Description
This sailor-style 1910s ladies’ suit jacket or lightweight outerwear jacket in black cotton corduroy is a relatively casual garment for the era, designed with the more independent--and even sporty--lady of the newly minted 20th century in mind! The jacket is made of soft and sturdy black cotton corduroy, with wide bands of satin braid trim on its dramatically large sailor collar and sleeve cuffs. 2 large corduroy-covered buttons and intricate frogs with loops plus a single tiny hook, fasten the jacket in front. Diagonal bust darts shape the bodice slightly. The cutaway jacket is intended to have a fairly loose, boxy fit through the body, including at the hem, as shown. It is much longer in back than in front, curving gracefully into a somewhat full back hem below the hips, created by the widening below the waist of the multiple vertical panels. (See my last photo of the jacket inside out, showing this detail.) The wide, bracelet-length sleeves have tiny gathers at the shoulder seams, to create a very subtle puffed shape.
The jacket is unlined. It is in very good condition, quite wearable and sturdy. Its only issue to note is the fading and wear you can see to the twisted cotton braided cord frogs and loop fasteners. Otherwise, you would never know that this casual jacket is well over 100 years old! The choice of hard-wearing corduroy fabric has kept this piece of 1910s women’s sportswear more intact than most from the era.
Size: approx. modern S or vintage M, with smallest fit at shoulders.
- Bust: 39 inches flat, with slightly loose fit for 37 or smaller, up to 38 max.
- Waist: 39 inches flat measured straight across center front hem (at highest point). Intended to fit loosely.
- Length: 27 inches from back of neck to hem.
- Shoulder to hem length in front: 20 inches.
- Underarm to hem at side seams: 16 inches.
- Shoulder to shoulder: 13 inches (XS).
- Sleeve length: 22 inches.
- Sleeve width at bicep: 15 inches flat.
- Label: none present.
