Modify A Sportcoat to a Kilt Jacket: Website is up

[Alan H]

I've noticed recently that a lot of Argyll jackets seem to be longer than I originally thought. I especially noticed this recently in a picture by Kilted CodeWarrior, who purchased a very fine black Argyll not long ago.

Because of this, if I were to re-do my jacket project I would probably shorten my jacket about 2 inches less than I actually did. One effect of that would be to make it so that leaving the jacket with a single buttonhole would look a lot better.

You see, when I shortened my jacket and put it on, I originally had figured on leaving the lapels the same and having a single-button jacket. However, the lapels looked too long compared with the now shorted "bottom half" of my jacket. That's why I decided to make a double-button jacket, and move the lapel. NOw I feel like my jacket, while it's fine, is about an inch or possibly two inches too short. Hmmm...Maybe I'll have to try this again.

Note that sportcoat styles right now are REALLY long. Three-button jackets are the current fashion. Also, the lapels are somewhat shorter because the first button is higher up the chest. So instead of Alan H making and hard-and-fast rules about "cut off this many inches" it's better for you to spend time staring at lots and lots of kilt jackets until you get a good idea what you're after. Then go to the thrift shop and find that perfect TWEED jacket with PATCH POCKETS. When you have a picture in your mind, THEN go for it.

If you are seriously into it and have some significant sewing skills, you could make a further change from what I suggest on my web site. I'd suggest trying this ONLY if you're up for a lot of work and serious re-shaping of the jacket. Also, only bother with this if you're a rather trim gentleman. If you're more..hmmm..."robust", or as Barb put it once, if you have a bit of a "corporation", then don't bother.

Here's the change:

1. Instead of buying a tweed jacket that's just barely big enough, buy one that fits comfortably (read: a little bit roomy) around the shoulders.

2. In addition to all the steps I wrote in my original web site, do this extra step... Open up about 12-16 inches of the two back seams, right at waist level as I've maarket in black in this diagram;



You'll have to open up the lining as well, OK? Take up about 1/2 to 3/8ths of an inch from each side, both the back and the side panels, to change the shaping of the back of the jacket. This will make the waist measurement of the jacket a little bit smaller, giving it that "fitted" look. If you take up 3/8ths of an inch from EACH panel (so 3/4 of an inch per seam) you will make the jacket about 1.5-inch smaller around the waist. That's a lot, you might want to do a bit less, depending. Try opening up the lining and pinning up how much material you want to take up, and trying the jacket back on. Adjust the pins until it feels good and looks right to you in the mirror. THEN, stitch it up.

Compare my adaption to the original of the diagram, which is available on the Haggar Web Site...



The jackets back panel lines are completely straight in the Haggar drawing, but YOU want YOUR jacket to look more like this:



Here's a photograph that shows what you're trying to approximate by doing this. Look at how the jackets panels are shaped. There's not a straight line anywhere to be found in thiskilt jacket! You won't turn a sportcoat into something this tailored without a total rebuild, but you can "approximate" it.



AGAIN, only do this if your body shape is trim enough that your chest measurement is 4-5 inches (or more) greater than your natural waist measurement. ONLY do this with a jacket that's comfortably large around the shoulders. Remember that opening up the lower 4-5 inches of that same seam down at hip level will let the jacket fit a bit better around the hips, even with the "snugging up" 'you just did around the waist.

BTW, on a more modern 3-button, long sportcoat like what's in style right now, I'd be aiming for a two-button kilt jacket. I'm GUESSING...guessing that I'd start my sporran cutaway about two inches below the second button. YOU, however, will put the jacket on, and stare and stare and stare......and make your own decision.

I would guesstimate that this project would take a hack (like me) 3-4 hours to complete, including sewing the lining back up by hand.

[Alan H]

PS:
do not purchase your jumble-sale jacket with a "center back vent". This is a slit in the MIDDLE of the back, down below the waist. if your jacket has splits, then there must be two of them, along the SIDES of the back of the jacket. Those are called "side vents" You're going to open these up, anyway.

Do not buy a jacket that looks like this!!!!!! NO!



You want this.....



Look here. Find the side vents in the back in the lower picture. THAT is what you want.



By the way, that's a bloody gorgeous jacket in that last link, isn't it?

[beerbecue]

Nice website, and excellent detail on the recent post. The new figures you did really make it much clearer...

Now, perhaps off to the thrift store.....

[Colin]

Nice Work Alan H!!!

You have really put the effort into this thread to help people that may be looking to alter a jacket. The pics, diagrams, and text were great and I am sure will be a great help to everyone wanting to do this project.

About the only thing I can add, is have a bunch of pictures of the jacket you want, before you start cutting. If you want an argyle, find a bunch of different photos on line and print them off as a reference. It helps to know what you want the final project to look like.

The centre back vent may be an issue, but if you just want a casual jacket to go with a kilt, I am sure you can work around the centre vent issue.

[Moosehead]

Actually, closing the centre vent should be a non-issue. Only takes about 20 minutes to do, and simply involves a bit of pressing and re-sewing to match the remainder of the seam. Just remember to do it before hemming. Highland Regiments do not get special-made cutaway tunics. They simply have the unit/base tailor do the mods.

[Tartan Hiker]

Here is a photo of my modified jacket. I'm not sure I would have tackled the job myself if I had not read Alan's wonderful article.

I did stray from the suggestions a bit. Note that I never could find one with patch pockets, but found that if I tucked the flaps into the pockets and sewed them shut carefully they became far less noticable. I also started with a jacket that was a bit too big for me (I'm a 42 Long, and the jacket was a 46 Regular), figuring that I could always remove extra material. Finally, I pressed and then tacked down the lapels first, then cut and hemmed to match them rather than the other way around.
It certainly is not perfect, but I think it's very passable, especially for the $5.84 I paid for the jacket.

Oh, and I also had to close the single rear vent and found it to be no big deal at all. Tweed hides a multitude of sins.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=16635

[Alan H]

Here is a photo of my modified jacket. I'm not sure I would have tackled the job myself if I had not read Alan's wonderful article.

Oh, and I also had to close the single rear vent and found it to be no big deal at all. Tweed hides a multitude of sins.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=16635

Thanks for the kind comments about the article, and you did a great job on the jacket. You didn't trim it too short, which is what I did, though mine isn't a total disaster. You even beat me on the price, at under six bucks!

You closed up the center back vent, eh? Huh...OK, well you're sure right on this.."tweed hides a multitude of sins"...THAT is for sure! I'd consider trying to close up a center back vent on a tweed jacket, no way would I try on a solid-color jacket.

[O'Neille]

Alan said "Do not buy a jacket that looks like this!!!!!! NO!"

The gray jacket you see me in in some pictures had a center vent but was an older very fitted jacket. Closing up the center vent was about an extra half hours work. The hard part is getting the seam lined up to make it look perfect. Here is a link to mine, bought it on 50 cent Saturday and bought another jacket for the silver buttons. http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...1&page=1&pp=10
Quite a bit of hand stitching attaching epaulettes (?sp) and transitioning to machine stitching. So this jacket is a couple hours and cost a dollar. O'Neille

[Mattg]

Alan, thanks for putting that up! I've been wanting to do that but I wasn't sure how to go about it. Thanks!

[Alan H]

Alan said "Do not buy a jacket that looks like this!!!!!! NO!"

The gray jacket you see me in in some pictures had a center vent but was an older very fitted jacket. Closing up the center vent was about an extra half hours work. ............. So this jacket is a couple hours and cost a dollar. O'Neille

I'm liking the price point on your jacket!!!! good job!