Restoring Mandarin Coat (if that is the term)

Another Hong Kong label with an obscure name, that made something fantasticly tailored. And I always get screwed up on dates for such things. I first thought 60s but now am not so sure...could be yesterday for all I know. The label reminds me of a 50s Jordanaire label I had with the stitching.

Unfortunately this coat is missing a couple buttons. (2, but an important 2.

What would you do, would you try to match the wool and cover replacements, or would you start over and put constrasting fabric or rhinestone buttons on it. I want to keep the mandarin, streamlined look Hmmm..maybe brocade...

This fits me to an absolute T so may not be selling it, but I still want to get it in working order. But i need another coat like i need a hole in the head, right?

Bear with me, as I usually take my half girl outside...i am playing with where best to position my mannequin anf lighting, etc, so the detail on the full shot is bad . It is not orangey at all like the last shot implies.

<img src="http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/patentleathershoes/koos4.jpg" width=300 height=200>
<img src="http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/patentleathershoes/koos3.jpg" width=216 height=467>

<img src="http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/patentleathershoes/koos.jpg" width=396 height=395>

Chris

 

if it were me and i were keeping it i would try to match the wool and cover replacements (and replace all of them , even the existing ones so you know all the buttons match each other at least).
if i were selling i would find a nice set of 6 buttons to include in the auction, and then leave it up to the buyer which route they went down.

and finally a girl can never have too many coats (or quite frankly too many of anything) in my book! it's really lovely and i would hang onto it, at least until next winter!:D

say hi to your new manni for me btw - she's fab!

 

There is another thread with tons of pics of her (you'll see it).

I am just worried about not finding a good enough match and then there is sewing it well enough.

 

at the antique centre in the next town there is a lady that has a vintage fabric stall, and does a button recovering service (which i made a point of remembering as i thought it may come in handy one day!). wonder if anyone does that in your town, local seamstress?

BUT if it were a choice between recovering them myself and changing them all over, i revise my anwer to be change them all!!;)

 

It looks to me from the hemline mark that there should be plenty of fabric to steal from the turned under hem to recreate the buttons you want. It doesn't take much, about 1 1/2 inches square?
Rhinestone buttons would look nice on this coat though, as would black plastic or wood buttons...

 

harriet, unfortunately there are not too many people who have that skill in this one horse town. I can mend and do some things, but to make covered buttons look like anything, I definitely can't. Well, i can do things theater style - great from far, far from nice LOL.

That's an idea Jonathan. I will have to look at the coat again. I think I am leaning towards some nice rhinestone buttons if I can find something I like for the coat to work and then putting the covering on the back burner until it can be done right.