This was HUGE learning curve for me, but I’m so glad I went through the process. I’ll tell you more about what I would do next time, after I tell you about the waistcoat.
This plaid, half lined blazer was the starting point for the waistcoat. It was cut right at the waist where the pockets started and the sleeves were removed.
The sleeves were then opened up so they laid flat and bias strips were cut to finish the armholes and bottom edge.
After finishing the bottom edge and armholes and slimming the waist through the CB seam, I added a bunch of covered buttons and buttonholes. I also needed to increase the length of the waistcoat as they didn’t even meet the pants. Ha Ha! I guess I forgot to measure twice. So I added a band at the bottom, made from the scraps and the pocket flaps . I should have just shortened the jacket and pocket bags instead of cutting it at the waist.
If I were to do this project again here is what I would do differently:
For the Breeches - I would buy the Laughing Moon breeches pattern and use that with very large khaki pants as fabric. More to use they as a fabric base than to upcycle them.
I would make a Coat like Robb did. I just love how it turned out and that is such a good look.
For the Waistcoat - I might use a women’s blazer in a lighter color or even a brocade. And , I would change the collar to be more of a stand up collar instead of a notched collar, using the sleeves as my fabric for that part. Maybe even purchase this Men’s Late Georgian Coat and Vests by Laughing Moon Pattern as reference
Here is the breakdown of all the parts:
Garments used for Breeches and Waistcoat -All three found at my local thrift store, Salvation Army (aka Charity shop) for under $20
Hat and Cravat (he forgot the cravat!) - Purchased from Historical Designs on Etsy
Napoleonic Shirt - Elgar Shirts
Silk Stockings - American Duchess
That’s it for now. Until Next Time, Happy Sewing!
xoxo Jennifer
