Teal Sam Edelman Peacoat: K\R, Size Help! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Anniversary Sale

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Teal Sam Edelman Peacoat: K\R, Size Help!

Ginger

Veteran

The larger Sam Edelman pea coat arrived early. I know I am returning it but need to decide if I should try again with other size(s). I tried on with jeans and a winter weight long sleeve t-shirt.

Pictures 1-4: Both buttons buttoned.
Pictures 5-6: One button.
Pictures 7-8: Unbuttoned.

I am a pear shape. Right now on top I am about a size 6 or 8; bottom not sure, probably at least 12. This is a size 12 and it barely buttons over the hip. Incredibly unflattering back view pictures show how it hangs, not merely tight. Wide and high hip, narrow back and swayback.

The question is if I should keep trying with a 14 or 16. It will never be the best cut for me, but it might work. It would fill a minor hole in my outerwear selection (light coat, non puffer, with pants). I can move buttons slightly on a larger size to get a more A-line shape. Surprisingly the shoulders aren’t ridiculously huge.

Should I order again? Is it worth it?

This post has 8 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Sam Edelman Double Breasted Wool Blend Peacoat

View Info

Top Pick

9

Anniversary Sale

25 replies

Latest reply was from Ginger

DonnaF

Veteran

IMHO, this cut/shape is not your best and you can do better. I would look for a jacket with a back vent and a more feminine shape altogether.

Indigoprint

Veteran

I am no help because your thoughts on tailoring are valid. Would you do them yourself?
I agree with Donna...
but if you like the fabric/ color and have the skills to tailor it...its pretty Fab

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It's a gorgeous colour and a great idea, but I doubt if it is going to work in any size. I mean, without significant tailoring. I am wondering if it's more than the side to side cut, if that makes sense, but also the vertical proportion that is wrong. It's sad because it looks like a gorgeous coat.

Ginger

Veteran

DonnaF, I'm pretty sure you're right. I've actually never owned a coat this length that wasn't a puffer with a double-ended zipper. It would have to be a very special shape. My wool coats are all longer and either princess seamed or with a waist seam and flare. I love them but they're definitely more formal and best with dresses.

Indigoprint, I don't think it's possible to tailor this coat. It would have to be done at the patterning stage, both adding width at some seams and adding length in the middle of the pieces.

Suz, you're exactly right. I would need extra width at the lower back (side seams and back vertical seams), but also extra length in the back because of the wrinkling there. It's riding up because it needs width, but also because I have a very flat back and a prominent backside, i.e. swayback. A straight line is the shortest distance between two points, and my back profile is curved. So I need more material in the middle than exists.
Fitting it in profile would look like this:
|..|
|...)
Instead of like this:
|..|
|..|
Or even:
|..\
|...\

Hope that makes sense! It's something that has to be done at the very beginning of pattern making, not after the fact.

At times like this it is very frustrating, and indeed sad. The coat is lovely! Soft, beautiful color, hangs well (on the hanger). My top half is so easy to fit! But I've been dealing with this since I was a teen, and my mother before me. There's more than one reason I sew.

cat2

Veteran

Fellow pear here; I would pass on this one; a size up is likely to yield too much room at the shoulder and waist. I don’t have any outerwear that doesn’t have a set in waist, I find the extra volume at the waist annoying. And with a set in waist and a vent, the jackets lie better.

rachylou

Veteran

I had the same thought as cat2 - I think you’ll lose the nice fit in the shoulders
If you size up.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m not looking at the other responses first so apologies if I repeat other comments!

As someone who shares pear tendencies but not with as much differential as you (I’m a 6-8 on top with a very narrow back and big boobs, and a 10ish on bottom), I find pea coats and double-breasted styles very challenging. They rarely accommodate hips and boobs properly.

This coat looks almost right from the front view, but yeah, the hip fit is not right. And sizing up it will be too large in the shoulder/back. Sad to say I think it’s a difficult style. You do so well with fit and flare styles that show your amazing waist that I feel this just doesn’t do you justice.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I agree with the others Ginger, sadly I just don’t think it will work. My very favourite coat is called a “swing” shape and fits my pear shape perfectly. I just got lucky, because otherwise when I try coats on I have the same problem as you.

April

Veteran

G, since I am the reverse (wider shoulders than hips) and the peacoat silhouette works very well on me, I'm going to agree with everyone else and say it's less the size than the shape.

Roberta

Veteran

A gorgeous coat, but it's worth remembering that peacoats were designed for broad-shouldered sailors. Like April, I'm wide up top, which is why I own two of them. But a swing coat in the same beautiful fabric would be fab on you! And not a very tricky pattern, if you sew. I made one decades ago, before I recognized the limits of my figure.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I love Roberta's idea of a swing coat instead. I agree with others that this cut is not going to be your best. You'd have to embrace a very slouchy shoulder line, I think, in a larger size. The color is terrific on you, which makes it a more disappointing miss.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

As fab as the colour is, I vote stop trying too. You will loose shoulder structure as you size up. And you LIKE structure up top

Ginger

Veteran

I want to thank everyone so much for your responses. I knew in my gut this wasn't a good one. But all my life I've been rejecting 90% of retail clothing at a glance, simply because of its cut. And sometimes I wonder if I'm overlooking things. I wanted to give this coat a fair shake instead of rejecting it out of hand. And in case the YLF collective wisdom had a magic solution I hadn't thought of.

cat2, that's a good data point about wool coats with a waist seam. And you and Rachy, I'm honestly surprised that the 12 doesn't look as big as it is. The 6 I tried was too small but an 8 would have fit (shoulders) great.

Janet, I really appreciate your perspective. I didn't realize that pea coats and similar were hard for you, too. Do you have an ideas about a cut that would be fit and flare but work with casual jeans? All I can think of is "princess" coats.

Jenni, I'm going to keep looking for that lucky coat!

April, that's totally true. I've always liked the look and practicality of the design but it doesn't work for me.

Roberta, I was all set to say "I'll never finish a coat! Way too many mockups and anxiety!", but come to think of it I did make a coat a little while ago. I just dived in because it was so low risk: 1930s coat pattern using a blanket! $5 estate sale blanket with some moth damage even. It's a straight coat but I tweaked the button placement and added a couple long underarm darts (armhole almost to hem) that give it a slight A-line effect. It's pretty bulky so heavy (and tricky to sew), but I could do another one without the hood and in a lighter weight wool. (Anything is lighter than a vintage wool blanket!)

Glad to hear from you, Sharan! Thank you, it's helpful to hear the other suggestions. I'm a perfectionist sewer so deciding on a pattern and material and then actually doing the thing seems like a big obstacle... but Roberta got me thinking and I may have a solution.

You do know me, Angie! I don't like sloppy. And this is far from ideal in almost every way.

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Ginger I could take pics of my coat as a flat lay and/or some measurements if it helped at all, just let me know. I no longer have a pic of me wearing it but could always take one. No problem if not.
I have never seen another of the exact shape before or since.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

One of the best coats I ever had was a 3/4 sleeve trapeze style in a camel trench material. Trapeze I bet would look great on you.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Ginger

Veteran

Jenni, I would love that! Thank you!

Carol, that's a really neat coat. I've sort of had my eye out for a vintage 1950s coat in that shape, since they were worn then as well over the big skirts.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

So the coat is kind of thigh length on me, and also has weirdly short arms (hubby in 2011 when I bought it “Someone accidentally cut the arms off”) I am about 5 foot 1 or 2, 156 cm.
I like the fancy collar but hardly ever bother to do it up like this, usually just have it open.
Looks like the only horizontal seam is below the bust not at the waist.
Vintage Dancer website has good information too.
If of any use I could do more detailed measurements this was just a start.

This post has 9 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I had a short swing coat, made by Zara, bought on consignment -- about 15 years ago. It was pea coat length, more or less, but had a swing shape. I think there were patterns like it in the 50s and early 60s. (Examples in links below -- two are kids' patterns, but you get the idea.) Mine had a pleat in the back, I think, like the last example -- it was a fun detail.

I found it worked really well with jeans. I could layer a lot under it (sweaters -- as long as the shoulder fit was okay) and it also worked with straight skirts. Not that you are likely wearing many of those.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listin.....1&

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listin.....1&

https://www.rustyzipper.com/sh.....825-A23571

https://www.rustyzipper.com/sh.....num=324218

Bijou

Veteran

Ginger I have a swing coat that is double breasted and it fits well. I also have a single breasted pea coat with a slight A-line that works for me. It takes time to find these more flattering fits, but well worth the effort. You can do better!

View Info

View Info

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Yes I see Suz’s last pattern has that pleat in the back like my coat has. I wonder if either of Bijou’s coats has similar?

SarahD8

Veteran

I keyed right in to that back pleat on your coat too, JenniNZ!

Ginger I wonder if that design feature would be something to pursue. I feel like it could really help lend a casual vibe to the coat (since you are wanting something to wear with jeans).

Actually the maximizer in me is now wondering if it would be possible to add a back pleat to a peacoat pattern. (Not to overwhelm you!)

That coat you made is really nice so clearly you have the skills for it!

Bijou

Veteran

Jenni - the long pink coat has a back pleat and a swing shape with volume. The peacoat is shaped into the waist and a bit more room over the hips (definitely not a peplum look or cut) providing a more flattering fit on me than a straight cut jacket.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Thanks Bijou! Sorry Ginger if this is hijacking your thread at all!
I’m actually interested to find others have had swing shape coats. I had to stop wearing my mother’s 1964 red coat around menopause time because my pear shape became even more pronounced and then I added a side of apple as well! But I had bought the swing coat at age 50 when I had already gained much of my extra weight. Having lost some again in the past few years maybe I should try on the red coat again some time. But generally the shorter swing coat is fine for my not-so-cold winter. Obviously I don’t live somewhere where we have snow.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Jenni--I had one that looked more like an artist's smock, more like the coats worn by the children in the picture book Madeline. It was a camel color, and a trench material. It was great, the kind of piece you could wear with anything. I thrifted it.

I think it was called trapeze style, but I don't know if that's the same as a swing coat.

Ginger

Veteran

It doesn't look like I responded but y'all's pictures and discussion have been very helpful. I'm very good at finding interesting things on Ebay/Poshmark, but it helps a lot to have some keywords or brands to start with. A back pleat is a good feature to look for as well. (That pink Max Mara coat is so cute!) Thank you for all your help!