Sewing a Chanel Inspired Jacket;
How to choose the best combination?
How to choose the best combination?
How to choose the best combination ?
The fun part ! All about choosing the best fabric & lining & notions for your Chanel Inspired jacket.
How to create the wonderful Chanel-look for your jacket.
First let's show some beautiful creations which are flowing around on the internet and Pinterest.
The fun part ! All about choosing the best fabric & lining & notions for your Chanel Inspired jacket.
How to create the wonderful Chanel-look for your jacket.
First let's show some beautiful creations which are flowing around on the internet and Pinterest.
We notice these pictures are details of wonderful combinations which really works. It is not even important if the jackets are self-made or real authentic Chanel jackets: they all have the same taste and style of the Chanel look. The Chanel look which is sophisticated, a bit casual and the perfect combination f the fabric, the lining and the finishings. (= fringes, trims, buttons etc.)
Some suggestions before you start your own project:
Fabric: How to choose the right fabric ? Most of the times you first choose the fabric for the jacket. You might have found a perfect tweed or a very nice bouclé or you know for sure you want some sort of color. A pink Chanel jacket or a mixed colors bouclé to combine with jeans or maybe just a black tweed fabric. You either already bought the fabric or you are going to hunt for the search.
Once you have found your fabric, and bought enough metres, you are going to find the right lining. How to choose the right lining? Very important to buy some fabric which really works.
Fabric + Lining: As long as one color of the tweed or bouclé is matching with the lining; it can be either a print Silk or a uni-color Silk which will work with the fabric. Sometimes even an other color is nice as long as it strengthens each other and does not scare off away or "bites". In our opinion the whole combination needs to remain a bit chic and classy. Otherwise it does not look like couture but tacky or cheap.
Example 1: A classic brown/beige Pied de Poule tweed fabric combined with a printed Green Silk. A bit carzy combination but it works perfectly as the brown and beige are matching each other and the green works radiant. If we would have choose a uni-color Silk lining here; it might have been a bit too much Vintage or out-dated.
Example 2: A black/white/grey bouclé fabric combined with a Light-blue Silk. The Light-blue Silk suits the tweed fabric perfectly although the light-blue is not "in" the tweed. But it looks very couture-like and sophisticated.
Example 3: A checkered woolen skirt is lined with a beige lining. The beige is matching the woolen fabric from the outside and is exactly the right color. If we had opted for light blue, it would have become too unremarkable. The beige choice makes the skirt very beautiful and timeless.
Some suggestions before you start your own project:
Fabric: How to choose the right fabric ? Most of the times you first choose the fabric for the jacket. You might have found a perfect tweed or a very nice bouclé or you know for sure you want some sort of color. A pink Chanel jacket or a mixed colors bouclé to combine with jeans or maybe just a black tweed fabric. You either already bought the fabric or you are going to hunt for the search.
Once you have found your fabric, and bought enough metres, you are going to find the right lining. How to choose the right lining? Very important to buy some fabric which really works.
Fabric + Lining: As long as one color of the tweed or bouclé is matching with the lining; it can be either a print Silk or a uni-color Silk which will work with the fabric. Sometimes even an other color is nice as long as it strengthens each other and does not scare off away or "bites". In our opinion the whole combination needs to remain a bit chic and classy. Otherwise it does not look like couture but tacky or cheap.
Example 1: A classic brown/beige Pied de Poule tweed fabric combined with a printed Green Silk. A bit carzy combination but it works perfectly as the brown and beige are matching each other and the green works radiant. If we would have choose a uni-color Silk lining here; it might have been a bit too much Vintage or out-dated.
Example 2: A black/white/grey bouclé fabric combined with a Light-blue Silk. The Light-blue Silk suits the tweed fabric perfectly although the light-blue is not "in" the tweed. But it looks very couture-like and sophisticated.
Example 3: A checkered woolen skirt is lined with a beige lining. The beige is matching the woolen fabric from the outside and is exactly the right color. If we had opted for light blue, it would have become too unremarkable. The beige choice makes the skirt very beautiful and timeless.
Fabric + Lining + Finishings: The right combination..... Soo many choices and soo many personal preferences. We wanted to suggest to take a look at all the examples to get some ideas and inspirations. But this might work in the opposite as well. It is a human behavior fact that the more choices we have the more difficult it is too choose the best option. It might even scare you away... as you want to run away out of a store when the choices are overwhelming and are all too much in the same range of quality, prices or characteristics of the product.
Conclusion: It might be a good idea to focus on the fabric and limit the possibilities for yourself. Think about the total look: Do you want something classic or modern? Does the jacket needs to be formal or casual? Do you really want a Chanel jacket which will makes everybody turn their heads, or do you want something more appropriate for work or an event? All considerations when you choose the fabric, but also when you are working on the project to combine the lining and the finishings.
The most important thing is that you put the fabric and the lining next to each other and the finishings on it. Then you can estimate a little how it will look. If you buy the items online, it can be a bit disappointing if the colors just do not fit or match the fabric. Or the total picture was different than you had in mind. It is important to feel good about it yourself. Do not let anyone else choose the combination for you but choose it yourself. It is a personal project and Chanel jacket are unique because they are not standard or mass-production. Also the right combination will suit your total look and wardrobe. It has no meaning to create a very boldy Chanel jacket with a focus on the fringes if you are not comfortable to wear it. Or it has no meaning to create a very classy or business look if you feel old or out-dated wearing it. Focus on your style and create something you like. Copying a look is ok if it suits you personally and always consider you own style.
Be creative and if you really want to choose that crazy pair of buttons or the fringes made off a very strange material: just go for it. Or if you want to stick for the classic look; it is ok to "copy" an other onces choice.
Here some examples to get more ideas or to copy.....
Conclusion: It might be a good idea to focus on the fabric and limit the possibilities for yourself. Think about the total look: Do you want something classic or modern? Does the jacket needs to be formal or casual? Do you really want a Chanel jacket which will makes everybody turn their heads, or do you want something more appropriate for work or an event? All considerations when you choose the fabric, but also when you are working on the project to combine the lining and the finishings.
The most important thing is that you put the fabric and the lining next to each other and the finishings on it. Then you can estimate a little how it will look. If you buy the items online, it can be a bit disappointing if the colors just do not fit or match the fabric. Or the total picture was different than you had in mind. It is important to feel good about it yourself. Do not let anyone else choose the combination for you but choose it yourself. It is a personal project and Chanel jacket are unique because they are not standard or mass-production. Also the right combination will suit your total look and wardrobe. It has no meaning to create a very boldy Chanel jacket with a focus on the fringes if you are not comfortable to wear it. Or it has no meaning to create a very classy or business look if you feel old or out-dated wearing it. Focus on your style and create something you like. Copying a look is ok if it suits you personally and always consider you own style.
Be creative and if you really want to choose that crazy pair of buttons or the fringes made off a very strange material: just go for it. Or if you want to stick for the classic look; it is ok to "copy" an other onces choice.
Here some examples to get more ideas or to copy.....
A black/white and grey tweed Fabric, checkered with soft-lines: A black/white color-threads, warmth woolen Bouclé:
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1. Combined with Silver grey wooden buttons constructed on the fabric with a grey velvet binding: artistic and creative. It will look absolutly fabulous on jeans or black trousers. 2. Combined with a Boff-white Silk lining and classic horn Chanel-look buttons: a beautiful formal business-look ! 3. Combined with a Silk light-blue lining and the Chanel-Style buttons: very elegant and sophisticated. Perfect for Gala, events and special occasions. 4. Combined with a jeans blue-mixed trims and real silver buttons: modern and casual. Perfect for a short Chanel Style jacket to wear on jeans or a modern skirt. 5. Combined with a Silk golden/beige print Silk (6), a Silk beige/brown trim and vintage horn beige pearl buttons: A strange combination as the tweed is more likely to create a "silver-look" . But the golden/beige look work. It is a clever combination and it will be perfect for an executive management style. |
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7. The Bouclé lined with a green/blue light Silk and golden crystal buttons will wok perfectly for a classic and timeless look. 8. The same lining and velvet dark green buttons will be more casual and a very nice Chanel Style look. 9. The woolen colorful fabric combined with the Silk golden/beige lining and the velvet buttons will be more creative. The jacket will look modern but very unique as well with jeans or a uni-color skirt. 10. Last but not least; the most non-logical combination with the vintage horn beige pearl buttons. Daring, artistic, sophisticated and unique. |
More ways to choose the right combinations:
If you are still uncertain about the total package, just wait for a few days and take a look again. Maybe you "see" now the problem or you like some other options. Or maybe it should be something less. Maybe drop the fringes, or the trims or buttons. Maybe be a bit careful about the colors....
Sometimes we create the jacket and leave the finishings until the jacket is done. We put it on a mannequin and try some options about the fringes and trims again. we look to it from a distance and we sometimes choice something completely else than we first had in mind. Looking from a distance works well. A pack of fabric with the buttons on top in your hand, is very ok. But it is hard to imagine or to visualize the end-product or the result. Even if you have a trained eye....
Last option: Looking at the jacket on a mannequin works well. You can try on the four pockets placed above each other, or on top and on the waist-line.... Or better to sew only two pockets on it? Or maybe skip them completely ...
The trims, the fringes, the buttons; just pin them on the jacket on the mannequin and see what works best....
or:
Wear the jacket in front of a mirror and try the finishing one-by-one with pins or hand-sewing... See what works best on your body and with the skirt, dress of pants underneath. A lot of work. But sometimes surprisingly as well. You can play around with the pocket and sometimes it even works a bit "slimming" when you place them a bit wider on the waist and a bit smaller on top of the jacket. Or create a triangle-form by placing them nearby above each other. We will get back on this detail........
The last remaining step in the process of creating something unique...... It is worth the time spending and nothing compared to the time you already spend on creating the jacket.....
Good Luck !
Sometimes we create the jacket and leave the finishings until the jacket is done. We put it on a mannequin and try some options about the fringes and trims again. we look to it from a distance and we sometimes choice something completely else than we first had in mind. Looking from a distance works well. A pack of fabric with the buttons on top in your hand, is very ok. But it is hard to imagine or to visualize the end-product or the result. Even if you have a trained eye....
Last option: Looking at the jacket on a mannequin works well. You can try on the four pockets placed above each other, or on top and on the waist-line.... Or better to sew only two pockets on it? Or maybe skip them completely ...
The trims, the fringes, the buttons; just pin them on the jacket on the mannequin and see what works best....
or:
Wear the jacket in front of a mirror and try the finishing one-by-one with pins or hand-sewing... See what works best on your body and with the skirt, dress of pants underneath. A lot of work. But sometimes surprisingly as well. You can play around with the pocket and sometimes it even works a bit "slimming" when you place them a bit wider on the waist and a bit smaller on top of the jacket. Or create a triangle-form by placing them nearby above each other. We will get back on this detail........
The last remaining step in the process of creating something unique...... It is worth the time spending and nothing compared to the time you already spend on creating the jacket.....
Good Luck !