A sudden call from your boss reminds you that you have to attend a formal dinner this evening. When you read the invitation, it says in bold letters: strictly formal. You rummage through your stack of clothes for the best possible wardrobe, but all you find are long-sleeved shirts. Those shirts may look formal, but they will look pretty shabby when lined alongside a coat and tie combo. You should make your own coat so that you won’t stand out in a bad way during the event.
Whenever someone thinks of a formal dress code, a coat is the very first thing that comes into mind. The fabric used is thick and durable. Its designs are all elegant and no other article of clothing even comes close to the classy aura that the coat exudes. More often than not, coats are high priced as reputable fashion designers have devoted entire clothing lines just for this wardrobe piece. You can get a good coat from popular clothing stores, but you will have to splurge. Fortunately, you have the luxury of making your own suit.
You may be surprised at how easy it is to create such an elegant article of clothing. Basically, you can make your own coat after several precise folds and some sewing. You can even experiment with patterns for your coat if you are the creative type. If you get the hang of making your own coat, who knows, you might even become a part-time fashion designer.
Materials Used:
fabric (2 x 2 meters)
silk (2 x 2 meters)
scissors
sewing needle
sewing thread
4 buttons
pencil
paper
tape measure
Collect Materials
If you are looking for good fabrics for your coat, a visit to a textile store will provide you with all the options. Polyester is the most popular fabric for coats, but you can also use other fabrics like velvet, cotton and chiffon. As for the color, black is the common standard for formal wear, but you can select other dark colors like dark blue, dark brown and gray. Picture yourself wearing a suit and see which coat pattern suits you the best. When you have purchased your chosen fabric, pass by a needlework store to get all the other materials.
The Dimension Sheet
With all the materials ready, you can start designing your coat. Get all of the necessary measurements for your torso then sketch your coat on a piece of paper. Indicate all the measurements in your sketch so that you will have a guide during the sewing stage of your coat. Once done, think of the style for your coat. You can opt for the popular double-breasted suit, the classic single-breasted suit or the highly-elegant three piece suit. When you have settled on a particular coat style, sketch it on your dimension sheet.
Form, Stitch and Sew
Get the fabric and cut it according to the dimensions stated by your dimension sheet. Remember that the sleeves should be cut separately from the front and back sides of the coat. When you have all of the coat’s components, look at your dimension sheet to see the patterns of your suit. Make the necessary cuts, folds and stitches to form the front side, back side and sleeves of your coat. Sew all the buttons in place then stitch all the coat’s components together. Remember to make tiny slits that exactly fit the buttons of your coat. Once done, sew the silk sheet to the inner surface of your coat to provide a comfortable cushion for your skin.
Quality Check
Now that you have sewn your coat together, make a little quality check. See if the folds are consistent, the stitches are straight and if buttons are held steady. You can also run your fingers on the coat’s surface to check if the coat’s components were made properly.
If the quality check goes well, wear a good-looking necktie along with your new coat then go to any formal event. Your boss might notice how the coat looks good on you and promote you to a job that will match your wardrobe.