Tweed Odd Jacket Cloth & Details

"The brute covers himself, the rich man and the fop adorn themselves, the elegant man dresses!"

-Honore de Balzac

Melcombe
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Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:52 pm

emc894 wrote:An update:

I was just measured and ordered the jacket. I chose black and white herringbone Harris Tweed from Harrisons. I was chose two buttons, three on cuff, charcoal lining, double vent, non-patch flapped pockets and ticket pocket, but was swayed into choosing slanted pockets. If this is an equestrian detail, it seems out of place with a double vented coat. What do you think (of course, I realize the only people who would ever notice the incongruity are probably members of this website or tailors)?

On suits, I think the slanted pockets sometimes look like the wearer just received his first bespoke suit and wanted to go wild, but I don't know about tweed jackets.
How exciting. I think the B&W herringbone looks very good indeed - and is likely to look as much a town coat in that colour way, as something only suited to the country.

It seems conventional that the hacking jacket style (slant pockets, tight waist, single vent and usually 3-button) and universal style (horizontal pockets, double vent, 2- or 3-button) don't mix. Magee (of Donegal) used to offer these 2 styles as quite different concepts in their RTW tweed jacket range, not least because their marketing aimed specifically at the equestrian world and the 'cubbing' outfit of hacking jacket and bowler was a very prescriptive order of dress.

Personal I like the hacking style (although horses scare me and make me sneeze uncontrollably...) simply because it suits my dumpy shape (see above). In other respects, I think straight pockets - or patch - look better with double vents, but no firm rule surely.

I placed my order last week in brown Harrisons herringbone c/w a particularly lurid lime green lining my tailor seems very enthusiastic about; if needs be I shall possibly be able to wear the coat inside out to avoid being run over in traffic in poor lighting conditions...
alden
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Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:00 pm

Emc

If you are going hacking jacket you have to go the whole enchilada...ie center vent, slanted pockets for easy access while on a fille's back and a stable full of thurrrobreds. If you are horsing around Manhatten you are well advised to keep your pockets straight and your vents doubled.

Cheers
emc894
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Wed Nov 14, 2012 3:22 am

Very helpful all, thank you. I seem to be suspectible to slightly louche suggestions (and not just from tailors!). I'll keep the ticket pocket so the tailor doesn't get too bored.
alden
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Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:12 am

A good ticket holder will give you the elegant "user of public transportation look" and you will cut a dashing figure in the underground this season. Certainly less interesting would be this kind of a look:

Image

:D ...just teasing

You should however focus your tailor's energy on giving your coat a raised edge, a quarter stitch as this detail compliments tweed coats mightily.

Cheers
Julian
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Wed Nov 14, 2012 11:17 am

emc894 wrote:An update:

I was just measured and ordered the jacket. ... but was swayed into choosing slanted pockets ... What do you think ...
My first ever bespoke commission was also a two button double-vented Harrisons P&H tweed jacket (although it was a lighter weight tweed). I had some issues with the tailor getting the front balance horribly wrong initially and it took a while to mostly-fix to the extent where I now consider it wearable but not a 100% success.

My one big regret regarding my style choices was to have selected slanted pockets. I feel that they make the front quarters of a jacket look more bulbous because the upward slant emphasises and slightly increases the area of unbroken material below the pockets and hence the overall effect is less slimming to my eye than straight pockets. It's just my opinion but I have gone for straight pockets for my second (current) commission. I'm very glad that I made this mistake (to my eyes) with my first commission and with a relatively cheap tailor.

- Julian
hectorm
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Wed Nov 14, 2012 4:34 pm

alden wrote:A good ticket holder will give you the elegant "user of public transportation look" and you will cut a dashing figure in the underground this season.
:lol:
But If you forgo the ticket pocket (and therefore, the key element for the correct use of public tranportation), be sure to secure your own customized Vantage Volante and a matching tweed cap, like Prince Michael did. :roll:
Rowly
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Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:25 pm

I had a tweed jacket made with a matching cap. It doesn't work in my opinion and I never wear them together, nor would I repeat the dose. Like a pocket square, or scarf...for me,anyway, the cap should be different.
MTM
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Thu Nov 15, 2012 3:33 am

No love for patch pockets? For a long time, I had wonderful black and white herringbone tweed jacket from Brooks Bros w/ welt breast and lower flapped patch pockets. Single vent, air force blue lining. I gave it away when I got a nice Breanish black and gray herringbone w/ three open patches and double vents. Sometimes I miss the BB jacket though. Bk and white herringbone is the perfect second sport coat (after a blue blazer) and that old one had the ideal configuration imo.
emc894
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Tue Nov 20, 2012 3:44 pm

MTM wrote:No love for patch pockets? For a long time, I had wonderful black and white herringbone tweed jacket from Brooks Bros w/ welt breast and lower flapped patch pockets. Single vent, air force blue lining. I gave it away when I got a nice Breanish black and gray herringbone w/ three open patches and double vents. Sometimes I miss the BB jacket though. Bk and white herringbone is the perfect second sport coat (after a blue blazer) and that old one had the ideal configuration imo.
Unless a jacket is a very minimally lined summer jacket, a "sweater-like" cashmere one, or some sort of bellows pocketed functional jacket, I personally do not like patch pockets. I feel as if it has key internal structure on the outside. I totally agree on the B&W heringbone being a highly adaptable staple though.
Melcombe
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 4:53 pm

Apologies for resurrecting the thread, but I lately had the chance to pick up my recently completed OJ and take it for an outing (Mothering Sunday, in the UK).

This is a Porter & Harding Hartwist brown herringbone in a hacking style : single vent, slanted pockets, etc. One attribute I have saved from display (pending getting a decent camera on the job...) is the lining which you can just glimpse under the r/h pockets. It is bright lime green, and with the brown tweed, it reminds me of the luminous green chocolate-centred lime sweets I ate too many of as a child. I have to admit that it's a very personal thing, but Ive received some appreciative remarks from colleagues (once their retinas recover).

Image

I really must learn to take a decent photo!
old henry
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:57 pm

It looks very nice. And I love a good center vent. They are under rated. The "True" classic.
hectorm
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Mon Mar 11, 2013 3:34 am

Dear Melcombe,
kudos for the center vent but I think -although I like the color- that the lining of your pocket flaps should not be making an appearance unless you're reaching inside with your hands. Maybe some ironing is needed or perhaps carrying fewer shells? :)
old henry
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Mon Mar 11, 2013 12:43 pm

I would like to see a better photo. It looks 10 times better than that awkward, ill-fitting, extremely off balance coat on the bearded gent above.I like the lining. Perfection is boring.
hectorm
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Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:12 pm

old henry wrote: ..... ill-fitting, extremely off balance coat on the bearded gent above.
Dear Frank,
if you could please elaborate on your "ill-fitting and extremely off balance" remark, I suspect that we would all be learning something interesting.
MRJ
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Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:19 pm

Prince Michael is normally very well dressed. I agree with Frank that his jacket is ill fitting with far too much drape and would value a professional view. However I suspect he has either lost weight since the Jacket was made or he has just got out of the car and not adjusted it correctly
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