December 2, 2012

The big coat reveal!

Here it is! We managed to make use a short sunny moment on an otherwise very rainy day to try and show off my new coat, my redingote.
For this, I decided to go all the way: styling and make-up!

You may remember how it all started with this image in a 1953 issue of sewing magazine Marion. 

I showed you the proces from trying out the original pattern, dismissing it and drafting and developing my own. I explained how to create ease at the armscye without limiting range of movement, and I showed the sewing work in progress. Now, the coat is finished and I've worn it out for the first time...


As discussed before, it has half raglan sleeves end on mid-shoulder where they meet the bodice princess seams. Those princess seams flare out from below the fitted wiastline to form a full skirt. On the side front pieces, there are stick-out pockets. The collar I finally decided upon creates the same high neckline as the shawl collar in the original design. This allowed me to stick with the original button placement: One at the waistline, one below it and one at the collar. With diagonal bound buttonholes. It's short of a convertible collar (if I add a little button and loop, it could be worn closed) with four little darts at the back.


The fabric is a blue-grey wool which has been in my stash for a while, underlined with grey wool, the bodice is interfaced with horsehair canvas and of course the whole thing is lined. 

Interestingly, according to the stern editrix of 1951's Libelle, blue-grey is an excellent colour for a coat because it can be worn with black and with brown... Although the redingote is always a dressy style which makes it less versitile...



And a dressy coat it is... I accesoirized with black for the photoshoot, mostly because it's the only colour in I have all pieces. 
The hat is vintage and was bought in London (at Portobello market, if I remember correctly), the gloves are vintage and from my local market and the purse comes from the same place but was very tired-looking and missing a strap so I did some DIY on it with bits of leather left over from one of my jacket projects. The shoes are the ones I often wear in pictures for the blog and were bought new.


25 comments:

  1. Gorgeous coat and what beautiful photos! I love the color of the redingote and the way you've styled it. What a beautiful city you live in!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations on sticking with the project. Your redingote looks better than the original Marion version!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's a fabulous coat! You did an incredible job, and the pictures are great too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just beautiful! Lovely photos, too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh AWESOME! This looks amazing---great work. And it really came together quickly once you got the pattern sorted (or so it seems to me...)

    So awesome. And I love the colour as well. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your coat is a beautiful achievement!
    It is stylish, flattering and unique. It also strikes me as the perfectly modern solution to dresses and skirts as compared to the many straight or somewhat shapeless coats in RTW. While you have given it a somewhat retro styling (which is gorgeous), I think it can also look quite modern. As well, I love your collar compromise. The style you have chosen does work well with your elegant long neck.
    One question: did you have trouble easing in the hem on the full skirt and were there any special techniques you used?

    Dagmar

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glorious! Simply stunning. Such exquisite workmanship.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely STUNNING! I just Love the colour, Love the style and you are drop dead gorgeous! What a beautiful piece! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow! Worth all your hard work. It's a wonderful coat and suits you to a T.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the colour you chose and the fit is amazing - Your photos are gorgeous too! A great way to celebrate your hard work.

    ReplyDelete
  11. A. Master. Piece! You look divine. The coat could definitely be worn with jeans and boots as well, if you so choose.

    Vibeke in Oslo

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful! You could not have done the poses any better. You look wonderful.( Please give us some closer pictures of you wearing the coat. ) I am so impressed.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Flippin' fantastic. Also, more close up shots please. I'd love to see the details (button holes, pockets etc).

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have been looking forward to seeing the photo's. Beautiful coat and I wish I had your talent. From sewkiwi

    ReplyDelete
  15. Gorgeous. You look achingly glamorous in those shots!

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's so wonderful! A completely beautiful coat. Great photos too, you look stunningly elegant!

    ReplyDelete
  17. This coat is absolutely stunning! I'm glad that you styled it up for the big reveal because such a coat deserves a smashing outfit to go with it :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love the pockets!! Your coat is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. It's so beautiful!! A true work of art! I love the color and it looks soooo warm and elegant!

    ReplyDelete
  20. It is just gorgeous. And I love that sepia photo of you. So beautiful, I hope you put that on canvas and put it on the wall. Congratulations!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Absolutely stunning. Very worth all the work! And thank you for sharing with us some "on scene" photos. You strike quite the pose ;).

    ReplyDelete
  22. Gorgeous! You may as well be a model in one of those magazines <3

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm so late in my comment, but I just LOVE the finished coat! You've done such a wonderful job on this, it'll last you for years and years. Great job on the photoshoot, too!

    ReplyDelete