Tweaking Yesterday's Jacket Muslin or "I'm Going on a Safari..."

Friends, I've spent most of today tweaking my latest jacket muslin, Simplicity 8823 from 1970.  I think you'll agree it looks very different than it did yesterday.  Hopefully better.

First -- and perhaps most dramatically -- to give the back more shape, I added an inside elastic casing.  I think it makes the fullness look more intentional.  If it looks a little low on me, it looks perfect on Michael, who's about 2" taller.







I also shortened the length roughly 3".  I still have to hem it.

I added two large bottom pockets with matching flaps, and two top pockets without flaps.  Making matching pockets and flaps is painstaking but it's not difficult once you have your technique down.  They're lined with old cotton fabric I had in my stash.  Recognize it? 





I still have to add buttons and, like I said, hem it, which I'll do by hand.  I want to clean up the inside a bit too.  There's nothing wrong with exposed serged edges, imo, but bias trim would certainly look spiffier.  How do you feel about epaulets?



The jacket is still quite roomy, alas.  It fits more like one of those 1940's jackets men used to wear (think young Frank Sinatra) than a sleek safari coat, but that's OK; I didn't plan to go on a safari in it.  Plus it started life as a mere muslin made out of fabric I care for.  Anything I get out of it is icing.





OMG, here's Frank in a safari jacket.



Michael likes the jacket too so maybe we'll both pose in it when it's finished and you can vote on who wears it best.

And that, friends, is the jacket post of the day.  What else do you think it needs?  (Fancy shaped top flaps like Frank's?)

Happy Thursday, everybody!