Does anyone make this style coatee?

[Ancienne Alliance]

Now the question is whether I want to attempt to replicate this particular style. And yes, I think I'm interested enough that I will be contacting Lady Chrystel to find out more!


ith:

Robert

[piperdbh]

Now the question is whether I want to attempt to replicate this particular style. And yes, I think I'm interested enough that I will be contacting Lady Chrystel to find out more!


ith:

Robert

Do you have her contact info, Robert?

[creagdhubh]

You are kind of a snooty one...

Not a very fair statement to make, mate. If you knew Sandy, as I and several others on XMTS know him, you would come to find that there is nothing 'snooty' about him. On the contrary, it is in my best judgment that there is much to learn from Sandy, as he comes from a distinctive West Highland family, rich in tradition and West Highland culture, thus, really making him a wealth of knowledge in regards to all things Highland - including dress.

Cheers,

[JSFMACLJR]

*All questions have been answered except the last one I posed. Given the construction and style of this jacket, would it be more suited to daywear or formal attire? Or both? Consider that it has square metal buttons and tashes (Inverness flaps), giving it a more dressy or formal style. But being (presumably) made of a lovely green wool with rather normal-shaped lapels but having no collar, its style could also be very visually suitable for less-than-formal occasions. Opinions?

As I have shown, a very similar doublet, belonging to my friend, works perfectly for evening dress. As you can see, his is made of velvet, with coloured facings. As that much "style" doesn't appeal to many Americans on XMTS, have one made in velvet of one colour.

Just a reminder: diamond shaped buttons aren't necessary for formal coats.

[Harold Cannon]

The doublet in the painting is very similar to one belonging to a good friend--one I have shown here before and of which many expressed dislike. I have seen several doublets like it.



This one was made by my tailor Meyer & Mortimer.

You wouldn't happen to have a picture of this doublet being worn would you. I would like to be able to see how it would look overall with the whole kit.

[JSFMACLJR]

You wouldn't happen to have a picture of this doublet being worn would you. I would like to be able to see how it would look overall with the whole kit.

Alas, no!

[R.S.Buff]

I have made many coats from the eighteenth and nineteenth century's for myself and others. My sales have been to reenactors in the past but now I am setting myself up to be an artisan seller for this site.

I have been looking at the MacLeay Paintings for some time and am going to create clothing inspired by elements of them. Looking at wool cloth now to make a waistcoat for myself, then coats, neckscarves. Trying to convince my wife to knit some diced hose.


That coatee and waistcoat are unusual. Having no collar, open cuffs on the coatee, and the gold lace on the waistcoat are more 18th cen features than 1860's. Then there are the epaulets that button on the sleeve seam ,or both sides, that I have only seen on 1812 French Habits. Going back to the past and lack of uniformity seem to have been features of Scots tailors.

[madmacs]

It should also be remembered that the concept of folded back and buttoned lapels was common in the 1800's even if not with traditional highland wear

[saxandpipes]

If the wool were fine green barathea, I'd say a jacket like that would be quite formal by today's standards. It would resemble other doublets without falling into any named type, which would mean it would be suitable for black or white tie events.

If on the other hand, it were done in a coarser green tweed, I feel like it would bring down the level of formality. This would put it about on the same level as a dress Argyll: suitable for formal daywear, dressy evening wear, or black tie. I believe Matt Newsome has a Sherriffmuir done up in grey tweed, as an example.

I agree 100%. It really would ultimately come down to the material used, but you wouldn't get much more "informal" than the original portrait I think. That is, the least formal one could make such a jacket/doublet, would be "very smart daywear" and that would be if it were in tweed.

I think it would make a stunning evening doublet in velvet or barathea. For the right look I think it would need to be in dark green or midnight blue, rather than black... that would just lift it one notch (or 4) in my humble opinion!

I want one!

Cheers,

Michael

[Tobus]

Hmmm. I would definitely not want it in velvet, as I would like to make it as close a reproduction to the original as possible. And I doubt the original was velvet. Most likely, it was just plain Barathea wool (or the equivalent for that time period). Perhaps tweed, although I see various conflicting references on when tweed really began to be used. However, I think it's possible that when this portrait was done, circa 1850, tweed might have been a possibility.

At any rate, I'm not interested in having this made as purely a formal coatee to be worn only at black tie and white tie events. I would want to be able to wear it in the same context it's being worn in the portrait. It has a bold, rugged style that doesn't say "formal" to me.

So with that said, I'd want to make it in the same colour as seen in the image. A nice green colour. If using Barathea wool would make it look too formal, then I might go with a solid tweed (no overchecks, windowpanes, or the like). If I understand the responses correctly, this would put it firmly in the "very smart daywear" category, even with shiny square metal buttons and other trimmings.

I think, perhaps, I would do a matching 5- or 6-button waistcoat with it (with lapels), rather than attempt to replicate the waistcoat he's wearing with the gold trim. A matching tweed waistcoat would probably reduce the 'formal' leanings of the open front.

I think this jacket style deserves a name. Any suggestions? The Angus MacDonell? Or something more witty?