Inspire me: need ideas for a summer DB

[zeitgeist]

Dear gentlemen and friends,

I am about to embark on a bespoke project for myself - a DB summer odd jacket. Significantly, this will be my first ever DB commission.

I am currently in the process of going through fabric books with my tailor, but the impending need to advise him on how I actually want the jacket to turn out is quite daunting. To use an analogy - I feel like someone who has played Mozart all his life like Backhaus, and is now contemplating the prospect of making the 'leap' to playing Chopin like Cortot!

At present I only know that I 'want' 3 things in my DB - 1. that it should be a solid blue colour with an intersting weave, 2. that it be 4x2, and 3. that it be more closely hewn to my figure than 'drape' over it.

With that in mind, I would greatly appreciate it if members could post photos - of themselves or others - in DB jackets or suits who have inspired them in some way, in the hope that I will chance upon something that is 'just right' to my eyes.

Many thanks, and I look forward to your replies.

~ James

[alden]

James,

What a thoroughly refreshing idea that of needing inspiration to make clothes. Most of us would do with a bit of chemically induced sartorial suppression. Nevertheless, here are a few photos for you:



NJS has a great picture of Mr. R. Valentino in a blue blazer. You might want to take a look at his book or ask the author to publish it here.





I suppose we should start a DB thread in the Great Photos section.

Keep the questions coming and we will find a DB for you.

Cheers

Michael

[zeitgeist]

Michael,

Thank you very for the photos. The DB is, to my eyes, a bit of a challenge to get 'right'.

Before I continue, a little background: I am of a relatively slender and tall build; my tailor tells me that I am easy to fit. Up till now I have stuck to SB notch lapels - to my eye a peak lapel on a SB can look a little 'off', though I have seen on occasion an example that worked. Thus this project is shaping up to be a bit of a challenge, due to the relatively inexperience I have with:

1. DB (vs SB) button placement. I find on a 2B SB that placing the top button just at my natural waist is most pleasing to my eye; together with open quarters (which I prefer), it creates a gentle 'flowing' 'X' shape. I am not sure how to adapt this to a DB. Intuitively I feel that the horizontal button placement on a 4x2 will also create an illusion (or not) of breadth, and am not sure where the 'buttoning points' should be - given my somewhat slender build I am instinctively leaning towards placing them a little wider: more __o___o__ than __o__o__ (forgive the crude depiction).

2. peak lapels. as mentioned earlier, I have no experience with bespeaking jackets/suits with peak lapels, with the closest being a MTM overcoat. I am not sure how 'peaky' they should be - should the 'point' of the peak point up, or horizontally, or somewhere in between? And how broad should I get them? With my notch lapels I go with what I have been taught as classic - either at, or just under, the halfway point from the lapel fold line to my shoulder.

3. the lapels. I am not sure where a DB's lapels 'should' 'cross' each other. For example, in the photos you provide, PMoK's lapels cross at a much lower point compared to yours, yet neither look is 'wrong' per se to my eyes.

Hah - I suspect you might be regretting having asked me for questions!