Bespoke waistcoats

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Whenever I wear a tartan waistcoat to any function, it always draws comments and someone inevitably asks where they can get one made.

I'm very happy to inform you that I can arrange for a bespoke waistcoat (tartan or otherwise) for you. Here are some photos of some I have had made recently.

Each was made in Scotland to my specifications. I thought I'd show them here just to give the rabble an idea of what is possible.

First, a waistcoat in the St. Ninian tartan.

This one is made with the tartan on the bias. It is a four button waistcoat with two pockets and celtic knot pewter buttons.

Next, a waistcoat in the Mull tartan.

This one has the tartan straight. It's a five button waistcoat, plain black buttons, with four pockets.

Both of the above waistcoats have no lapels, but for this next one I requested something different.

This is a Harris Tweed waistcoat with shawl lapels, and two pockets. Notice it is cut straight at the waist.

Yet another option is for pocket flaps -- here I requested Argyle pocket flaps on this tweed waistcoat made with imitation horn buttons.


You won't find custom bespoke waistcoats listed on our web site (yet), but if anyone would like some work like this done, please just contact me and I'll be happy to sort out the details with you. The cost will depend, of course, on the specifics of the waistcoat (largely the cloth used, but also the other details affect the cost). But to give a rough idea, the waistcoats pictured above would all run between $175 ~ $200 retail.

We can also work from customer supplied fabric if you have your own tartan or tweed at hand.

Cheers!

[artificer]

Great idea Matt!

These are all lovely, but the tweed waistcoat with the straight cut, shawl collar and pewter buttons is an especially striking cut.

[AKScott]

How much adjustment could reasonably be built into one of these?

This is the sort of thing that ought to last me 20 years or so; but dash it all the muscle in my chest and shoulders keeps taking extended vacations around my belly button, so what my waist measurement might be 20 years from now is, ummm, a mystery.

Could something like the first pic in bias cut tartan be made to fit the same waste measurement range as the kilt it would match? I could probably settle for that, something like 36-40" waist?

EDIT: would one meter of double wide be more than adequate for one vest probably?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

These all have cinches in the back, like most any dress waistcoat/vest you'd be familiar with, so that does allow for some adjustment in the size at the waist. If you are looking for a "magic waistcoat" that will be guaranteed to fit no matter your weight change, I can't promise that! But it will fit the measurements you provide on order, and should still do you ok a couple of inches either way. Beyond that, it's either a sit-up regimen or a new wardrobe! :-)

Yes, one meter of double width tartan is good for a bias-cut waistcoat.

[zirrow]

sorry for OT, but can you tell me what tweed that is on the bottom picture? That looks fantastic.

[Ryan Ross]

sorry for OT, but can you tell me what tweed that is on the bottom picture? That looks fantastic.

If you don't mind me anwsering for Matt, that is a tweed that he had specially woven, the sett of which he got from Richard Ansdell's painting, Sheep Washing in Glen Lyon.

[zirrow]

Thanks!

Though that's not as helpful as I was hoping

[Ryan Ross]

Thanks!

Though that's not as helpful as I was hoping

No problem, sir.

...and I was afraid that you wouldn't like the news. I love that tweed too, but having it woven up would be a bit more pricey than off the rack tweed. Really though, with all that goes into it, small run special weaves can be a bargain.

[zirrow]

I say you stare them down with your steely glint and "talk" Harris into carrying it as a stock weave

[Cygnus]

Matt,

You've got to stop doing things like this! My "wish list" is currently growing far faster than my wardrobe - I just can't keep up!

Then again, I suppose Christmas is coming...