Very interesting to see this as a patterned diagram. I always expected something like this to be much more complex than the diagram would indicate. This of course does not include any details on padding the shoulders or quilting the chest but the body portion of the doublet is very similar to the Civil War era Union "mounted services jacket" patterns readily available from a number of sutlers. Another option might be basing one on the Confederate Richmond or Peter Tait import jackets that are also commonly available. With a few alterations to the cut of the body and a little creative work to draft the cuffs and skirt pannels the jacket pattern would be a great place to start for someone without formal tailoring training but skilled enough with a needle to handle a pre-sized pattern.
Something to table for the future should I find myself in desparate need of an excuse to sew yard after yard of trim onto a jacket...
Note the various ways the flaps/skirts/tashes are shaped there.
The Army adopted doublets in 1855.
Initially the tashes were shaped like this. Their origin and function as pockets is obvious. Here are the original 1855 pattern doublets:
In 1856 the Army changed the doublets from doublebreasted to singlebreasted and the tashes changed too. Here's the 1856 pattern, being worn in 1865. The ORs' tashe shape would evolve from this to the classic shape seen up until Full Dress was abolished in 1914. The Drum Major here shows a tashe shape often seen on Officers' doublets.
Here are photos showing the classic ORs' tashe shape seen in the last quarter of the 19th century up to 1914:
This doublet is the perfect example of the extremely elegant tashe shape common on 1881-1914 ORs' doublets:
Officers' doublets usually had their tashes shaped a bit differently. This shape is common, not elegantly flaring like the ORs', but straight and a bit narrower. The buttons are often pushed closer to the edges on Officers' tashes.
This Officer's doublet has tashes shaped more like ORs'.
The lower patterns in the OP above show very squared-off tashes; these do appear occasionally in old photos of Army officers.
Could anyone tell me if the facings were different on the 1855 uniform from the Napoleonic uniform. In particular I am wondering if they changed from each regiment having there own facings, to a standard facing for all regiments?
It's interesting to note that the flaps on the mariner cuffs of the coatee used to go to the bottom of the sleeve, but fashion etc has ended up with them floating higher up the sleeve with no real reason nowadays...
I'm no expert, but i suspect small changes like the flaps may have changed based on the regiment... Kind of like the buff facings on the black watch mess dress, and the buttons going to the top of the collar.
I do seem to recall an episode of Sharpe where they suggested that the rifles were going to be put in scarlet uniforms like the rest of the regiments (met with derision by the rifles) and the thought was that the rifles had the right to wear green for some reason (a vicotory somewhere?)... Only fiction i know....
[QUOTE=JSFMACLJR;995493]You might find these pages of more interest for civilian wear:
Wow, Thank you incredibly much. Several years ago I made a frock coat from period lofting instructions such as these. I had been planning to cut down the pattern for a kilt jacket but now this is much better. I have some black Pendleton wool left over which should do nicely. Again thank you.
Elf
There is no bad weather; only inappropriate clothing.
-atr: New Zealand proverb
Originally Posted by OC Richard
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