Need jacket/waistcoat quick - suggestions?

[Tobus]

Oh wow - yeah, that shepherd's check is a little loud for this event. Would be awesome for something else, but I don't think the bride would care for it at her wedding.

I do like the Harris tweed jacket, though! Problem is, that sleeve length of 25.5 inches seems really really long. According to the size info on the STM site, a "short" should have a sleeve length of 22.5". "Long" is 24.5". So this seems extra long.

David, if this was your jacket, may I ask how tall you are? I'm trying to get a feel for whether it's going to be too long for me. I'm about 5'-7" and 135 pounds. I don't have my tailored suit in front of me to double-check the sleeve length; I'll have to check it this evening.

Am I correct that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try to have someone take the sleeves up on this jacket if they are too long? I'm thinking that if it's a vintage jacket, there may be some fading of the color underneath the patch pieces on the arms, and when they have to be moved up to accommodate a shorter length sleeve, the difference in color where they were would be obvious.

[piperdbh]

It's a lovat green Harris tweed jacket and waistcoat that I bought on ebay. It's too small for me, but it might fit you. I left it at the Museum for Matt to sell.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I measured the sleeve length from the shoulder seam down the outside of the sleeve to the end of the cuff, if that helps.

The shepherd's check has plain cuffs, so shortening the sleeves would not be a problem.

On David's consignment jacket, the Braemar cuff patch is only sewn on along three sides -- the side with the buttons is only tacked down where the buttons are sewn in, so I am able to peek underneath at the cloth, and I don't notice any difference in color.

[Tobus]

Well, darn it all to heck! I came home yesterday afternoon to learn that my wife had to spend all the money I had hoped to spend on a new kilt jacket, on an emergency vet bill for the horses. So at this point, I can't afford a new jacket/waistcoat after all.

Looks like I'll have to revert to wearing my suit instead. How boring.

Thanks everyone for their offers of advice and help. Matt, I very much appreciate your efforts to find me a solution. I was on the brink of pulling the trigger on purchasing that consignment jacket/waistcoat. Maybe if I have money again in the near future I'll check back and see if it's still available.

Now pardon me while I go have a good cry about it!

[Pleater]

It is a shame about the suit for the wedding - but the deal is that the animals are the first priority - at some future date you can revisit the jacket and waistcoat idea, but when you have a sick or hungry animal there is only then, or the harm is done for ever.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[M. A. C. Newsome]

No problem, I know how that goes. I just had to let go of $600 for new tires for my car. Hated to do it, but if I can't drive to work I can't earn the money to pay for the tires! :-)

[Tobus]

No problem, I know how that goes. I just had to let go of $600 for new tires for my car. Hated to do it, but if I can't drive to work I can't earn the money to pay for the tires! :-)

Well yes, on that subject, I've been having a string of bad luck lately that's almost worthy of a country/western song. Had to spend over $400 for new tires for my flatbed trailer. They were all in pretty bad shape and one of them blew out when I was making a trip to haul hay for my horses. Then my water heater went kaputt, costing about $150 to fix. This damnable drought has caused foundation issues in my house, insect issues requiring extensive extermination expenses, and I've had to spend thousands of dollars on hay that I wouldn't have normally bought, just to make sure my horses can survive through the winter. My mother was sick for the past few months and then she passed away a couple of weeks ago, and there have been thousands of dollars I've spent on travel expenses, legal and financial stuff, funeral stuff (including a new suit), etc. My 88 year-old grandmother was living with her, so I have brought her here to live in a nursing home close to my house, which has been very expensive as well.

Just when I thought I was past all the tough stuff and looking forward to a joyous occasion where I could don my kilt and dress a little fancy to get my mind off the hardships, we had to spend the dough on the horses' vet bill yesterday.

We were also planning a fun trip later this month to the Texas Renaissance Festival, but we will probably have to cancel that too, due to all the recent expenses we've incurred.

All in all, I shouldn't complain, though. Life's been tough lately but my wife and I are still healthy, I'm employed, and we're not dealing with the same level of hardship that many of our fellow human beings do. So I'm trying to keep my perspective.

[BobsYourUncle]

Stay strong, my friend. Sometimes the pitches come so fast and often that you have to let a few go, and choose carefully which ones to swing at. Sounds like you are doing very, very well at that...