https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:01:28 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733861 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 20:06:05 +0000 rachylou 1733861@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So educational about how one goes about making adjustments like this!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733860 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:56:17 +0000 approprio 1733860@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>tulle:</b> exactly! I've been thinking the same since I figured it out. I know nothing at all about the man or his tailor except for this one thing. Both long dead for sure, but the very idea of altering it seems like a travesty. A man needs room to move, after all. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733857 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:49:08 +0000 tulle 1733857@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, that's funny--something we don't generally deal with.&nbsp; But imagine his pride, and the delicate sensibilities of his tailor! As you say, a lot of intimate history involved in this business of old clothes . . . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733846 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:35:35 +0000 Sal 1733846@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for sharing. I think you have honoured the craftsmanship of these trousers beautifully in your reworking. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733843 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:30:51 +0000 approprio 1733843@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks ladies! Really, it's a pleasure to share this and surprisingly a useful part of the process. Nice to know you're interested and not just baffled.</p> <p>A thought: I've been puzzling over a quirk in the cut on the inside leg. It finally dawned on me today. I said in the previous thread the original owner was a big man. Now I know he was a very big man and he dressed to the left. Refer to #8.</p> <p>I'm wondering if I should try to fix this, but it would be destructive and I kind of like including such an intimate artefact of pants history.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>DianeG:</b> cheers! It's always good to get validation from a pro. I may yet PM you for some tips. And<b> RobinF, La Pedestrienne, Lynn...</b> the thing about sewing is that I'm always learning. I often think when I start a project like this that I'm overreaching myself and it isn't going to work out. But more often than not, it works out anyway. So I keep on going.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Suz:</b> thanks again for your encouragement. I wish there were more pants out there like this, otherwise I would make them into a product. These are one-time pants though. It's not every day I get to work with this kind of raw material.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733842 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:30:14 +0000 tulle 1733842@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fascinating.&nbsp; That front-drape view in photo #4 is truly, as Angie might say, "Killer."&nbsp; And the semi-circular tuck in back--so clever!&nbsp; Thanks for sharing the 'basting map', if you know what I mean.&nbsp; I'm learning a lot from your experiments. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733829 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 18:53:57 +0000 Lynn 1733829@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Another sewer here. I am totally impressed with your creativity!<br />&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733778 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 15:53:11 +0000 minimalist 1733778@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you so much for sharing this process with us. </p> <p>Love the shoes! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733770 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 15:24:32 +0000 Jaime 1733770@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Awesome. Literally. Ha, #takebackthedenotation </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733768 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 15:17:39 +0000 karen13 1733768@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you so much for sharing your journey with these. I love them. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733728 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:30:51 +0000 Suz 1733728@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is fascinating. I'm so glad you are documenting in words and photos. It's such a labour of love and with respect to the original tailor and designers who have come before.&nbsp;</p> <p>I predict that people will be asking you where you bought these and how they can get a pair. They give a bit of an effect of a crossover pant and you can tell the drape is amazing.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733706 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 12:51:05 +0000 RobinF 1733706@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, I am impressed! I have been a sewer most of my life but I don't think I would have taken on this project. They are going to be really beautiful. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733648 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 08:55:47 +0000 Anonymous 1733648@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh yes! Splendid fabric manipulation to get them hanging well and removing a touch of volume. These are going to be fab.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733641 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 07:50:58 +0000 approprio 1733641@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks all! Thought this might provoke some eye-rolling, but I'm glad you enjoyed the write-up.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Angie:</b> if by that you mean "not going to the hairdresser" then yes, I'm growing my hair. But thanks for the reminder. I've made an appointment.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>JAileen:&nbsp;</b>since you mentioned the oxfords, they were this year's Amsterdam insider shopping tip. A job lot of vintage dead-stock from this one factory came onto the market this summer. All bench made quality&nbsp;at a fiver a pop. I bought two pairs, one black and one white.&nbsp;They were originally made for the public sector, so technically government surplus -&nbsp;these would have been bound for the Dutch navy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733487 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 23:04:48 +0000 JAileen 1733487@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What an interesting process. Good luck with them!</p> <p>I really like your oxfords. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733474 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:51:06 +0000 Angie 1733474@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>GOOD JOB. I'm impressed. You look extra adorable in #6.</p> <p>Are you growing your hair?&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733467 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:45:41 +0000 Staysfit 1733467@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is sculptural three dimensional sewing wizardry! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733448 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:22:56 +0000 LaPed 1733448@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great photo-documentary! Your creativity is remarkable. The next time I break out my sewing machine, I will have to imagine *you* looking over my shoulder -- although my alteration skills, and projects, aren't anywhere near this exciting.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733442 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:12:40 +0000 Barbara Diane 1733442@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sara L. took my word-fascinating. I love how they are looking and am waiting to see more. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733441 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:12:36 +0000 deb 1733441@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nice job!!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733411 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:23:46 +0000 Style Fan 1733411@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow that is quite the tailoring adventure.&nbsp; I am a such a novice at sewing so I can only imagine the amount of creativity, tailoring skill, detail work and who knows what all of this takes.&nbsp; The pants will indeed be workhorses when you are done.&nbsp; I am excited to see the finished work.<br />I am cheering from the sidelines. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733410 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:23:41 +0000 Traci 1733410@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh wow! I think you're really getting somewhere. These are going to be amazing. I can't wait for the final product. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733407 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:19:05 +0000 Sara L. 1733407@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I know nothing about sewing but your photos and explanation are&nbsp; fascinating to me.&nbsp; I'm excited about the way the back looks now.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege-pt-ii-surgery#post-1733397 Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:03:10 +0000 approprio 1733397@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Last week I bought <a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/sacrilege">a lovely pair of vintage trousers</a> and challenged myself to make them fit me. You all very kindly encouraged me to overcome my doubts about butchering a piece of museum-quality tailoring and press on.</p> <p>To be fair, nobody could tell at the time exactly what I was up against, least of all me. The pants were huge, at least three sizes too big and a full six inches too long. I’m no stranger to a slouchy trouser, but these were clownish even by my standards and I was by no means sure I could pull it off. I spent far too much time over the weekend looking at avant garde menswear on Farfetch and wondering What Would Yamamoto Do?</p> <p>Still, the fabric is a pleasure to work with, very supple and with lots of body so it holds its shape beautifully. The down side is that every fold and tuck has to drape perfectly. I’ve been trying to channel Yohji-san in the hope that the master would look over my shoulder, give me the nod and perhaps guide my hand once in a while. After much trial and error I think I’m finally on track to a wearable garment. Who knows, maybe he’d even approve this alteration.</p> <p>In the interests of full disclosure, here are a few before and after pics, along with some nerdy tailoring details. It still needs tweaking but I’m pretty sure I can get this to work.</p> </p> <ul> <li>I want to preserve the original tailoring so the only cuts I’ve made are to the leg seams, where I’ve put deep tucks front and back. This instead of hemming so as to keep the original cuff, which I will line with contrasting fabric so I can turn them up.</li> <li>I shaped the legs by making the inseam a little shorter than the outside seam, giving a more contemporary silhouette and making said turn-ups behave themselves better.</li> <li>Too much alteration to the crotch looks like a bad fit, so I’ve taken out little more than an inch there and done the rest with a couple of darts across the back, making the deep rise look intentional. The tucks on the back leg help control this somewhat and there’s a trick or two I have yet to try on the inside to make the seat drape nicely.</li> </ul> </p> <p>All needs yet more tailoring but I’m quite satisfied with the result so far. I think these are going to be workhorses in the winter season. </p> <p> </p>