A Victorian Smoking Coat....98.7% Complete!!!

Ah my fabulous Husband.  He so totally rocks!  I love that he is so willing to put up with my crazy costuming passion.  He lets me dress him up in all sorts of Victorian/Edwardian/1920s era outfits and actually enjoys it! He also really enjoys smoking cigars and drinking single or double malt whiskey.  I think that's how you say that.  I don't know.  I like champagne.  Anyhoo, I thought that perhaps he would like a Victorian smoking jacket or coat to wear while he is partaking of the other time-ly Gentleman's act of relaxation.  I did lots of research into Victorian/Edwardian smoking jackets as I sooooo did not want my sweet honey to look like Hugh Hefner.

Smoking Jacket blog entry

My Pinterest Smoking Jacket Board

I found so many that were utterly fabulous, that I think after making this one, I will make him a few more of different colors and shapes!  

He didn't want his coat to look like a robe, so I adjusted the pattern below and made it less robe looking for his taste....

Very easy pattern to construct.

Here it is on my Emma....She is much smaller than Greg, but you can see the general idea.

I am really liking the color combination.  Very elegant looking....can you use elegant with a man?  I don't know...let's see...sharp?  tailored?  cool?  suave?  debonair?  handsome?

Sharp it is.

Instead of a sash, as Greg thought it made the coat look too much like a robe, I am opting for frogs.  I found these fabulous ones on ebay.  They are not too small and not too large.  Can't wait to get them home and sewn on to the coat!  

After I get the coat 100% complete, I'll bribe Greg into putting all of everything on and take a picture of his sharp self!  hhhmmmm....I may have to purchase a nice cigar as bribery material!  hahaha!!!

A Smoking Jacket

There is just something wonderfully Victorian and regal about a smoking jacket.  Not the kind that a lecherous old man, who lives with women old enough to be his great-grandaughters wears.  Ugh....insert all over body shiver....But rather, the handsome, richly colored, brocade and velvet jackets that Gentlemen of yore wore to protect their starched shirts and vests clean of cigar or pipe ash.

While I have been stuck on my back...because it has decided that it should send sharp stabbing pain radiating out in every single direction...I have decided to start researching Greg's Smoking Jacket again.  I had found many images years ago when he really started appreciating cigars.  Being the Victorian/research geek I am, I thought it would be a neat thing for him to wear one while he enjoyed his cigar and port on the patio.  

This is a fabulous image.  I found it on a cigar blog that of course is no longer....I really like the pattern of the fabric and his slippers.  The wide cuffs and collar are wonderful....

Wonderful color combination.  The quilted collar and cuffs are so neat.  I found this on the same cigar blog....but here is another place to view the image..

http://buffalodandy.com/2012/04/24/the-smoking-jacket/

The length of this one is great.  I like the longer ones....

Lovely jacket worn by Charles Dickens on "Dr. Who"  

Mr. Floop's smoking jacket (Spy Kids).  Why the creater of a children's show would be wearing a smoking jacket is beyond me, but this one is fabulous.  The color combination just makes me smile.  And of course the length is long.....

Mr. Floop again.  The shirt, tie and vest under all of the previous jackets along with this one are what set these jackets apart.  These were worn by gentlemen respecting the sensibilities of their ladies.

Gorgeous brocade Greg and I decided to make his Jacket out of.  We need to decide on either dark chocolate brown velvet or black velvet......This will match his vest and puff tie perfectly!!!

Ha!!!  A real robe pattern!  hahahahahaha!!!  Well, it has the perfect shape for the collar and cuffs and I can elongate it so it will be that lovely long length!!  This will be fun!