So, I was peacefully going about my life... just doing regular internet stuff. You know how those ads follow you around from one webpage to the next? Well, I had been looking at something on Farfetch.com, and along with that item they showed me this marvelous cropped trench!
Ralph Lauren Cropped Trench Coat, $2441.31 - Farfetch.com
Cute, right? I was literally giving no damns about a cropped trench jacket. And out of the blue, I saw this one too:
Michael Kors Collection, $1215 - Stylebop.com
Now, what is the likelihood that I would see TWO similar items that I wasn't even thinking about in the same day? Internet web searching algorithms obviously. But for the sake of fun, I'm going to call it sewing kismet!
So, I had to make one. And why not, it's spring and I am currently wardrobe filling. And I'm sort of having a "spring jacket moment" currently. I had a gap in my wardrobe and didn't have any lightweight jackets. I've never been a cardigan type of girl. I use to simple rely on my denim jacket or my leather bomber, but I wanted different options. I knew that I had a cropped trench jacket pattern in my collection. And my search lead me to out-of-print McCall's 6246 from 2010. But it was going to need slight adjustments to achieve something like I wanted.
I'd had this tan outerwear fabric in my stash for some years. It's some kind of waxed cotton that is supposedly waterproof. I remembered that's why I bought it from Hancock Fabrics years ago. I only had 2 yards, I think that was all that was left on the bolt, so I had to be very selective as to how I was going to use it. I cut the size 14 of view A. I first changed out the sleeves. I'm not a fan of one-piece sleeves in jackets. And I didn't want a jacket with puffy shoulders either. So I replaced it with traditional tailored two-piece sleeves.
I added epaulets. That's one of the details that I feel, make a trench a "trench".
I also added a buttonhole and button to the front yoke.
And I also added an extra large hook and eye like ready-to-wear trench coats have.
My fabric is so lightweight weight that I had to add extra interfacing. I interface the entire front and both the under and upper collar pieces.
I used the back yoke piece to create a back stay for the jacket.
My lining is a cute beige and white polka dot I found at Joanns.
The main thing about making a trench coat is finding enough of the same buttons. I lucked up and found all of mine in a single shopping trip. They're 7/8" tortoise buttons and I used 9 in the making of this jacket. The only detail that I wished I had included were sleeve tabs. But I literally used every possible of inch of my 2 yards of fabric. I plan to make a full-length trench for fall and I'm going to use every possible trench detail in it.
Styling tip: Since my trench jacket is classic tan, I decided to add color: I wore one of my favorite red striped shirts, which is New Look 6735. My Birkin Flares, blue bandana knecktie and red open-toe pumps.
