The Glamorous 1940s Red Coat

This project wasn't on my to do list that I posted a while ago, but it should have been. I had this piece of red corduroy slated for a 1940s coat for a long time. It originally was going to be made up using a double-breasted coat pattern, and I actually got as far as getting ready to cut it out when I discovered that pattern was missing some significant pieces, so it was shelved again. Fast forward several years, moving across country and to several different houses with my fabric stash...

 

Then it suddenly got new life and inspiration a month or so ago when I bought this set of furs on Etsy - I was so tickled to find them. They were a really good price, and despite their edge wear, in quite decent condition. I knew they would be perfect paired with the red corduroy for a 1930s/1940s coat.

 

I ended up pulling my redingote pattern back out, since I had successfully made it up lined for winter in my brown and white wool coat years ago. I had no other pattern that would suit the furs so well, so decided to stick with the familiar, only this time make it overlap farther and add more buttons.

 

I think it looks way more impressive than is warranted by how fast and simple it was. This may have been my speediest project to date since the baby arrived. I whipped together the outer shell and half of the lining in one day. Another day I finished the lining and put it together with the facing, then all I had to do was hemming, buttons and buttonholes, and tack on the furs.

 

I forgot that for my first version I had cut the entire front panel out of the wool and used that as my facing. This time I had already cut the facing piece out of the corduroy and didn't have enough for a 2nd front panel anyway, so I just put the facing on top of the lining.

I used some cheery coordinating flannel for the lining. It does catch a bit on my clothes when worn, but it is also cozier than other lining choices, and since the corduroy isn't super heavy anyway, together they make the coat decently warm.

The princess lines are simple - the only detail is the way the front panels are cut, and I added a bit of top stitching. But that allows the furs to really take center stage.

 

I wanted a coat that could cross over 2 decades, and I think it does. The furs have a unique cut that could date them 1930s, and the coat is classic lines that work for both decades. So cheery and Christmassy in the snow! I was tickled with the way these photos turned out.

 

Here I'm styling it 1940s with vintage heels and a brown wool tilt hat.

 

I had originally planned to put 3 buttons on it, but when I tried it on I thought I couldn't get the top one shut - the coat is cut in a deep V anyway, and I was afraid I had made it a tad too small to shut it up higher. However, after wearing it for one weekend I found I can fit in it after all and think I will add that 3rd button, both to make it more symmetrical and also to keep it shut all the way up to the furs. 

 

I can wear the neck fur keyhole style here, even or uneven, or let them lay open on the front of the coat along the V neck for more of a 1930s look. (I'm bummed that I forgot to photograph it that way during the photo shoot!) The cuffs have the most wear, but again, I'm not complaining. I'm picky about how my furs feel, and these are lovely.

 

I'm so glad I hung on to that length of corduroy all these years, and even more glad that now I can actually get some wear out of it! I've wanted a cherry red coat for a long time, sighing over the beautiful vintage ones on Pinterest that cost hundreds of dollars  - and now have a pretty decent facsimile for less than $30 - almost all of that cost just in the furs, which of course I can always remove if I want to wear them on another coat or make this one plain.

 

I didn't think I'd get it done before the holidays, with everything else going on and my holiday sewing queue already lined up, but I'm glad I did squeeze it in. It's perfect to wear this time of year, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of wear out of it this winter.

Makes me feel like a wintertime princess!

Comments

[Jennie DeVries]

Wow! That looks amazing and job well done. I love the furs, they look beautiful.

Jennie
from theuglydame.blogspot.com

[Annie]

Stunning! What a cheery coat--and so perfect for the snowy holidays!

You make me want to make one. ;)