White tie restoration project complete.

"He had that supreme elegance of being, quite simply, what he was."

-C. Albaret describing Marcel Proust

Style, chic, presence, sex appeal: whatever you call it, you can discuss it here.
Post Reply
Noble Savage
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:36 am
Location: State of Nature
Contact:

Sat Jul 08, 2023 9:58 pm

Antique tailcoat and trousers from London, relined, repaired, lapels covered in silk, new buttonholes hand sown, coat rebuttoned with new-old-stock damask covered buttons from a French antique store. Waistcoats, in both double and single breasted versions, shirts, detachable collars and bow ties all made new bespoke. Antique diamond and white gold shirt and waistcoat studs found separately, but an exact matching set. Additional set of shirt studs and rarely seen double breasted waistcoat button set sourced. Extra wide ribbon in moiré grosgrain for the trousers. Bows for the shoes in the same ribbon to match. Took 10 years to collect all the pieces and a few more for the tailor to get going on it.

Image

Image
Last edited by Noble Savage on Tue Jul 11, 2023 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
davidhuh
Posts: 2028
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:47 am
Contact:

Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:18 pm

Dear Noble,

congratulations - this really looks phantastic!

Cheers, David
Milo
Posts: 229
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:33 pm
Contact:

Tue Jul 11, 2023 7:08 am

Congratulations! Hunting for all the parts must have been a pleasure in itself, and I hope you will get to wear your completed white tie often! Did you aim for a complete restoration from the outset or did the project grow as time went by?

Cheers, Milo
Noble Savage
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:36 am
Location: State of Nature
Contact:

Tue Jul 11, 2023 6:14 pm

davidhuh wrote:
Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:18 pm
Dear Noble,

congratulations - this really looks phantastic!

Cheers, David
Thank you!
Milo wrote:
Tue Jul 11, 2023 7:08 am
Congratulations! Hunting for all the parts must have been a pleasure in itself, and I hope you will get to wear your completed white tie often! Did you aim for a complete restoration from the outset or did the project grow as time went by?

Cheers, Milo

The main cloth was in great condition, and the fit was almost perfect. It is the sort of cloth that doesn't wrinkle if you move it, it just falls back into place as if nothing happened, a heavy barathea that outside extraordinary circumstances, probably will never be made again in this weight and with such a beautiful hand.

I thought I'd just replace the lapel facings and the sleeve lining, which was missing. After my alterations tailor refused to work on it, I got the sleeves done at a seamstress, who made a new pattern for the lining for them. But she didn't want to touch the rest. Neither really, did some tailors. It quickly became apparent that it should turn into a bigger project, though I didn't expect it to take as long as it did, it was something that could be enjoyed.

Turns out there were a lot of decisions to be made regarding the details, and I had to curb my enthusiasm stylistically, which initially got the best of me.
couch
Posts: 1290
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:47 am
Contact:

Fri Jul 21, 2023 1:07 am

Bravo! An inspiring achievement.
alden
Posts: 8201
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:58 am
Contact:

Sat Sep 09, 2023 12:14 am

Superb achievement! Looks splendid on you Noble.
Noble Savage
Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:36 am
Location: State of Nature
Contact:

Mon Sep 11, 2023 6:06 am

Thank you, gentlemen.
Post Reply
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest