Now for something a little different… 🙂 I’ve been in need of a new outfit for more formal occasions for some time but between the production schedule and working up new designs, personal needs have taken a back seat. However, recently the stars have aligned and so Karin is now working on a few items for me. First off, there’s a nice new white formal shirt made from an exquisite Italian cotton shirting:

The only thing that needs to be done is for the buttonholes to be set and buttons sewn on.

The next step is waistcoat and trouser assembly. I’m going for a more tailored look which was characteristic of the 1880s and 90s and after looking at some of the various styles that were common, I opted for one that would work with a variety of outfits:

I opted for the style on the top right.

As can be seen from the above, there were a variety of styles that were available. The more open vests (the second and forth waistcoats on the bottom row) were meant for more formal evening wear while the others could be worn either way. During this period, men’s clothing was becoming more somber with a more limited range of colors than what was characteristic of the 1860s and early 1870s. For myself, I opted for a dark gray with subtle pinstripes:

Working on men’s clothing is different than working on women’s and can present it’s own challenges. Karin’s view is that:

I have always had great respect for those who are dedicated to men’s tailoring, it’s so different than dealing with traditional feminine shapes.

Stay tuned for more- I’ll be modeling my new clothes this Saturday at the Social Daunce Irregulars Spring Ball. 🙂