Advice on Vintage Sport Coat

[Captain Cosmic]

Hi, I am looking at buying a vintage late 1950s/early 60s Chipp sport coat. I normally wear a 40 to 42 long. This one is marked 43 Long but is not too far off in the shoulders (18 3/8" vs my normal 17.75"-18.25). I figure I can layer a sweater under it. However, I am bothered by the plaid stripes not lining up with the sleeve on the left side (suit right sleeve). I cannot imagine a maker like Chipp would have made this jacket this way and wonder if the sleeve head has been taken in? Should this misalignment be a deal breaker? Also, is the plaid pattern and elbow patches too loud?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Mr Tickle]

Too loud for what? Where will you wear it? Plaid and elbow patches look very collegiate to me. I think this coat could look good worn casually or in an academic setting, or for work if you're in a creative industry. In a more formal business setting it might look a bit costumey.

 

[Captain Cosmic]

Too loud for what? Where will you wear it? Plaid and elbow patches look very collegiate to me. I think this coat could look good worn casually or in an academic setting, or for work if you're in a creative industry. In a more formal business setting it might look a bit costumey.

Hi, Thanks so much. What are your thoughts on the mis aligned right sleeve stripes?

 

[breakaway01]

can you indicate where you think the problem is? My understanding with pattern matching a check is that the goal is generally to line up the horizontal lines at the front of the sleevehead. However, the vertical lines and the rear of the sleeve cannot be matched with the body of the jacket. This is true of a Caruso checked sportcoat that I'm wearing today.
The actual jacket color is navy.

As for the elbow patches, I wonder whether they were added on later. You could swap them out for a darker brown if you want less contrast.

 

[Captain Cosmic]

can you indicate where you think the problem is? My understanding with pattern matching a check is that the goal is generally to line up the horizontal lines at the front of the sleevehead. However, the vertical lines and the rear of the sleeve cannot be matched with the body of the jacket. This is true of a Caruso checked sportcoat that I'm wearing today.
The actual jacket color is navy.

As for the elbow patches, I wonder whether they were added on later. You could swap them out for a darker brown if you want less contrast.

Hi, Great jacket! Right, the back of the jacket I understand but it is the front right sleeve (on the left of the picture) where the horizontal stripes do not line up with the body while the other sleeve does; it gets more pronounced further down the sleeve.

I know it is a minor detail and I should not be so fussed but I always associate misaligned horizontal front stripes as being a sign of cheapness (and creates a busier looking pattern for the jacket front with the broken line). Maybe while worn it won't be so apparent.

Again, please forgive me, as I hate using this show as an example of period looks, but here from Mad Men, we see "Pete", aka Vincent Kartheiser, wearing a vintage madras jacket (it was sold at auction a few years later: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...beba98-9071-4749-b02a-a54500adab8d#lotDetails) and you can see the mismatch and just how chaotic the pattern becomes. Again, I know, tiny detail, but it makes a "loud" pattern, even louder. Of course, the designer choose this vintage jacket for the color and its over all style rather than the quality of its manufacturing.

 

[breakaway01]

Oh I see. Yes. Personally it wouldn’t bother me. I think a good tailor could fix that but detaching and resewing the sleeve, but it probably wouldn’t be worth it.

 

[Mr Tickle]

Hi, Thanks so much. What are your thoughts on the mis aligned right sleeve stripes?

I can see what you mean in the picture but not sure whether it would ever be noticeable when the jacket is worn, I kind of suspect not! The stripes are never going to line up once they are on a body, I wouldn't have thought. If this is an economically priced thrift find it would not bother me at all.

 

[maxalex]

It is not geometrically possible to line up plaid patterns all the way around a sleeve, because the sleeve meets the jacket at an angle. On my patterned jackets, my tailor generally makes a decent match on the front, but that comes at the expense of the back which will then necessarily be out of alignment. The same issue exists with pinstripes, and really any patterned fabric.

Looks like your jacket has been constructed similarly; don’t exhaust yourself arguing with Ptolemy.

Where patterns can and should line up is on patch pockets which your jacket doesn’t have.

Looks like a fun jacket. If it ends up fitting, enjoy it.

 

[pwbower]

I used to have this one in my Etsy "favorites," in fact. Did you notice from the pictures the crease where the sleeve seems to have been taken out? The pattern matching doesn't bother me, but I didn't like the looks of the cuffs for that reason. Of course, the price is fantastic for a Chipp sportcoat of that era, so it may be worth it!

 

[dieworkwear]

Personally don't like the leather elbow patches, so I would pass for that reason.

 

[Captain Cosmic]

I used to have this one in my Etsy "favorites," in fact. Did you notice from the pictures the crease where the sleeve seems to have been taken out? The pattern matching doesn't bother me, but I didn't like the looks of the cuffs for that reason. Of course, the price is fantastic for a Chipp sportcoat of that era, so it may be worth it!

Hi, yes, it has been sitting for a while. The sleeves have been let out rather poorly and cuff buttons have been moved too close to each other for the era (they should be about an inch apart). The actual current measurements are 27", so they can be repositioned to a less "extra long" position. The seller believes the elbow patches are decorative and not there due to wear, though that then begs the question of fading if the area underneath them is darker from less exposure. Between the one size too large, the elbow patches, sleeves length, and the slight weirdness with the right sleeve, I think best to let sleeping dogs lie. Real shame, as it is a great example Chipp in that period, has a great hidden throat latch, and lovely material, but it will be a bit of a money project and it will still be a size big on me and the elbow patches just feel too much.

Thanks everyone.