Waistcoat fit

[Ancienne Alliance]

My 2 cents : A waistcoat will fit you even better if it is cut in the biais. The fabric thus just follows the mouvements of your body.

AND, tartan in the biais is just sooo dashing !


Best,

Robert

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Ryan, if you are considering having a shirt made-to-measure, unless you have someone local to do it for you, may I suggest here:
http://www.shirtsyourway.org/

Proceeds from there benefit the museum!

And Robert, good thought on the bias tartan waistcoats. You know, I had never considered that, but perhaps the fashion of waistcoats with tartan on the bias came about from a desire for a more form-fitting waistcoat. After all, the reason the tartan cadadh were traditionally on the bias was to allow for a more snug fit across the lower leg. Good thought!

[biblemonkey]

I have always regarded a firm fit in a waistcoat as a sign of gentlemanly good taste. On the other hand there are some who buy a size too small rather than get the right size and let a tailor fit it to them a little better and they look like they are wearing kids clothes. There is a fine line between proper fit and too tight.

[creagdhubh]

Tobus,

No, you are most certainly not way off base. I tend to wear my waistcoats fairly snug, well I should say, they fit me properly and are not too large. If your waistcoat fits well, you can always utilize the rear adjuster to either tighten or loosen your waistcoat as you prefer. A waistcoat that is way too large looks sloppy to my eye. So, I am 'with you' on this topic mate!

Below are some of my own examples of how I think a waistcoat should fit with Highland attire - specifically Highland day attire. Naturally, the waistcoats I am wearing below are all bespoke by Kinloch-Anderson, so they are indeed made to my measurments, which there is no doubt, makes a difference versus their 'off-the-peg' counterparts - there is absolutely nothing wrong with the latter, as I own several 'off-the-peg' waistcoats, and jackets.






Cheers,

[CopperNGold]

In our off-the-rack mentality here in the U.S., it's difficult to make the leap to tailoring to fit, but you'll be happier and look better if you can spend the time and money to tailor.

Also, a bulky or oversized waistcoat will conflict with the line of the jacket. Maybe purchasing fewer, but well-thought-out, shirts and waistcoats that are tailored to fit you is the answer.

I agree, Robert, that a cut on the bias waistcoat is a dashing look!

[piperdbh]

Never rule out the possibility that a painting might not accurately portray all the details of its subject. Painters have been known to "adjust" various characteristics of the people they are paid to paint.

[Dixiecat]

One of the few custom sewing projects that I did for another person was shirtmaking. That was for the ex (and no, I'm not taking applicants for the position...) It's been 4.5yrs since we separated and I know he's still wearing the shirts I made him because of the fit and fabric I used. It's relatively easy to alter a good shirt pattern for neck, bicep, back, chest, waist and arm length. If anyone were interested in sewing their own shirts, I highly recommend the book 'Shirtmaking' by David Page Coffin. He also has a dvd on this subject.

creagdhubh: your arms are too far back. bring them forward of your head, you should be able to see your arms.

[piperdbh]

I agree with my northern neighbor's post above. Shirtmaking has lots of information about all sorts of things, in addition to making shirts.

[Ryan Ross]

Ryan, if you are considering having a shirt made-to-measure, unless you have someone local to do it for you, may I suggest here:
http://www.shirtsyourway.org/

Proceeds from there benefit the museum!

Thanks Matt! I'll take a look.

creagdhubh: your arms are too far back. bring them forward of your head, you should be able to see your arms.

Ouch... SMACKDOWN!!!

[creagdhubh]

One of the few custom sewing projects that I did for another person was shirtmaking. That was for the ex (and no, I'm not taking applicants for the position...) It's been 4.5yrs since we separated and I know he's still wearing the shirts I made him because of the fit and fabric I used. It's relatively easy to alter a good shirt pattern for neck, bicep, back, chest, waist and arm length. If anyone were interested in sewing their own shirts, I highly recommend the book 'Shirtmaking' by David Page Coffin. He also has a dvd on this subject.

creagdhubh: your arms are too far back. bring them forward of your head, you should be able to see your arms.

Cheers, Dixiecat!

Thanks for the advice. I am far more precise with my Highland dancing, now that I have been dancing and taking lessons for almost 6 years. Those photos were taken when I first began taking lessons (quite 'green') from retired dancer, and instructor Sandra Brown of Edinburgh, and later, of Saint Louis, Missouri - she still teaches Highland dance in the Saint Louis area - I was her only male student!

I would never wear 'hard-soled' shoes, especially my Loakes as pictured, whilst dancing nowadays - way too stiff! I obviously wear dance ghillies, which as you are aware, are designed to absorb the impact of the detailed footwork in which many Highland dances require. If I happen to be in hard-soled shoes whilst in Highland dress, and I am encouraged (usually by my wife, or my good mate who's a fantastic, solo-piper) to dance an impromptu fling, or whatever, then I would take off my shoes and dance in my kilt hose, rather than subject my feet to such superfuous fatigue, and my shoes to unnecessary and quite preventable wrinkles.

Cheers,