Coat lapels visible when wearing an overcoat, should I care?

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

-Honore de Balzac

Post Reply
shredder
Posts: 460
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:27 pm
Location: Duchy of Brabant
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:06 am

Hello everyone, my first post here. I have an issue about which I am unable to decide whether it is a problem or not. It does not bother me on some days; on other days it makes me wonder whether I should be bothered.

When wearing a coat with a high closing position, viz., a button 3 show 3 DB, under an overcoat, one can see about 2 inches (measured vertically at the lowest visible point) of the coat's lapels. The example is based on the overcoat that, amongst my overcoats, has the highest buttoning position, which, incidentally is a Chesterfield.

It is not dissimilar to a portion of one's vest being visible when wearing a coat, which, of course, is not a problem.

I hope the above description is adequate as I am not confident that I will manage the technical aspects of posting a photo.

Your thoughts? Is this an excuse to get a new overcoat?
alden
Posts: 8210
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:58 am
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:30 pm

Your thoughts? Is this an excuse to get a new overcoat?
It would bother me.

As regards, excuses for new overcoats. I think the members of the LL should be able to help you. We are good at such things.

Excuses:

It's Thursday.

Its -11 degrees C these days with snow on the ground, somewhere in the world.

The new Etna cashmere would make a lovely DB.

Cheers

Michael
DD MacDonald
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2005 1:51 pm
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:00 pm

Michael, you enabler!
shredder
Posts: 460
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:27 pm
Location: Duchy of Brabant
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:54 pm

Yes, quite! I actually do have a length of coating but have not been able to figure out what to do with it. I may post a separate thread about it at some point.

cheers,
s
dopey
Posts: 862
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2005 4:24 pm
Location: New York City
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:32 pm

shredder wrote:Hello everyone, my first post here. I have an issue about which I am unable to decide whether it is a problem or not. It does not bother me on some days; on other days it makes me wonder whether I should be bothered.

When wearing a coat with a high closing position, viz., a button 3 show 3 DB, under an overcoat, one can see about 2 inches (measured vertically at the lowest visible point) of the coat's lapels. The example is based on the overcoat that, amongst my overcoats, has the highest buttoning position, which, incidentally is a Chesterfield.

It is not dissimilar to a portion of one's vest being visible when wearing a coat, which, of course, is not a problem.

I hope the above description is adequate as I am not confident that I will manage the technical aspects of posting a photo.

Your thoughts? Is this an excuse to get a new overcoat?
It is not at all uncommon, particularly with certain DB coats. The look is, exactly as you described, a continuation of and similar to the amount of waistcoat that shows under the suitcoat.

Image
I have a bespoke DB overcoat, made by the same tailor that made most of my suits, that is exactly like this.

Nonetheless, if it bothers you, it bothers you. That is perfectly reasonable, too.
When I first got mine, I noticed that and liked the look. Then I wondered about how it was supposed to keep my chest warm, if it left some of it uncovered. In practice, I wear scarves, which vary in weight depending on the weather. And if it is really cold or rainy, I flip up the lapels and collar for extra warmth (though it is not cut with a storm collar).
shredder
Posts: 460
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:27 pm
Location: Duchy of Brabant
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:42 pm

Many thanks, Dopey. Given the climate these days, I tend to wear a scarf which masks the phenomenon... But I haven't quite determined whether it bothers me or not; it's very strange...

Here are some photos. Apologies for the atrocious quality.
Image
Image
Image

cheers,
s
Jovan the Un1337
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:54 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:54 pm

Just my unprofessional opinion, but I think it looks fine. The suit seems to have a pretty high fastening. Did you mean a 6x3?
shredder
Posts: 460
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:27 pm
Location: Duchy of Brabant
Contact:

Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:51 am

Jovan the Un1337 wrote:Did you mean a 6x3?
There are 6 buttons in total, of which 3 fasten. If that is what you mean by your notation, yes, I did mean that. "Button 3, show 3," as I mentioned above, is a standard London expression.
The Doctor
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:32 pm
Location: 12 Savile Row London & Carlisle, Cumbria
Contact:

Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:22 am

shredder wrote:Many thanks, Dopey. Given the climate these days, I tend to wear a scarf which masks the phenomenon... But I haven't quite determined whether it bothers me or not; it's very strange...

Here are some photos. Apologies for the atrocious quality.
Image
Image
Image

cheers,
s
To be fair, I think that it's a very high fastening on the jacket because of the reefer style 3x3 buttoning.

Edwin DeBoise

www.steed.co.uk
Post Reply
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 54 guests