I thought I got quite a bit done today and then it turned out I really just did a lot of customizing the sleeves.
This coat is a total kick. The cuffs are rectangles, no flare, so no match to the pattern. The sleeve is very skinny, like a modern coat with only a slightly open cuff. So not even close to pattern. I trimmed the sleeve now, as well. And as I continued to fight with how this lovely thing was going to look right at the collar (the pattern has no collar and has a rounded chest to neck transition) I noted two things: the collar stands straight up his neck at the front muscle of the neck and at the same time aligns with the line of buttons. HOW????
Now, I won't play coy with you to see if you will guess what is going on here but will instead lay it out. THIS COAT DOES NOT MEET IN THE MIDDLE.
It never did. Will's coat is so custom in this manner that it truly is not historic nor even plausible as a real coat. I had noticed how when the bottom flares in the wind, it shows so very little material flapping in the breeze but yet from the front it looks like, even when pulled drastically to the sides, it builds up no folds or bulk. As seen in pics from the back, this little bit of tail exposes one whole side of Will when it flips up, so it is the only thing there. There isn't more in an ancillary flap. This is because it is actually cut in the shape that it hangs on him, custom, for movie purposes only, not a real coat or at minimum, it is a marching band leader's open front dress coat. I finally started looking at the front upper chest and shoulder. With little to no folding it only reaches barely to the muscle that connects the skull to the collarbone.
This is all easier to see once you realize it is there. My brain just kept assuming all coats can button closed. But in the shoulder with no room to stretch, this coat would leave at least a 3 to 4 inch gap between front halves. Note there is no more stretch available in the chest to shoulder...
That is not going to close, it barely makes it to his nipple. If this picture showed major folds, sure, but there are no folds, it is flat at the shoulder.
See how the buttons show straight vertical not being pulled back at an angle? They started three inches away from center and go straight down. So now I will finish the coat front to match screen and knowing what they did, I too can have my button row line up with the end of his standup collar. For those that are truly visual learners, imagine this collar closes no more than an Irish Torc and yet the line of buttons drops straight down from that point. Not possible in a coat that would close. But I am always open to being corrected, so give me your thoughts.
