DB suits and pocket watches

[Evan Everhart]

That pocket is made for cigarette lighters as far as I know.

There was a reason that you so frequently saw men in that era wearing a chain from their waist-band and ending in their right trouser pocket. It was where their pocket watch was kept, if they did not wear a vest, and didn't want to keep it in their breast pocket. That's also why the little interior pocket, so as to closely and snugly hold the watch so that it was not jostled or scratched by other things while walking/moving, or by the other contents of the pocket. Ditto the 5th pocket on Levis/Denim trousers/jeans.

 

[gary m]

this one from charles caine is nice

 

[Evan Everhart]

this one from charles caine is nice

VERY Skinny/Slim lapels.....I do like that it has 6x3 buttoning, but still, the lapels are too narrow, and there is no proper waist suppression, so it doesn't really do anything to make either your shoulders look naturally broader, or your waist to look trimmer. Not sure what to make of that. Also, the buttons pull a bit, but over-all, with a few alterations, it could be very nice indeed.

 

[Mathematicus]

VERY Skinny/Slim lapels.....I do like that it has 6x3 buttoning, but still, the lapels are too narrow, and there is no proper waist suppression, so it doesn't really do anything to make either your shoulders look naturally broader, or your waist to look trimmer. Not sure what to make of that. Also, the buttons pull a bit, but over-all, with a few alterations, it could be very nice indeed.

You can't play much more with that buttoning configuration. Maybe widen the lapels a bit, but too much and they will look exaggeratingly short. It does indeed look a bit tight but I doubt that any alteration could be able to make the shape of that jacket more "waisted": the 6 X 3 is made exactly to appear squarish (like a T).

A 6 X 2 configuration would look definitely better, even with the same lapel width.

 

[Evan Everhart]

You can't play much more with that buttoning configuration. Maybe widen the lapels a bit, but too much and they will look exaggeratingly short. It does indeed look a bit tight but I doubt that any alteration could be able to make the shape of that jacket more "waisted": the 6 X 3 is made exactly to appear squarish (like a T).

A 6 X 2 configuration would look definitely better, even with the same lapel width.

<------ A+++++
I was thinking that if there were any seam allowance, it might look less tight and pull less at the buttons, at least giving a freer and more flattering fit. But, you're probably right on it not being likely that there would be too much to do with it in light of the cut and fit. To be fair though, when I was younger, I had a very handsome vintage USN petty officer's coat with an identical buttoning arrangement, but it had beautiful longer lapels and a nicely hour-glass shaped fit to it with even a bit of skirting from the waist over the hip. But, it was not cut to be that tight, it was cut to fit, nor were the gorge or the buttoning quite so high. I think I might get altitude sickness! Still, nice color, and the idea was nice on that one in the picture above.

 

[Mathematicus]

<------ A+++++
I was thinking that if there were any seam allowance, it might look less tight and pull less at the buttons, at least giving a freer and more flattering fit. But, you're probably right on it not being likely that there would be too much to do with it in light of the cut and fit. To be fair though, when I was younger, I had a very handsome vintage USN petty officer's coat with an identical buttoning arrangement, but it had beautiful longer lapels and a nicely hour-glass shaped fit to it with even a bit of skirting from the waist over the hip. But, it was not cut to be that tight, it was cut to fit, nor were the gorge or the buttoning quite so high. I think I might get altitude sickness! Still, nice color, and the idea was nice on that one in the picture above.

Very good point, indeed. I think this configuration is very pleasing only when done as you mention: keeping the button stance as low as possible so that one can elongate the lapels. And hour-glass shape is then a combination of true waist suppression and flaring of the skirt.

Now that you mention that, the only examples of 6 X 3 double breasted coats I found myself to like are exactly military uniforms: I've seen some Royal Navy uniforms that were anything but boxy and shapeless, yet being 6 X 3 and even 8 X 4.

 

[daisy2er]