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The reversible disco jacket

I don’t often sew for James (preferring to fill my own wardrobe instead!), but every now and then he either sees something online that he’ll take inspiration from, or have a fully formed idea in mind that he’d like me to bring into reality. So this one is another fantasy jacket, this time modeled heavily on Betabrand’s reversible smoking jacket.

When we were in Paris in March, he bought a wonderful wonderful wool/poly blend corduroy at the Tissues Dreyfuss Coupons shop for €10 total (a complete bargain!) as well as some red chinese brocade to use for the other side.

I started sewing this when we were in drydock in April/May, then I stalled at the bound buttonhole stage since my little red machine isn’t great for precision jobs (no speed control!). Then the pressure was off during summer, but the cooler weather meant I really did want to finish it for him!

Even better – James surprised me buy buying Betabrand’s “open source” disco fabric, so now the jacket changed slightly in that the reverse will be PURE DISCONIUM!

What I’ve made here is the ultimate day-to-night jacket!

(Thank you to Kerry for the photo on the right!)

I started with his last fantasy jacket as the pattern base (which, in turn, started life as Burda 10/2008 #134) since it fit him really well, then James had a bunch of style changes to make to this one:

• The corduroy wales must run horizontally!
• Add 3cm to centre front to account for the button closure overlap (instead of zipper closure as before)
• Add 13cm to length at hip
• Wide 7cm facings on the disco side
• Slanted single welt pockets on the corduroy side
• Notched collar with collar stand 1cm taller than before
• 6 flat metal buttons on the corduroy side (with bound buttonholes)
• Chest single welt pocket on the corduroy side
• Centre back seam with 23cm long vent
• 7cm wide sleeve cuff (no placket) on both sides
• Disco side pockets: two long patch pockets with a top black band
• On the disco side, a single skull button at 24cm down from neck joining seam
• On the disco side facing at chest, two buttonholes 3cm apart for headphone cord keeper

The corduroy side…

He’s perfected The Flip already – he takes the jacket off while holding onto the sleeve cuffs and it all turns inside out (or outside in, depending on your perspective!)

The disco side…

Now, the disco side truly is 100% Party! Walking down the South Bank, we got all sorts of stares and “oh my god” type comments, it’s certainly not a jacket for a shrinking violet (not that James is, have no worry!)

Here you can get a good look at the disco fabric – it’s a black lycra base with little “sequins” printed on in silver foil in a regular grid pattern. It seriously does catch the light like a mirrorball!!

Here you can see the headphone cord holder he insisted on – it’s just two small buttonholes on the facing, only cut through the facing layer so the cable can be looped through and not jerked out of his ears or dropped on the ground.

The skull button (the only one for the disco side), bought from this Etsy shop that now looks to be closed, sadly.

He adores this jacket – we wore it out to our anniversary dinner last week and we got all sorts of attention, with me in my fuchsia dress and him with the disco side out!

Oh, and I should add that I’ve still got 2 yards of the disco fabric left for me, too… bwahahah! Whatever shall I make?

Comments:

1. Blindingly gorgeous!!! The headphones cord holder is genius, I have until now managed with weaving the cord over and under shoulder straps and cuffs and the like. Thanks!

   
   — Stefania    Sep 24, 03:17 PM    #

2. HA! Horizontal wales! Brilliant (literally)!! I love this. Is that lycra stretchy enough for a Disco Hoodie for you? Love it!

   
   — M Kate    Sep 24, 05:08 PM    #

3. Holy cow! That’s an awesome jacket!

   
   — Clio    Sep 24, 05:12 PM    #

4. what a great looking jacket it is!!!

   
   — Far    Sep 24, 05:29 PM    #

5. So freaking awesome! I’m seeing the leftover as a sheath dress with black (or sheer) accents and a matching bolero or shawl-type thing.

   
   — CGCouture    Sep 24, 05:29 PM    #

6. Melissa, you did an amazing job on this jacket! James really seems to have lots of fun wearing it!

   
   — Olga    Sep 24, 05:43 PM    #

7. It KILLZ!!!

   
   — lakaribane    Sep 24, 07:02 PM    #

8. This is spectacular!

   
   — T. Sedai    Sep 24, 09:29 PM    #

9. John Travolta will be green with envy!!

   
   — Patricia O'Neill    Sep 24, 10:06 PM    #

10. You must really love him to do all that work for him. If my husband asked me to make him a reversible jacket I think I would start laughing before the sentence came out of his mouth. You did a great job!

    
    — Karen    Sep 25, 12:32 AM    #

11. Wow that looks fabulous!! I have to say I was not a fan at all of the BetaBrand jacket, but your version I love! And James is a lovely model! He looks so happy.

    
    — Shannon    Sep 25, 06:45 AM    #

12. Made of win!

    
    — Catherine Daze    Sep 25, 07:36 AM    #

13. Tame on one side and voila, super dancer on the other. Very nice job on this.

    
    — Nancy Karpen    Sep 25, 08:37 PM    #

14. Oh my god … I love it! And your hubby is wearing it very good. :)

    
    — Melita    Sep 27, 10:00 AM    #

15. This is so cool! And you gotta love a man who wants to wear a disco jacket!!

    
    — ZoSews    Oct 2, 11:48 AM    #

16. ITS A PARTY ON THE INSIDE!!! OMG, i want that fabric now. AAH! Where do I find more shiny fabric?

    
    — ladykatza    Oct 11, 07:54 AM    #