1.

WAIST COAT

A waist coat is a special type of outer leather garment which is worn over a dress or below a coat as
a part of most men's formal wear. It is also sported as the third piece in the traditional three-piece
male business suit.

It is an outfit wear which is also known as vest (first referenced in the 1610s, a loose outer garment
worn by man) in Eastern countries or in ancient times. A waistcoat is, in fact, identical to a vest in
appearance. It may be worn as part of a man suit and in evening or day wear; the uniform typical
of clergy members includes an article that is classified as a waistcoat. Dating back to the 1600s,
this piece of clothing has some history rich in brushes with royalty, including Charles II. Worn by
both men and women initially, waistcoats became primarily worn by men in the 20th century.

The main purpose of wearing waist coat is to keep the body warm and comfortable. Moreover, it
enhances style, fashion and social status.

It is made of leather, fabric, synthetics, jeans etc. But the entire waist coat made by leather is more
fashionable, comfortable and durable.

1.1. Vest Vs Waist Coat

In Britain, the term "vest" also means an undershirt or tank top while the term "waistcoat" refers
only to the sleeveless garment. The term "vest" in the U.S., however, also has many meanings. It
can refer to a hunting vest, a bullet proof vest or a life jacket. The form is identical as to a cloth
vest or waistcoat, but the name of the object indicates the difference in function.

"Unlike suit jackets and trousers, vests have remained generally constant over time in the 19th and
20th centuries," according to Historical Boys Clothing. In fact, the only apparent change in vest
fashion between the 1600s and present day, is the average length and the number of buttons. When
first introduced into fashion, the vest was typically used in suits, however, now it is fashionable to
wear a vest without a suit, wear a vest open and wear it over T-shirts. When comparing vests and
waistcoats, the difference comes down to dialect and language.

A waistcoat should not have an even number of buttons, as this can visually “cut the torso in half”.
This always stuck with body. However, body anatomy said as on taller gents/women it is found
that the standard 5-button front is not enough to cover the vertical space (too much fabric between
the buttons looks cheap). Therefore, for guys above six feet tall it is typically recommend seven
buttons for balance, as seen here –
The word vest comes from the French word ‘veste’ which means jacket, sport coat, the Latin word

vestis and the Italian word vesta which means a robe or a gown, a vest is a garment that covers the

upper part of the body and is sleeveless; a waistcoat is also a garment that covers the upper body

and is sleeveless

The most important difference between the two is that a vest is an informal garment that can be

worn without anything underneath it; a waistcoat is a formal garment that is usually worn over a

shirt and a necktie, makes part of an executive or business suit and is worn under the coat as part

of men’s formal wear; it is also the third piece of the typical male business three-piece suit.
2. Waistcoat History:

How The Waistcoat Has Changed Throughout The Ages:

Surprisingly, the waistcoat is one of the rare pieces of clothing whose origin historians can date
precisely. King Charles II introduced the waistcoat as a part of correct dress during the Restoration
of the British monarchy. Samuel Pepys, the diarist, wrote in 7th October 1666 that "the King hath
yesterday in council declared his resolution of setting a fashion for clothes which he will never
alter. It will be a vest, I know not well how". This royal proclamation is the first mention of a
waistcoat. Pepys records 'vest' as the original term. The reason for the term 'waistcoat' was to
denote the termination at the waist, whereas, at the time, men's formal coats went well below the
waist as frock or morning coats.

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, men often wore incredibly elaborate and brightly-
coloured waistcoats, until fashion in the nineteenth century restricted them in formal wear, and the
development of the suit dictated that informal waistcoats become the same colour as the rest of a
man's outfit.

From the late 17th century a man's doublet became a waistcoat with men wearing a frock coat over
it.

By the 18th century man was almost never seen without his waistcoat. Not wearing a waistcoat
was to be considered "undressed." The waistcoat, or vest, of the 1770s was fashionably worn to
the upper part of the thigh, opening in a "V" beneath the stomach. Waistcoats were made in all
qualities of silk, cotton, wool, and linens. If adorned, it could be embroidered, printed, brocaded,
quilted, tasselled, silver or gold laced, and was generally the most elaborate article of men's dress.

Shorter and Tighter Foundation Garment

After about 1810 the fit of the waistcoat became tighter and shorter, becoming more secondary to
the frock-coat overcoat and almost classed as an undergarment. But it still increased in popularity.

In the early part of 19th century, the waistcoat moved away from being the centerpiece of a man's
clothing and towards serving as a foundation garment, valued as a way of enhancing the figure.
From the 1820s fashionable gentlemen started wearing corsets. The waistcoat complemented this
by becoming skin-tight for a nipped-in waist. If a corset wasn't worn then men's waistcoats often
featured boned stiffeners and a laced-up back, so that one could pull the lacing tight and get the
required fashionable shape.

Royal Trendsetter
Prince Albert, the Consort of Queen Victoria, had a reputation for his tight corsets and tiny waist.
Men followed his lead, and waistcoats became more restrictive. This fashion remained throughout
the 19th century, although after about 1850 the style changed from that of a corseted look to a
straighter line, with less restriction at the waist, so that the waistcoat followed a straighter line up
the torso.

Edward VII Fashion Statement

Popular sentiment once claimed that one could tell a man as a "real gentleman" if he left the lowest
button on his waistcoat unbuttoned. This is supposed to originate from King Edward VII while
Prince of Wales: his ballooning waistline caused him to leave the bottom button of his waistcoat
undone. To his subject he was a style icon and they took up the habit. An alternative view is the
practice of undoing the lower button was to stop the waistcoat riding up when on horseback.

Before wristwatches became popular, a gentleman would keep his pocket watch in the front pocket
of his waistcoat, attached to one of the buttons with a fob and watch-chain. This arrangement is
still worn by distinguished gentlemen.

Extra Warm

The waistcoat remained a required part of men's business clothing, and casual dress, until the mid-
twentieth century. Waistcoats were popular because they added an extra layer of warm cloth
between one's body and the elements. Factors that influence the decline in waistcoat wearing are
that cloth was strictly rationed during the Second World War and subsequent post-war austerity;
sweaters and pullovers became more popular for getting extra warm; central heating mitigated the
need for extra layers; and the trend in men's clothing towards increased casualness.

2.1. Back in Fashion

The waistcoat remained visible in the UK until the late 1960s. During the 1970s the waistcoat once
again became a fashionable and popular and garment with many businessmen and young people
wearing it along with the rest of their suits. Movies like Saturday Night Fever helped popularise
the waistcoat as a fashionable piece of dresswear.

1960's and 1970's Denim waistcoats were a must with the trendies wearing lots of badges and
broaches. Worn for fun, fashion and warmth.

In professional snooker tournaments it is mandatory for the players to wear a waistcoat. Snooker's
popularity increasing since the advent of colour TV. Nowadays, players earn considerable money
by displaying company logos on their waistcoats. See our Snooker waistcoat design.
2.1.1. The bottom button
If there is one rule about wearing a waistcoat it’s that you should never, under any circumstances
do up the bottom button. Aunt Maud is a staunch advocate of this rule and you will incur her
considerable wrath if she ever sees you with the bottom button fastened.

This long established tradition is said to have began when future Kind Edward VII became so fat
that he either couldn’t do the bottom button up or because he couldn’t see passed his considerable
girth to see that it had been left undone. Assuming this was now the done thing, other members of
court quickly adopted the same style and it promptly became the way to wear a waistcoat.
Another good theory is that it is to do with a gentleman’s comfort and the look of the waistcoat
when riding ones horse, eliminating unsightly creases from the article when upon ones steed by
undoing the bottom button.

There are other theories and nobody really knows for sure but my money is on King Edward.

Having said this, it only applies to single breasted waistcoats. A double breasted waistcoat should
be fully fastened at all times.

3.Classification of Waist coat:

3.1.According to gender:

1. Gents waist coat (Narrow opening, close neck fit)

2. Ladies waist coat (Wide opening, Wide down neck fit)

3. Unisex (Children)
3.2.According to Buttoning system/buttoning style:

1. Single- breasted ( One raw of button, narrow overlap of fabric)

2. Double breasted ( A wider overlap of fabric and two parallel rows of buttons)

3.3. According to fittings:

1. Inner wear (Tight fitting)

2. Outer Wear (wobbly fitting)

4.Pattern making/ Designing methodology/ Important steps for pattern design process for a
garments:

In sewing/ making leather goods or garments and fashion design, a pattern is the template from
which the parts of a garment/ leather goods are traced onto leather/fabric before being cut out and
assembled.
Patterns are the 2D representation of an object/ product (3D shape).

1. Study of Anatomy of Human body (Gents, ladies, children, Infants)

2. Taking Actual Body measurement ( neck, chest, hip, shoulder etc)
3. Adapted the 3D measurement as 2D.
4. Basic block preparation (fitted garments pattern- jacket, waist coat, trouser, skirt, over coat
etc)
5. Perspective drawing of a specific style.
6. Enlargement of block/draft/ construction
7. Preparation of first pattern
8. Preparation of the production pattern
9. Grading
1. Anatomy : The study of structural shape of Human body helps to take the measurement
perfectly for adapting a garment block for example sleeve length is measured from shoulder
bone(the prominence of the bone) to wrist bone and also get the idea of body shape.
2. Measurement: Basic measurement like chest(for gents), bust, Hip(for ladies) Shoulder ,
Sleeve Length, Neck, Waist Arm etc
3. Basic blocks: The first step in pattern making is the preparation of basic block which is
used for all pattern adaptations. The basic block is the representation of three dimensional
solid measurement of dummy in a two dimensional form. It is the foundation pattern
constructed to fit a specific figure in the garment industry.
The blocks are constructed to set a standard for a particular size. It is used as a basis for
interpreting a design and producing a finished pattern. The design shape may changed
dramatically but the basic fit of the pattern will conform to the size of the basic blocks.
4. Perspective drawing: Front and back views of the garment including all style lines, stitch
marks, fastening system, collar, cuff etc should be presented clearly.
5. Enlargement /draft:
The fitted block is to be enlarged or reduced according to required measurement for a
particular size. Then drafted construction is developed from the enlarged block. The
various styling details such as----
a. Dart manipulation
b. Types of seam
c. Yokes
d. Gathers
e. Pleats
f. Pockets etc are planned in the draft.
6. Final Pattern:
This is the pattern developed from the working sketch. Here each section (panel) is traced
and adapted to achieve the desired effect on shape and fit. Seam allowances are added,
marked and labeled with all necessary information. During sample preparation if any
alteration is required, it is done for this pattern also. This pattern are usually cut in soft
white paper or brown sheet.
7. Production pattern: This is the copy of the final pattern. This must be 100% accurate
with all necessary information on it. This pattern is sent for grading together with the
sample to graded in the required size.
8. Grading: Pattern grading is a technique used to reproduce a pattern in other sizes, it must
be done accurately, small errors are unnoticed when one piece is graded, create problem
when many sizes are graded. Although software and machine are developed to grade
pattern but its fundamental to know the principle of grading pattern in order to program
machines.
5. Perspective drawing:
(a)

(b)
 6. Complete Set of Patterns:

6.1. Lining pattern:

7. Specialty of the Waist Coat:
1. Sleeveless and collarless
2. Front Opening System is button with button hole
3. Piping pocket
4. V-cut neckline
5. Unisex garments

8. Required measurement for waist coat draft:

1. Chest
2. Natural Waist Length
3. Scye depth
4. Half back