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Post by cosmoblue on Oct 17, 2007 18:25:27 GMT -5
So there are tons of resource for women's costuming, but not nearly as many for men. Where do you find your men's inspiration? How many outfits do most men have? I was thinking of making my DH an outfit, but with all of the pieces I don't know how I would ever finish both of our outfits. Do men usually have one outfit with several waistcoats?
[subject thoughtfully edited to add 'general discussion']
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Oct 17, 2007 18:32:24 GMT -5
That is a great question. Actually there are lots of men's patterns out there. You can find them at Wingeo, Rocking Horse Farms and Patterns of Time. You can find those links at the Oregon Regency Society's Resources PageI'm making my husband's first costume; and trust me it is A LOT OF WORK. A regency gown is a bodice and skirts, perhaps a shift and stay/corset, but once those are made, you can reuse those. Men need: A Waistcoat, a shirt, a cravat, a tailcoat/frockcoat, breeches and stockings. The waistcoat is always expensive because it's brocade or something similar and the tailcoat is usually a light wool or something equally as costly; both need to be tailored and it's very involved. I'm a fast sewer, which is my downfall, because I end up stopping to fix stupid mistakes, and my husband's costume ahs been replete with mistakes. If you do a costume for your husband, give yourself some time to familiarize yourself with the patterns. Here's a link to my diatribe about my husband's costume, and it includes links to patterns. oregonregency.blogspot.com/2007/10/outfitting-regency-man-isnt-easy.html
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Post by cosmoblue on Nov 10, 2007 17:25:11 GMT -5
Okay, so really, why is it so difficult to find a variety of patterns for men's costumes? I just don't like having so few choices.
RSA - Where are your detailed photos?
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Nov 11, 2007 13:48:39 GMT -5
I think there's a decent variety out there; you just need to find them. Patterns of Time has lots of choices, and I know that there are some other patterns for men's clothes out there I haven't found yet. It's so specialized... it's easy to miss the small websites & such.
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Post by cosmoblue on Nov 11, 2007 19:33:23 GMT -5
Well I hope that you are right about there being more choices that I have found. My poor husband deserves to look as great as I do.
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Post by austenfan on Nov 19, 2007 14:30:48 GMT -5
I'm sure he will.
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Post by iamdiverted on Nov 28, 2007 17:45:27 GMT -5
My boyfriend got me this book, and it's amazing, but I am not pattern wise so to speak. Maybe you are. They some garment patterns for the period in here. I admit there are not as many regency as there are othe rperiods tho. www.amazon.com/Cut-Mens-Clothes-1600-1900/dp/0878300252
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Nov 28, 2007 18:23:29 GMT -5
SirJames suggested those book in his very first posts here. I've got them on my Amazon wish list, but have you seen how $$$$EXPENSIVE$$$$$ they are? Yikes.
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Post by cosmoblue on Nov 29, 2007 15:52:55 GMT -5
iamdiverted - What an awesome boyfriend you have to buy you such a gift.
RSA - It is on my Amazon wish list also.
Until I win the lottery or my line gets rolling I am planning to go to the Library and photocopy the heck out of it. The library here is wonderful.
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Nov 29, 2007 19:36:37 GMT -5
Great idea!
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Post by Goblin, esq. on Dec 13, 2007 17:35:07 GMT -5
There are a number of resources for Men's costuming, but far fewer than for women. The best that I know of is R.L. Shep's Federalist & Regency Costume: 1790-1819
Unfortunately, it is a copy of a primary source, meant for tailors, and lacking in the details necessary to turn the diagrams into useable patterns. It is an excellent reference for modifying a pattern to make it more period, however.
Another excellent reference is Nora Waugh's The Cut of Men's Clothes: 1600-1900, which was mentioned earlier.
I've had a lot of luck with R.I. Davis Men's Garments, 1830-1900, which explains how to draft your own patterns from measurements. It's a bit late for the Regency, but once you have the pattern, you can use one of the books above to tweak it to be more period-accurate.
I should also mention Costume Close Up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790 by Linda Baumgarten. It's on the early side, more Georgian than Regency, but it has patterns taken off of actual period garments, much like Janet Arnold's books.
I don't like the Wingeo pattern; it looks early Regency (ignore the claim that it is good to 1820) but the construction is very inaccurate.
I don't know anything about the Rocking Horse Farm 201: 1795-1820 Tailcoat pattern, as I haven't used it, but from the look of it I'd try it over the Wingeo one.
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Dec 13, 2007 17:39:42 GMT -5
I did the Wingeo frock-coat. It's a cutaway, and I'm not so pleased with the end result. At first I thought it was a good pattern, but after having to redo it, and modify it, I was slightly miffed. I think I may just order the Rocking Horse Farm one.
I think what bugged me most about the Wingeo pattern is that being a somewhat inexperienced seamstress, I was sort of lost with the pleats and vent. I wish they'd given better instructions than just a hand-written scrawled single paragraph of buzzword laden text at the bottom of one of the pattern pages.
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Post by cosmoblue on Dec 13, 2007 17:50:53 GMT -5
Goblin, esq/Chris - Thanks again for another most excellent reply. It is so great to have a male to answer costumes that relate to men. I am going to check out the Norah Waugh and the R.L. Shep. I will check Costume Close Up.
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Post by Goblin, esq. on Dec 13, 2007 17:58:19 GMT -5
The books I mentioned above under coats generally have patterns for breeches, too, although I would not use a pattern drafted from Men's Garments, 1830-1900, as if they are made tight enough, the wearer won't be able to sit down!
The pattern I use is Eagle's View PM73 Broadfall Drop Front Breeches and Pants, although it will have to be fitted a bit more closely than just following the basic pattern, if you want a fashionable look. The rear is very baggy, and can be disconcerting to some gentlemen at first, but the rear of the breeches is hidden by the tails of the coat, so no one need ever see it, and it is necessary to allow enough ease to sit.
I don't have any recommendations for waistcoat patterns, as I've always used one that I made myself a while back. There are a number of patterns out there, however.
Waistcoats are easy to make, and even if you want to use an expensive silk or brocade, they don't require a lot of fabric, as the back and lining can be plain linen or cotton. Again, the back will never be seen in polite company.
(I strongly recommend using natural fibers, cotton or linen, for the back and lining of the waistcoat, as well as the lining of the body of the coat. Natural fabrics will breathe and keep the gentleman cool even during strenuous dancing.)
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Post by cosmoblue on Dec 13, 2007 18:02:56 GMT -5
Chris - My husband would kill me if I put him in synthetic/manufactured fibers for an outfit he is supposed to dance in. Do you do you breeches in moleskin or twill or wool usually?
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Post by Goblin, esq. on Dec 13, 2007 18:05:56 GMT -5
The pleats at the back of a coat can be very confusing. What I've discovered works best for me is to skip the pleating until after the lining is put in (lining the fronts and rears of the tails separately), then pleat the fabric and lining together. This leaves some raw edges inside the coat at the top of each pleat, but these can be tucked in, or covered with a scrap of the lining material. Only after doing all this do I sew up the vent of the pleats.
I'm afraid that my explanation isn't very clear....
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Post by cosmoblue on Dec 13, 2007 18:09:36 GMT -5
Chris - I have taken a tailoring course in college so I have an idea what you mean. I was reading in Fashion In Detail that they didn't even necessarily line the coats since like you said they were not removed in polite company. The showed a photo of the edge stitching.
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Post by Goblin, esq. on Dec 13, 2007 18:12:49 GMT -5
I make my breeches out of wool. My best pair are made of a wool knit, so there is some stretch to them, making them very comfortable. I have some pictures here: goblinrevolution.org/costumes/navy/Oh, what I failed to mention in my previous post, the Eagle's View pattern does not include pockets. Breeches should have at least one fob pocket in the waistband, for a pocketwatch with decorative fob.
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Post by cosmoblue on Dec 13, 2007 18:21:55 GMT -5
Those look great of course, everything you do does. Good hint about the pocket.
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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Dec 13, 2007 18:28:00 GMT -5
Actually, they're delightfully clear. Your images are fantastic. What an amazing costume! It's nice to have a male's perspective, indeed.
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