Worth Converting?

**gary meakin** · 13th December 11, 04:42 PM

I found this jacket in the "free bin" at work and I'm thinking of a conversion.
Can I get away with this combination?

I know I can wear whatever I want but I really would like some honest opinions.
I don't think they go together but I still have a hard time wearing a striped tie with my kilt.

**Joshua** · 13th December 11, 04:46 PM

That.Jacket.Is.Awesome!

I'd do it. In a New York Minute.

It's like Burns Check and Tartan had a baby and it was that pattern.

**Whidbey78** · 13th December 11, 05:04 PM

It looks like a pretty good candidate for conversion. I'm not sure I like it with that tartan, or any tartan though. I think the combo may prove too busy. But that's partly my personal taste. I like to keep my patterns pretty sedate. Some guys can pull it off, but I'm not one of them.

I'd say go for it anyhow! If you decide you don't like it someone around here will probably take it off your hands. You'd only be out a few bucks and all the richer for the experience.

**madmacs** · 13th December 11, 05:39 PM

Nothing to lose and everything to gain... Even if it just ends up as being knowledge...

**MacLowlife** · 13th December 11, 05:49 PM

It looks worthwhile to me, but the lapels are pretty wide.

I would work on a scale of pluses and minuses.

First, lapels ought to reach half or less of the way between the fold and the shoulder seam. That is not absolute, but it seems to be the prevailing fashion. Wider lapels tend to look a little silly at the moment. A short jacket seems to exaggerate that effect. A short jacket with wide lapels and a deep gorge can look overbalanced or top-heavy sometimes.

Second, where will your buttons end after you make a new cut away? Can you add a new button higher up and will the lapel easily roll or crease in a new place to accommodate that button? 3 Buttons cut to 2 seems to be the best, though sometimes 2 buttons cut to 1 is OK if the 1 lands at a spot even with the navel or higher.

Third, what will happen with the pockets, especially the pocket flaps? If you chop the skirt of the jacket even with the sleeve ends, you are at about the right place, but you may want to go a little higher. At a glance, that looks like it will leave you a space between the flaps and the bottom that is substantially wider than the flaps, which helps.

Fourth, what about vents? Do you have two? That is always nice. Again, when you chop the skirt, how much vent do you have left? Can you easily extend it? Probably the worst is a single hooked vent that ends up being 4 inches or less. Some single vents can simply be opened up a little higher.

Fifth, and maybe this should be first: how does it fit?

I would suggest that you need at least three favorable answers and one of them really ought to be the fit itself. You can lengthen sleeves and you can even alter the lapels if you really want to. Moving the pocket flaps is probably pushing things.

Just my $.02, if that...

**gary meakin** · 13th December 11, 06:52 PM

It fits. It was free. So I guess I've got nothing to lose in trying.
I hadn't noticed the lapels but now that you pointed them out, McLowlife, They're all I can see. THEY'RE HUGE

My wife tells me moving the pocket flaps should be fairly easy. (she's my DIYer)
It has one vent in the back and I was thinking maybe just close that up.
I have a nice plain gray wool jacket that I'm planning to convert as well.
So I guess this one will be practice,
Thanks for the input.
I'm still a little afraid of the combo but it appears that most think it can be pulled off.
Whether it can be pulled off by yours truly remains to be seen.

**Mickey** · 13th December 11, 08:35 PM

Any jacket is worth trying to convert. Especially one that you probably wouldn't wear with trousers. As others have said, you have nothing to lose.

And trust me, if I can do it, I'm pretty sure a three legged pot-bellied pig can do it. It really isn't as hard as it seems.

**bigdad1** · 13th December 11, 04:59 PM

Go for it but I find that combination kind of scary. Sort of Pee Wee Hermanish. Just me

**Tobus** · 13th December 11, 05:50 PM

Go for it, and don't be afraid of the pattern needing to match. I'm betting you can make the combination work with the right shirt, tie, hose, etc. It's a bold statement, but it could be smashing!