linen jackets- lined or unlined?

[Lauren]

Hi gents,
Hope you don't mind me popping my head in here. I'm making myself a suit and was wondering if there's a standard for linen 30s jackets. I know that many, both wool and linen, were half lined, but was there a general rule of thumb for linen jackets? I'm just wondering if I should do a full or partial lining.
Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Since it's a summer piece, unlined or partially lined will always breathe better.
Some I've seen have no lining at all. They were more likely unlined. Palm Beach suits from what I have seen are usually just lined in the front panels and the seems in the back are taped over or finished.

Here is a completely unlined jacket, part of a summer suit.

I'm making a similar suit for a client right now... with some modifications to the design. Found a really cool linen cotton blend that looks like oatmeal... very Colonial.

Anywho, here is the vintage unlined.

 

[Lauren]

That's a really nice jacket!
The suit I'm making will definately require hymo (hair canvas) in the front, but the linen's more stiff than drapey, but still lightweight. If I did it half-lined, how is the back of the hem finished? Is there any wiggin in the hem, or is it just finished with a bias binding on the edge and then hemmed to the self fabric? Thanks so much, guys- I have a book on ladies tailoring and it's classic techniques, but it's much more helpful to get advice from people who know vintage.
Oh, here's the pattern, and the fabric will be a tan and creme houndstooth. I'm doing the version on the left

 

[cookie]

Unlined is cooler of cousre but when removed is not as good a look as lining gives.

 

[BellyTank]

I have a vintage British bespoke linen suit, the jacket has "horse hair" in the lapels and upper fronts. Having a fitted, nicely draped suit jacket will require some kind of structure, as you have mentioned. My suit is of quite a heavy but open linen and is totally unlined, although, obviously, the fronts are double and interlined with the hairy stuff. If the back was lined, the jacket would be way too hot, even for a Scandinavian summer. Light weight suit jackets look great with no lining and just the nicely bound seams to be seen.


B
T

 

[Robert Conway]

If you can tolerate using a synthetic blend take a look at a material called Ermazine. I have a 16oz suit that is lined with this material and it breathes very well, while protecting the interior of the jacket...

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-70848.html

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-63906.html

 

[Lauren]

Ok, great! Thanks, guys! I was just worried it wouldn't have as much shape if I left it unlined, but since that seems the way to go I'll do that! Thank you so much for your replies, much appreciated

 

[Lauren]

I took some pics of a few of my husband's jackets for reference- thought maybe some of you might be interested as well. If anyone has any other variations on these, I would LOVE to see pictures!

Two different jackets, but compared.

At the top. One has shoulder pads which are covered and somehow finished in a flat felled seam, the others have none and the lining laps at the back with bias finished edges

On the inside of the collar facing. There isn't hymo on the body of the fabric, like when you do a lined jacket, but on the facing instead. I guess it would show too much for linen. One jacket is lined with a cotton, the other with a hymo (hair canvas) and the one with the hymo also has a cotton facing the collar on the self fabric with what looks like a form of pad stitching, maybe for more thickness there. There is no taping of the roll line at all, but there is on the front edge of the facing.

Various seam and hem finishing, and binding on the facing.

The inside of the cuff finished with what almost looks like a wide bias to give body instead of wiggin. Kind of interesting, especially since my modern book says you should always line sleeves even if jackets are unlined. Apparently that's not the case!

 

[Lauren]

Repost from "Show us what you made" thread, but I wanted to post a small pic and thank you guys for your advice
I finished the suit jacket I was working on. A short break, then on to the skirt. There's more pics and such here and here.