Dating wool coat with silver Persian lamb trim

Excuse the interruption, but what a great dress on the left!

 

In light of Jonathan posting the photo from the film I decided to check newspaper ads for garments from the 40s with 3/4 length sleeves. I was surprised to find quite a few ads advertising and showing garments with 3/4 length sleeves. Here are two from 1947.

 

Good work on the ads Caryn.

The difference between a three-quarter length sleeve and a bracelet length is fairly small and to determine the actual length of the sleeve as designed, it would be best to put it on a woman of the right height and size - the fact that the hem is sitting above the knees suggests this coat was made for a shorter woman, so therefore the sleeves would be shorter too, so hence longer on the right sized arms.

Robin, as you're shorter, you could always photograph it on yourself and that way we'd see you too!

 

Here it is on me and thank you all so much for your help

 

Frankly it looks to me like the original sleeve length was shortened by the wearer after purchase. It would be an easy alteration that could be done without showing any signs of an original length. If they were smart, they would have just turned the wool of the sleeve and the lining material up so it could be let down again. Can you unpick the lining at the cuff and see if that is the case? They might have chopped off the excess, especially if it was an alteration to fit, rather than an alteration to update the look.

 

Robin, You have come to life and you look beautiful! I think the length of the coat does look more accurate for the 40s on you.
If you do not have as broad of shoulders as your model the shoulder pads should stick out further off the edges of your shoulders. None the less because of the padded boxy cut this really does not show.

The sleeves still do not look full length on you. To me at that point they look like they appear to be in between 3/4 length and bracelet length.

The difference between 3/4 length and bracelet length is a good few inches, is significant to me, and is significant to my coat customers. Some want the shorter 3/4 length sleeve to show off their gloves, some wear gloves only up to their wrist or just bracelets/watches only wanting their arms to show up to that point preferring bracelet length, and then there are others who want to show as little of their arm as possible but will accept a bracelet length sleeve because they really like the coat. Those who really prefer a full length sleeve might settle for a bracelet length but would not settle for a 3/4 length sleeve because it was just too short.

In 1937 a study was done by the US Department of Agriculture(USDA) studying the size of US people. The most common height of US women was said to be 5'3" tall. In 2011 another study was conducted by the USDA who said the most common height of US women was 5'4" tall.
Even though this study provided the most common measurements Americans still varied in size too much to make a one size fits most.

In 1940 the pattern maker Dubarry made their standard clothing patterns to fit women who were 5'3" to 5'6". Even after seamstresses still had to make allowances when making clothing from patterns for people within those heights because no two people were alike in every area.

Being no two people are alike fit should not be determined based on how a garment fits someone else. By your example you can see the sleeve of your coat hits one point of your arm but it might hit a different point of someone else's arm who is the same height as you depending on their individual measurements.

When considering buying a coat a wearer should to allow 2 to 4" extra in each area to allow room for clothing underneath and ease of movement. Shoulder seam to shoulder seam when there are defined shoulder seams, shoulder seam to cuff or in some cases when there are shoulder pads or the sleeves connect at the collar; underarm to cuff, armpit to armpit, bust closed, waist and hips when fitted, sweep, and length from nape of neck to hem are important all together to determinine proper fit.

Code:

http://analogme.typepad.com/analog-me/2011/11/history-of-measurements.html