Midnight Blue Overcoating?

[Jordan Marc]

Yes, indeed, the color is lovely.

But is it me, or are the six buttons on the coat in the illustration set too high, making the peak lapels look pinched. Maybe the lapels need a higher gorge, more width for the length of coat, and the top button left undone for a more graceful roll to the center. A different hat would help, too. What's needed is a beautiful fedora.

JMB

[Pelham]

Yes, indeed, the color is lovely.

But is it me, or are the six buttons on the coat in the illustration set too high, making the peak lapels look pinched. Maybe the lapels need a higher gorge, more width for the length of coat, and the top button left undone for a more graceful roll to the center. A different hat would help, too. What's needed is a beautiful fedora.

JMB

The design looks perfect to me. What I like about that coat is the placement of the buttons and the fact that none of them are undone. I don't understand the rationale for low button placement on an overcoat, or for leaving them undone as with a suit - because overcoats are meant to keep a person warm! I had a black coat made in a 6 x 2 design, which is an elegant 30s look that I fully enjoy but its low opening and buttoning stance results in an excessive amount of exposure during a very cold day, that a scarf mitigates imperfectly. I regret not having the design in that picture done instead, and I may take the picture in to a tailor when I have my next coat made, so thanks to Mr Alden for posting it.

P.

[Costi]

Pelham, I also like the way the overcoat in the picture looks. Even on this one, though, one could leave the top button unbuttoned - note that the lapel rolls slightly through the top buttonhole or just above it. The rationale would be that you might run warm by noon on a sunny day that starts cold in fact, if you take an ulster for example, you could just throw it on your shoulders and maybe button at the waist in milder weather, or you could button all the way up, raise your collar and tighten your belt, too, on a cold windy day.
It seems more natural for topcoats rather than overcoats to cover less of one's chest since they are just an outer shell whose primary function is to cover the suit beneath and constitute proper streetwear rather than keep one very warm.

[Hartline]

When I asked my tailor in London for a bunch of heavy weight swatches, he sent me one that is similar. I can't tell the distributor/maker because the label is handwritten. It says, "6019, RAF Doeskin, 59/60'' 19/20oz." It is a woolen cloth. The handwriting is same as one of swatches from H.E. Box if that helps.

Here is a photo that does not do the cloth justice. (Maybe we should start speaking in Pantone.)




Also in the group is a worsted cloth that is by H.E. Box, B20728 that is a dense 18oz., which I've been considering for Fall 2009. Here are some photos of it.







Has anyone ever made anything out of Box's 32oz cloth -- other than a hunt coat?