Spring cabrio coat

[J.S. Groot]

Me too.

[Manself]

And me! I've admired these trousers ever since Costi first showed images of them.

[Costi]

Thank you, fellow Loungers!

JCH, the action back offers extra freedom of movement to the arms - very useful when driving with a coat on. It really works.
Michael, great idea! It's something between pumpkin and egg yolk. It's a cloth woven locally, cathach, I don't even know if it's still available anymore. I have it in charcoal, too. Very sturdy and resilient. Holds a crease like sheet iron, but drapes well. However, I think I am in, too, for an LL edition of that!
Michael, I like what you say about the jacket's simplicity, that is what I was after, even though there is quite a bit going on: action back, patch pockets, collar tab... When I first got this cloth, it spoke to me of a very plain cut that simply puts its inherent beauty and character into evidence. I considered many options for a long time and only decided to have it made a couple of months ago. I wanted to integrate some elements of comfort in a coat doesn't look crowded and fancy, but derives its beauty from its functionality. The cloth was, of course, great help in its simplicity of design and good tailoring qualities. All these "features" blend in thanks to the character of the cloth, which served the purpose perfectly.

[hectorm]

I'd put the fifth button on the back of the lapel to attach to the boutonniere,

I think that is a neat idea that would add to the functionality of the jacket with a tighter closure on the chest and the possibility of a looser closure on the neck.
Costi might even have that button hidden already behind his right lapel and we don´t know it because he kept it unfastened when he turned the collar up
BTW, I join my fellow LL members in praising Costi´s cabrio coat. Perfect simple combination of function and style. I particularly loved the one button cuffs. Great trousers too!

[Cooked]

Michael, great idea! It's something between pumpkin and egg yolk. It's a cloth woven locally, cathach, I don't even know if it's still available anymore. I have it in charcoal, too. Very sturdy and resilient. Holds a crease like sheet iron, but drapes well. However, I think I am in, too, for an LL edition of that!

Costi you demonstrate great generosity of spirit - some might guard with jealousy such a unique and lovely pair of trousers! I've admired them before and am certainly "in" for an LL version - perhaps in other colours too?

Lovely coat too - pleasingly simple and functional. I like the bi-swing back, very neatly done. I've never seen one with elastic as you describe, is that something you and your tailor came up with?

[Costi]

Costi might even have that button hidden already behind his right lapel and we don´t know it because he kept it unfastened when he turned the collar up

He doesn't - but it's a good idea!
Thank you!

[Costi]

Cooked, thank you - it was my tailor's idea, he thought the bellows would not retreat neatly behind the back when the arms hang straight, after having been extended. I have another bi-swing back coat in linen and it's true that the bellows misbehave sometimes, but it's a loosely structured half-lined coat and there was no other way to do it. It works well with the general rumpled look on that jacket. Besides, the elastic fabric does add another layer over the upper back and that means warmth - most welcome on a cold season coat like the Donegal, but not really a solution on a summer garment.
As for the trousers - on the contrary, I am happy that they gained favour and that Loungers think they're worth a CC edition. I had fun having them made and I enjoy wearing them - the more, the merrier!

[uppercase]

Excellent, Costi!!
Bravo.
Looks as if you've gained 6" in height and lost 20kg.
Is it the tailoring or the reality…?

[T.K.]

Excellent, Costi!!
Bravo.
Looks as if you've gained 6" in height and lost 20kg.
Is it the tailoring or the reality…?

The reality of tailoring in any case....

I love the cap too. Not too wide, not too slim. Is it an eight or a six piece?

[couch]

Costi, a handsome coat as always. It prompts a question for you and the membership generally, especially any of our tailors who might be reading this. I note that you have used a self-fabric undercollar rather than collar melton on this jacket, which is logical given that you expect it to be frequently visible when turned up. As we've discussed some time ago, I'm not partial myself to the collar-tab variety of throat latch, but I usually have a button placed, as Concordia describes, on the underside of the lapel opposite the "boutonniere" on my tweeds so that the jacket can be closed up, with turned collar, if the weather turns raw. I've specified this both with Poole and with Edwin at Steed, and in both cases, absent specific direction otherwise, they have used melton under the collar. I remember seeing the same arrangement in a picture posted here of Edward Fox as Wales/Edward/Windsor walking on the beach with a turned collar and throat latch. Many RTW lines use the self-fabric undercollar.

My question is whether you or anyone can comment on the pros and cons, in terms of performance (collar staying flat and not sliding up when turned down, etc.) and appearance (extra thickness at back top of collar, etc.) when using the two methods with tweed, and whether, if one ventures to use the self-fabric undercollar, there are any particular points the tailor needs to be aware of, or the client needs to understand/specify, for it to work successfully. I presume most candidate tweeds considered here would have a rough enough surface to grip reasonably well. Is it more difficult to properly shape and set the collar with a self-fabric underside? Or is it simply a style choice and the tailoring issues are equivalent?

Many thanks,
Couch

[Costi]

Thanks, uppercase!
-12 kg is reality
the other -8 is the reality of tailoring, as T.K. writes
the 6" extra might be the reality of photography?... (I am 1.82 for the record)

[Costi]

I love the cap too. Not too wide, not too slim. Is it an eight or a six piece?

eight piece, Hanna Hats of Donegal, Ireland

[Costi]

Thank you, couch! My tailor always uses self cloth for the undercollar, irrespective of the cloth. Never had issues with that, never discussed alternatives. I like it that way and leave that to him.
The collar tab does away with the need for a scarf, in my case. It keeps the wind out. A button in correspondence to the boutonniere, with a simply raised collar that doesn't button up, would not do that for me.

[Concordia]

I guess the other tweak would be in addition to the self-backing under the collar, to have a corduroy or something softer on top (as with velvet on a Chesterfield). Much less formal and perhaps a bit more difficult to maintain, but perhaps more comfy when popped up and buttoned.

[hectorm]

My question is whether you or anyone can comment on the pros and cons, in terms of performance (collar staying flat and not sliding up when turned down, etc.) and appearance (extra thickness at back top of collar, etc.) when using the two methods with tweed

Many, many years ago I got fed up with the way my collars looked when being turned up. The Melton cloth and stiches of the underside didn´t make the best of views. My then tailor argued that he "needed" the Melton cloth in order to shape the collars and we reached to the following compromise: if the garment was to be worn always with the collar down (most jackets) he would continue to use the Melton for the underside; if the garment was to be worn occasionally with the collar up (most overcoats) then self-backing was to be used (and, I´m not sure, but I believe that reinforcing -when needed- was to be kept inside). With few exceptions, I have followed those guidelines with custom made garments since then and with other tailors. There have been no problems in terms of performance or appearance with the self-backed collars including one tweed ¾ overcoat. All my other tweed jackets have the Melton though. I have also noticed that for many of the self-backed collars, reinforcement is done through a series of parallel rows of stiches similar to those on a convert coat cuff. I like the way they look.