Pride & Prejudice | Mr. Bennet
Loyola University Chicago - Spring 2023
Pride & Prejudice | Mr. Bennet
Loyola University Chicago - Spring 2023
Double Breasted Tailcoat | Construction Project
Designed by Rachel Healy
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Practices: Draping | Commercial Patterning | Pattern Matching
Style/Era: ~Early 1800s
This was my first solo tailoring project to construct a regency double breasted tailcoat for the actor playing Mr. Bennet. Following a commercial pattern and making custom adjustments, I was able to make a mockup that very nicely fit the actor and just needed adjustments in the hem and cuffs, and space for padding in the shoulders. In the making of the garment, I felt proud of the results while being able to recognize areas I could improve such as the pressing of the seams, spread of shoulder gathering, buttonhole accuracy, and positioning of my chainstitches in the collar.
Points in which I was challenged:
The lightness of the fashion fabric and lining.
The fashion fabric and lining were both of a lighter material and as a result needed a little more structure combining iron interfacing and horsehair to give the tailcoat structure.
Closure in the vent of the tail where the lining and fashion fabric meet.
I had to fiddle with a mixture of machine stitching and hand sewing to get the vent to lay flat and not show any lining from the outside because I believe the fashion fabric's seam allowance had been cut a little small.
Mockup Fitting
Garment Construction
Production Photos