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Janes-Wardrobe — 18th Century Greatcoat 1
Published: 2008-12-28 22:15:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 5171; Favourites: 31; Downloads: 826
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Description
Early - mid 18th Century Greatcoat.The pattern for this coat was taken from multiple sources, contemporary images and tailors pattern lays.
The coat is made from a heavyweight wool overcoating from Hainsworths, England, manufacturer of cloth since 1783. It is so fully finished it's possible to sew a cut edge and to leave the bottom of the coat unhemmed without risk of fraying - common practise in the 18th Century.
It is fully lined with natural undyed linen. The buttonholes and button strips are interlined with a firm linen canvas.
The edges of the pocket flaps and collar are sewn through, by hand, with linen thread to keep the corners sharp. The collar is oversized to allow it to be turned up in cold weather to cover the lower half of the face. This type of coat was often worn by coachmen and watchmen. Over the shoulders there is a small cape, this would help reduce any rain coming through the coat on the shoulders.
The buttons are covered with linen. The main seams of the coat are machine sewn but the finishing is by hand, no machine stutching (except for the buttonholes) is visible on the outside of the coat.
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Comments: 34
I am just finishing sewing a coat for myself similar to this one! It is 18th Century meets 21st Century as I've added zippers to the sleeves. You do beautiful work, thanks for sharing!
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If I wasn't spending so much to go to further confusion this year, I'd commission you to make one of these for me. They say fashion repeats itself.....what happened to this style?
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Aww thank you.
As for what happened - the late 18th century tailors decided they'd like a simpler style, the 19th C guys removed the side pleats the later 19th century folk made the cape longer, the pocket flaps got boring and rectangular to make it easier to manufacture, the cuffs got shortened to non-existence while the sleeves diminished in girth and by the 20th century we are left with a much less stylish, boring overcoat that no-one really wears any more because they travel in heated vehicles.
Now - when oil runs out and we are again using horse drawn vehicles and there are no petroleum based fabrics and we want to wear wool for warmth the fashion is sure to return
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Same thing happened to the work of the skilled craftsman.....demand increased, thus quality was sacrificed for quantity. A crying shame really.
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Well if demand for my work increases beyond the number of hours I want to work then the economic law of supply and demand will be applied to my prices until it balances out 
Luckily there is some demand for quality work - the main problem is people want the quality at mass production prices
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Well now....I guess 'those' people need to be re-educated.......and there is always the phrase, "No can do".......
ROFL......
PS..I'd pay handsomely for something like this.
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I'm just beginning to learn how to say my prices are my prices and I can't work for any less.
Well I can't work for less if I want to have time to eat, sleep and have any sort of social life
and thanks for the ps - All I have to do now is wait for you to become rich
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Naw....the rich tend to horde their money....I just have to wait until I get enough.
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OK then I'll wait until you have enough
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Looks gorgeous, and so true to historical sources. Any highwayman would be proud (and cozy!) wearing this!
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wow! I like a coat like this, is wonderfull!
great job!!!
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This looks fantastic. You've put a lot of work into this and it shows. 
I love those huge cuffs! I wish huge cuffs would make a comeback in modern fashion. Someone needs to make a hoodie with giant foldback cuffs. I'm sure they'd work really well with baggy pants...
My only quibble with this is the colour 
Love the shoes!
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Thanks
The best part about the cuffs is they actually unbutton and come down over the hands - great if you're driving a coach and four or six! Then they button up out of the way when you don't need them on your hands. I haven't been able to find out if this was the way the originals were constructed but it dawned on me how sensible it was while I was making the coat and in so many of the contemporary images the turned back cuffs seem quite short.
The choice of colour wasn't mine and at the moment I'm still quite new to the 18th century. I've found references to pale blue and there's a Hogarth image (at least one
I'm planning on editing the photo's but for now you get the raw unedited version trainers and all! We have no 18th C shoes - again - yet
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My Favourite jumpers and jackets are the ones with the extra long sleeves that extend over my hands. I turn them down when I'm walking and they keep my hands nice and warm 
My favourite favourite jumper is a cream knitted/cable one I got when I was 12 (Which makes it... 18 years old!). It kind of grew with me and is at least twice the size it was originally, the sleeves extend way past my hands now, I have to fold them about six times to shorten them to my wrists! I don't wear it in public any more (although it doesn't look bad, only two small holes that I could darn if I wanted to 
If you're looking for shoe ideas I think hush puppies [link] would make an acceptable 17th/18th/19th Century shoe substitute. They can be fairly cheap. Stick a belt buckle on them and they'd look just right! Admittedly they're not outdoor boots, but they're better than sneakers!
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Thanks for the shoe idea - I will be getting real shoes though when I can afford it or when I have the time to make some - I've never tackeld a shoe with a heelthough so I'm much more likely to buy them. I'm a stickler for getting it right though I'd rather have something that's obviously wrong than something that's '
When I post this on my website the sneakers will be edited out! DA is my sneak preview pages for fans and customers to see things before I've had time to do the editing.
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WANT! lol, no money as per usual to most of us I'm sure.
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Thanks
This coat will be offered for sale on my website but I still have to finalise the exact price once I tot up the hours I spent working on it. The wool alone cost a fortune - but I have yet to find a less expensive product of the same quality.
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Hello it's me again.
how much for one of these babies?!
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At the moment the price is £300 - the price may well go up - depending on my fabric suppliers.
Thank you for asking
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This is so gorgeous, another testament to your fine materials and research.
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This is an impeccable peice! Your research and results are divine! Great job!
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Thank you, I will post links to the detil photo's but my PC is playing up and it's past my bedtime - so another day
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Lovly! Best of luck with your putter.
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