First Time Bespoke Overcoat

[mathmo]

Hello,

I've recently decided to take the plunge into the world of bespoke clothing and as I need an overcoat, I've decided to start there.

I'm young (21), fairly short (5' 7") and pretty slim and because of this, most off-the-peg coats are far too large for me.

At the moment, I'm currently thinking about approaching either Sims and Macdonald or Connock and Lockie in London for a fairly conventional wool overcoat in dark navy. While both appear to produce excellent work, I can find very little information about their house styles. Although I'm not looking for anything fashion forward, I'm keen not to look excessively dated and to find a cut that will be particularly flattering. While I can't really find anything to support it, I get the impression that both tailors favour very traditional cuts.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?

[Bishop of Briggs]

I don't that either firm has a house style, especially for overcoats. You need to think about what you want the coat for, e.g. business, and the appropriate style, colour and cloth. We rarely have very cold weather in London, even in December, January or February. A very heavy cloth might be too warm most days, especially in the West End or City. My style suggestion is a double breasted Ulster in a very dark navy.

[mathmo]

Thanks for the advice. I'll post some details of the results when I've made up my mind.

[Costi]

I'd suggest something along these lines:

SB might be better for a first bespoke overcoat.
Perhaps the lapels can be just a bit narrower and more steeply angled (rather than horizontal) for an even more elongating line, to which the continuity of the fly front also contributes. Take these lapels for an instance:

[lordofpi]

I have to support the idea of SB coats. This past winter, I had my first [semi-]bespoke overcoat experience (more MTM, I suppose). In assembling my wardrobe, I have always erred to the more conservative and more formal options as my first pieces; I feel one can always be a tad overdressed without much harm, but underdressing at times may offend. This is why I chose a Chesterfield to be my first [semi-]bespoke overcoat. At the time, I did not know where to look for a tailor to assemble a bespoke coat, so I consulted with my haberdasher who remembered an old Isaia pattern for a Chesterfield from many years back. After some fun trying to communicate with the Italians over the phone, they were actually able to locate the pattern and made a special order for me at a semi-reasonable price.

To cover all bases, so to speak, I opted to have three made at a discount to me: charcoal with black velvet collar, navy with navy velvet collar, and a tan with dark brown velvet collar. The coats were made full length, single-breasted, with a fly-front. The body was shapely, center vented, two side pockets, one ticket pocket, Covert-like stitching around the cuffs and bottom skirt, set-in sleeves, and notched lapels.

I know that not all of these features are de rigueur for a Chesterfield (and please do point these out), but nevertheless, the result is three absolutely beautiful garments that are very warm and can be worn on many occasions (e.g., formal, informal, and business casual). My next coatings will likely be Polos, but for now I am more than set and can wait as long as I wish before having to have another coat made up or purchased. I highly recommend a Chesterfield to you. Best of luck, and be sure to keep us up to date!

Matt

[Costi]

I like DB overcoats quite a lot - they can be worn very elegantly. I just think a SB overcoat is more versatile for a FIRST overcoat and it works better for someone who is not very tall - not that a DB doesn't work, it just takes more experience to get it right in terms of overlap, lapel width, button stance, length. A good tailor should be able to fit you well in any of the two styles, but the more streamlined SB with a fly front is easier to be a success at the first attempt.
Matt, if it weren't for the full length (do you mean mid-calf?) I would say your overcoats have all the features of a Covert: railroad stitching, ticket pocket, velvet collar (although the Chesterfield may have it, too).
For mathmo I would advise against a ticket pocket - less interruptions work in favour of creating more visual height. Length a little below the knee. Simple, straight, flapped hip pockets.

[lordofpi]

Costi, it is indeed just below mid-calf (sorry if this was confusing; I always considered that to be full, 3/4 to the knee, 1/2 mid-thigh). I know for a fact that the Chesterfield is to have a velvet collar. As far as the ticket pocket and the railroad stitching, I know these are standard on the Covert, but I do not know if they are enough to disqualify a Chesterfield either. Perhaps someone can chime in, but I always understood a Covert to be specifically 1/2 length and fawn colored with a green velvet collar.

[Costi]

Anthony Eden in the photo above is wearing a Chesterfield with peak lapels and self-cloth collar. The Chesterfield can even be DB. The velvet collar is not a qualifying must for a Chesterfield.
It is also not an absolute must for a Covert coat (see gent in the middle below):

The railroad stitching and ticket pocket are country details, while the Chesterfield is a town overcoat. That is not to say an overcoat that is in-between cannot be very dashing, as in the example below (below the knee length, railroad stitching, no ticket pocket, no velvet collar, slanted pockets with railroad stitching, worn in London):