Vintage Simplicity 9309

All I want to sew for fall/winter is jeans and blazers and jackets. I'm skirted-out, I guess.  I came across this photo a while back while checking out one of my favorite sites and really loved the entire look.
I just love the long jacket over casual jeans and a t-shirt, and decided I wanted to make something similar.  Even though I think the bold stripe on that jacket is kind of what makes it, I decided to use some of the many yards of wool suiting I already had in my stash before trying to find a similar fabric.  I pulled 2 yards of this wool suiting from Mood out of my stash and some coordinating Bemberg rayon for the lining.

I searched Etsy for a pattern I could use and come up with this gem from 1979:
Oh yes.  Interestingly, they don't give you the yardage needed for just the long jacket - it's assumed you will make a jacket-skirt combo.  The 2 yards I had was just enough for the long version of the jacket.  The pattern was a size 12, bust 34, and I made it as-is, no adjustments other than omitting the patch pockets.
It went together pretty easily - I've made lined jackets before, so there were no real surprises.  Vintage instructions are usually (always?) better than the modern version.  The wool was beautiful to sew and press/steam.  I added a single button, but it's the kind of thing I feel like I would mostly wear open.


My finished version is not as long as the inspiration photo; I thought it might overwhelm me seeing as how I'm only 5'4" and it's not something I would wear a heel with.



The overall look is totally what I was going for - I am super excited with how it turned out.  The suiting weight is great for NorCal fall temperatures.  I like the collar turned up  more so than folded down.  When I tried it on, my first impression was that the length makes it feels like a "Luther" coat -
(you're welcome)
- his knee-length tweeds are so gorgeous (if you watch the show, you understand why I nearly cried when he threw his coat in the Thames). Give me a case to solve!!  And a plane ticket to London.
I don't know that I need too many of these in my closet, although the striped fabric of Margot's is calling to me, and if I can find something similar there may be another version of this in my future!





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