The latest 'Chanel' type jacket from Vogue 7975

As promised in the previous post, it was time for a new 'Chanel.' After the Christmas festivities, I finally finished up the longer length version of Vogue 7975 using this lovely tweed with darkest blue, silver, white, black and bronze threads. I wanted to dress this jacket up a little more than previous versions so added two pockets to the two on the pattern—I really only wear these jackets now for evening concert/opera/dinner wear since I quit the office life—and so it is livelier, (but I may have gone over the top!)

In any event, this was the first time I learned to cut a fringe trim from the fashion fabric on the bias to obtain double the fringed threads I'd get from cutting on the straight. Then I anchored the fringe down the center using a 7mm dark navy braid purchased online.

As it was, the result still looked too staid. So I bought pearls in various sizes of my tweed colors and festooned them randomly across the pocket tops and down both fronts. I could have decorated the sleeve hems as well, but I knew that having fringe picking up chip dip might annoy me.

I also skipped another possibility. The last iteration of fringe by Lagerfeld at Chanel featured strips encircling the sleeve cap seams. But I don't think I would carry that off very well. Too 'Marvel Heroine goes Paris.'

The pockets are lined, of course, and handstitched to meld into the tweed pattern invisibly. All the fringe and pearls were hand-stitched to the jacket body. This jacket may someday see a second life, as I can easily remove all the fringe and beads and tone it down or up some other way, depending on my mood down the road. White wool trim might make it look more naval and spring-like, while strict silver braid would be more formal yet.

I'm still thinking I might hide a dozen or so hooks and eyes down the front to close the jacket firmly if I want to wear it 'solo.'

And I'm giving this a rest before I decide whether/how much to trim or square off the fringe. It's a little wild—but hey. It is a busy jacket all on its own, so a very simple top is required underneath. This is going to top off the navy wide-leg georgette jumpsuit with the camisole bodice I wore under my pink and blue Burda kimono to the English wedding. (previous post)