How to Make a 1920s Suit: the Vest

Tailoring menswear is already a complex process, but how do we fit these garments to bodies that aren't the "ideal" 1920s man? There are a few tips & tricks which can help reshape a vest to fit a wide variety of bodies. We'll look at drafting, fitting, and even construction to help adjust the shape of this garment to best suit the wearer and their needs.
Even with a pattern that fits, sewing up a vest can be daunting. There are so many pieces and parts to include and layers you can't even see! But we'll break down one of the ways to make a welted pocket, discuss how to fit in a layer of interfacing, and I'll even show you my favorite fast way to attach fronts and backs together! Although there is an infinite number of ways you can combine elements for vintage or historic vests, many of the techniques are universal. At least, when you understand their purpose and reason, they are!
Why do we use tailors tape along the front edge, but not the armscye? Why do we use interfacing in the welt pockets? Why do we use linen canvas instead of horsehair canvas? Why does my neckline gap? Why do we put a dart in the front?
Supplies
✂️ Wool: www.thehistoricalfabricstore....
✂️Lining: www.etsy.com/listing/20291495...
✂️Canvas: www.etsy.com/listing/24168065...
✂️Buttons: www.etsy.com/listing/23962937...
✂️Pattern Paper: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
✂️Shears: www.whiteley.co.uk/store/craf...
Socials
Instagram: / silk_and_buckram
Tiktok: / cloche_call
Patreon: / nicolerudolph
🖼 Men Standing Near a Staircase: digitalcollections.nypl.org/i...
📚1920-22 Progressive Tailor: www.google.com/books/edition/...
🎶Music via Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com)

[@redjenny8652]

just wanted to mention how much I appreciate that you do men's fashion as well! so much historical fashion content is extremely rigidly feminine (it's not a problem, just nice to have some variety)

[@alessandrac.1273]

as a lesbian whose aspirational wardrobe could be described as "soft butch but make it historical," I am LIVING for this menswear content

[@ReisigSeeds]

Also, the model of these fashions is a hottie! I mean, let’s just say it!

[@jirup]

Nicole's channel is a an absolute godsend for those of us with these wardrobe aspirations. I quite like watching people sew up amazing feminine historical clothing, but I don't want to wear it. Nicole sews things I can actually see myself wearing.

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

As a gay man who likes to dress my gender - but dress up a little - I suspect I could probably share an aspirational wardrobe with you. And a good waistcoat will accentuate a waist, shoulders, anything you want to, really... What person on earth wouldn't want that?

[@Maplecook]

What do you call an alligator with a vest? An investigator.

[@gottogo8675]

Crap

[@elisabethmontegna5412]

This whole video is beautiful for many reasons, but I very truly, deeply, and sincerely appreciate that you actually showed the process of trying on the mock up on your body (not a dress form), addressing the fit issues by yourself (no helper pinning things for you), then transferring the changes to the pattern and doing the process over again with the second mock up. That was some of the most useful and relatable youtube sewing content I've seen. Thank you.

[@durianninja2464]

Could you please do more videos on tailoring mens wear? There is just not enough videos on historic menswear on youtube!

[@NicoleRudolph]

I hope to! I just need to spread them out a bit since they're usually don't perform well (I think this is because there aren't very many videos like this and yt doesn't know what to do with them, not because low popularity)

[@autumncosandaffect9735]

@@NicoleRudolph Bigger thanks! Even more for bringing what you already knew wouldn't perform as well -- just for those of us starved for it!

[@rdb4996]

@@NicoleRudolph leaving a comment to hopefully help with visibility for the algorithm!

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

@@NicoleRudolph Honestly, as a guy with a boyfriend who likes to dress in 1880s-1930s clothes... This is gold! Even when shown on a female body it's still content I can use. (Because funnily enough nobody - not even my boyfriend - has a body that conforms perfectly to a sewing pattern.)

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

@@rdb4996 Good point! And I'm basically just leaving this comment here to show "engagement" with the content.

[@hazeluzzell]

It’s like magic happening. Bertie Wooster would be proud to step out in that!

[@rebeccaharrison-hutcheson2169]

More to the point, Jeeves would approve! 💚

[@BryceHistorically]

Oh wow! Your “giant book of tailor’s swatches” is such an amazing asset! What a goldmine of information that must be 😁

[@caspian8650]

As a nonbinary female person with a love of historical menswear, this is basically my perfect youtube content, and it's so hard to find stuff like this. Thank you!

[@Marin-jd5rq]

I was just about to comment pretty much exactly the same thing XD It is very difficult to find historic garments that I want to wear and will also fit me and make me feel comfy. This project is the most absolute perfect thing ever!

[@rosequill7925]

Hey nonbinary historical fashion gang

[@werelemur1138]

Enby historical fashion squad!

[@yumeng4686]

Nonbinary folk here we go! Nicole looks so good in that waistcoat too 🥺🥺

[@meggiemoo931]

Non-binary female? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

[@k1tkat-kate]

Describing with words how to remove fullness in a garment by using darts, or moving fullness from one dart to another, seems tricky to me, but you did it so clearly! And being able to then see the changes you make on the pattern, and how that changes the fit of the mock-up is so helpful for us visual learners!

[@jackiescreativeendeavors598]

its just as mind breaking when you do a dart shift like that. it like wait i can do that!??

[@gloglos100]

This is how it’s done, darts are wonderful. The bust dart we use on women starts as a dart between the neck and shoulder and is transferred as she did it, or wherever wanted. Adjusting on the body by someone who gets it is magical. I loved seeing the management of the bulk at the front armhole, an extreme horror for me…I sew and my sewing teacher is well trained but has not this mental fluidity…I have made suits inder her supervision and stopped because of the fabric excess on the armhole. I felt like the bachelor from Prague having a bust, a C cup. The garment should fit the body perfectly to the armhole, and the arm on the body is separate so the arm of the garment should fit neatly on the armhole and let you move freely. Heidi Slimane working on men’s wear 20 years ago did the most beautiful jeans, made perfect bottoms…with the curve, perfect fit, and suits with darts on the shoulder back, in the elbow..wherever needed Best, A dart in the back arm hole…so men with 28 inch waists and high armpits with clean lean backs ie not bulky meat footballers and 6 foot tall etc fitted perfectly. Freedom. Karl Lagerfeld lost lots of weight so he could have a Heidi. I have put on 10 kegs because of vile corticosteroids for medically caused asthma, I was 56 kg on 5’6” …the heaviest I had been but perfectly lovely. I want to lose a few inches off my waist seeing how these fit and go back to roughly same size as Nicole.

[@sarahday3297]

Oh my god this is perfect timing - I was just about to try to draft a single-breasted waistcoat!!!!

[@stm31415]

Thank you, thank you, for showing that iterative fitting process. I always feel like I must be incompetent when I see folks jump straight from drafting a pattern to cutting the final fabric.

[@ragnkja]

Even professional tailors like to fit a mock-up first.

[@agentJCole]

Thank you so much! I am non-binary afab and just starting with getting into tailoring and historical dress because I've gotten fed up with never finding modern clothes I feel good in. This video is so incredibly helpful - so much of the info I've been craving!

[@minimooster7258]

When I saw the thumbnail, the first thing I thought was 'holy shit I'm gay", the suit looks wonderfully on you!

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

My first thought absolutely wasn't "I'm gay" - honey, I first had that thought decades ago... - but it does look great on her. And I think it would look great on quite a lot of women, men and anything else, really. The tweed is great.

[@anaacuna9106]

I came down here to say exactly that.

[@LoverofHistory]

Oh my goodness, I was just telling someone that I want to wear 1920s clothes a few days ago! This is such a perfectly timed video, what a happy coincidence! Thank you for making this. As a pre-transition trans man, your video means so much to me!

[@fallen-chances]

This is so incredibly useful as a trans man who loves 20s fashion. Men's vests and such don't quite fit me right because I'm pre-t and still have curves. I've been wanting to make up my own suit and so this is perfect, I want the suit to *fit* me, but to still look like a men's suit.

[@rdb4996]

I hope this is not inappropriate, but just wanted to say that I hope you can fully transition soon. Good luck on the remainder of your journey ❤️

[@Snuzzled]

Same, friendo! Same! Now, I just need the skills to do this! xD

[@senpai16]

Been on t 10 years/post top, and I still have curves! Lol I think at this point its just a matter of needing to lose some pounds, but learning how to tailor a suit to fit and also give more masculine look is so great!

[@RobinT346]

Wonderful. One day I will do this. one day. I love how at the time women's wear was trending slightly androgynous by taking out the curves in dresses but men's wear was also trending slightly androgynous by adding in curves to the tailoring.

[@devinbaggs7542]

Yes! I was thinking the same. There was a lovely and complimentary androgyny to both styles that I find interesting and elegant

[@pammatthews9743]

To see this easier could you try wearing a different color shirt, so that we can see the mock-up better. Many of us aren’t experienced sewers, and are in interested in learning. Thank you for calm demeanor

[@ladyicondraco]

I just want to stare at the book of swatches. I don't even sew. That book is so interesting and I'm very happy for you that you have it.

[@brigidscaldron]

My daughter's girlfriend is very much into the same styles you are sewing. I LOVE that she has a role model of someone who looks GREAT in men's clothes altered to fit well, Thank you !!!

[@piperevelyn2446]

Well this video hit many of my special interests: sewing, historical fashion, gorgeous people wearing suits...

[@speedfinder1]

This is tailoring at its very best. I am not a person who sews, but I'm learning what to look for in a properly created garment. Thank you so much for posting this!

[@4MaryJaneInsane]

What I love about being a tailor is that nomatter how long you do this job there are always 'new' and interesting ways in sewing, when you watch other people do it. New techniques to you, different solutions to problems and so on! There is no day you don't learn something new. This video really sparked my inspiration on tackling a waistcoat or even a three piecer for myself. I am always a bit intimidated by 'rounder chests' than men usually have 😂🙈😂

[@rejoyce318]

I am in awe of the amount of preparation (fitting, re-adjusting, etc.) that is required to create a tailored vest even before cutting into that gorgeous fabric.

[@MuseAndDionysus]

I love that you went through HOW to do some of the mock-up changes. I think that mock-ups are super important, but sometimes I stare at the thing unaware of how to change it 👁️👄👁️

[@nat6098]

As someone with a math learning disability watching something be drafted is like magic. I can do math but it's really easy for me to mess up (3 turns into 5 or 8, 4 becomes 9 or 7, and 2 likes to be 5 or 6 or 8) so I usually default to draping unless I'm using cheap fabric then I'll have a go at drafting.

[@ragnkja]

When drafting a pattern, it is generally recommended to always make a mock-up in a cheap fabric anyway, regardless of whether you have dyscalculia.

[@rd6203]

I can commiserate. I mess up the math on literally every pattern. Ironically, for about six years I did a job which required an excessive amount of mathing and rarely messed that up... I can only assume it was the repetitive nature of it. And also, the fact that I worked solely in millimeters, which is the easiest to math.

[@ragnkja]

@@rd6203 Working with only straight lines and mostly right angles might also help.

[@rd6203]

@@ragnkja Fact.

[@anastasiamaliuha5481]

It's so satisfying to see you draft the pattern, I'm so used to see western sewers drape them. You moved the darts exactly like my sewing teacher. Love watching you make menswear, so many beautiful sewing techniques and the versatility show in the end is just a chef's kiss.

[@k1tkat-kate]

Anyone else think the sound of those shears going through fabric is just glorious??? No? Just me?

[@mofarmgrl]

I love the "snick snick" of shears moving through fabric.

[@loverofmusicality]

Oh my god I was just telling my friends that I was getting to a point where I was stumped because I couldn't find any good tutorials about how to make a waistcoat and how the canvas and everything works, and here you are with an amazing video that answers basically all of my questions! You're amazing, and I love your content.

[@Gryffindame]

This is perfect timing! I've just been asked to be a groomslady for an art deco wedding!! It looks SO GOOD

[@rdb4996]

Now that sounds like a cool wedding! Have fun :)

[@angelwhispers2060]

Congratulations I hope it went well!!! Gatsby is all the rage for a reason ;)

[@LixiaWinter]

Curvy crossdressers: write that down, write that down! Also, when in glasses and mock up, you give huge Harold Lloyd vibes👌

[@maybesomedayknown]

Just want to say how much I love and appreciate menswear content. I've gotten sucked into the rabbithole of historical fashion videos, but yours are the first where I can be like "ooh. I want to wear that."

[@kitdubhran2968]

I kind of want to marry this video. Wonderful explanation of everything. Thank you so much! Can’t wait to sink my teeth into men’s fashions. Between you and Zack Pinsent, and Dandy Wellington I’m getting universal vibes that it is time.

[@TheMetatronGirl]

Wow!!! Absolutely gorgeous. This is the waistcoat of my dreams... I always wanted a tailored suit from the early 1920’s, as it’s one of my favorite eras for menswear. You look like a million bucks in it!! I’m definitely looking forward to the trousers. Much love, and see you soon!

[@PoeticPeer]

Dapper! Please keep serving looks ❤️!

[@nicolakunz231]

I'm slowly but surely making more of my own clothing and this vest is just Goals! The video is so fantastic cause we get all the steps, even the awkward ones.

[@erincarter9995]

Your workmanship is so beautiful!

[@carriescostumescrochet]

It's great seeing women wearing men's fashion!!!! For a few reasons I often I shop in the the men's department. Your little dance at the end is divine.

[@peggyolson6511]

It was a pleasure to watch a real artist at work.

[@nicolegoddard7086]

Love, Love, Love! the more i watch you, the more i think eventually I'll actually do a mock up, instead of just following a pattern and hoping

[@annacampbell8148]

Ooo turning a vest right side out after attaching the back is the most magical satisfying witch craft. Love this video!

[@B3Kusa]

You're incredible. You don't cut corners just going all the way and create a perfect creation. Wow, fantastic. Thanks for another great lesson for me ♥️

[@BekkaMakes]

Thank you so much for going through your entire fitting process! This is so often skimmed over, but it's exactly the kind of information I need at the current stage of my sewing journey. Even for a cis-dresser, this is incredibly useful!! Love your channel! ❤❤

[@TamarHestrinGrader]

Fabulous, and thank you SO MUCH! Looking forward to the next installments!

[@jenniferfromks]

My goodness that looks fantastic on you! Your videos are so motivating. I'm a person who likes to plan for ages and then power through the actual process of creating an item. Your videos show the creating also takes time to get the finish you want. Thank you for sharing so much of your process when making new items!

[@Mandy_Savage]

Holy crap that vest is amazing. I love the fabric choice.

[@nervengewitter]

I love your fashion sense and style, you're such a huge inspiration as I find myself drawn to more "vintage" fashion and trying to figure out my own style. Thanks for this in-depth video about the process! Waistcoats are among my favorite things to wear. I'll definitely have to make my own.

[@lizzyrbits1283]

I love how you talk about fitting a garment "my body is a different shape than the pattern expects" is inclusive in gender presentation and body positive! Thank you!

[@TheSharpenedPencil]

this is exactly the content I NEED. I want to figure out how to make historical men's clothing to suit my nonbinary body and this is so helpful. thank you!!

[@deborahduthie4519]

I love the sound of scissors cutting thicker fabrics. Very nice curvature in the back. Well done Nicole.

[@Not_a_Saint9891]

You have no idea how happy I am for you to make victorian men's garments. When you think of period clothing, there are only a few men into it and there aren't alot of male youtubers making tutorials for it. You have my subscription🙂

[@klarsen1839]

This is one of my favorite fashion periods - men's and women's. Who watches Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and just gobbles up everybody's clothing?? I don't know how accurate their costuming is, and they're more late vs early 20s, but I just can't get enough of it. And man, Dr Mac and all her fabulous menswear outfits! Those are the wonderful vibes I got from this video. Just love it.

[@az_twist6267]

Im working on the Hamilton Spencer, and you've filled in some of the gaps in my understanding the construction. Thank you!!!!!

[@noexpensespentstudios]

I love how the lapel sits on this waistcoat, it's just perfect, especially combined with the thoughtful tailoring, I imagine that the tailor's tape is to thank for how the lapel looks just nicely weighted and very crisp. Thank you for a very informative video. It really does look like a menswear waistcoat, the proportions are just right, you'd never know it wasn't if it weren't for the video telling us otherwise. I've been doing battle with a waistcoat that had some weird fit issues recently and couldn't figure out what was going on with the gaping at the neckline and lower portion of the armhole at the front, I had suspected it was something amiss with the pattern I made and this video really does prove that and what I actually need to adjust rather than what I thought I did. Back to the drawing board on that one to correct everything north of the side seam since I can understand now where the shape is wrong for my body. I really appreciate the time you take to explain to us how things are done and why.

[@grooveonthehillside]

I may have only finished my first ever garment real badly but I can dream about doing this 😂

[@mrberryman]

The section about the welted pocket alone is worth its weight in gold! Thanks, most patterns give modern welting instructions and they just look wrong when finished.

[@karakane714]

This is really fascinating! I'm thinking of trying to make some masculine historical fashions myself at some point in the near future (I've only made historical feminine garments) so this is a super helpful video.

[@KestralWolfe]

What a handsome waistcoat! And many fantastic tips. Thank you very much for sharing!

[@michellegore8878]

Thank you! I have plans to make a modern suit for myself and your demo of the tailor's tape and interlining is really helpful

[@mollyellenpearson1529]

Never has the Subscribe button been smashed so quickly. I took one look at this as a cravat-wearing AFAB enby and went absolutely hog wild. Thank you Nicole

[@flamelily1]

You explained the 'fixing saggy bits' so well! thank you :)

[@MsEmonster]

Thank you so much for this!!! I am a butch lesbian that loves historical fashioning and gowns I just dont .... want to wear them and want to make things I can actually wear :) Instantly subscribed thank you so so much

[@gleann_cuilinn]

It's amazing how many different ways there are to make up a waistcoat. Thank you very much for showing and explaining this method to us

[@clt8923]

This vest looks amazing on you, it suits you perfectly ! Thank you for this video. I've nearly finished a vest myself. It's a contemporary pattern, with straps, but when I realised my interfacing wouldn't stick, I was like "that's ok, Nicole did it, so I can do it too" - just with a lot more time and really slowly. Doing this by hand, I learnt that pad stitching is really relaxing and satisfying. The regularity of the pattern was soothing. Now, I know I have two layers of tweed and one layer of linen canvas to go through to make buttonholes. Let's hope I don't mess them !

[@noaccount2494]

I am thriving for this content

[@clarence5211]

ah that welt method looks so much easier and cleaner than what i used for my first waistcoat! definitely trying that om my next one!

[@angelwhispers2060]

Vests/waistcoats are just the most amazing garment and they need to come back into Style for men and women!!! Watches that only tell time have literally become nothing but a fashion accessory at this point anyway. So if we brought back the vest... we could bring back pocket watches and that would be amazing! In the age of 3D printers imagine how absolutely amazing pocket watches would be?

[@kathrynneuman1079]

I've been sewing professionally for theatre fir over ten years, and your channel is justjfurther proof that there's always something new to learn. Thanks so much for the detailed fitting content, and also thanks for showing me a completely different way to do a welt! I, feminine lady, love historical sewing, but like others on this thread, prefer a masculine flair to my style, so I too hope this comment guides the algorithm. Thanks again so much for this resource!

[@lidewij4263]

Okay but that little dance at the end? 💖

[@periodfilmcostumes]

Amazing! it fits you perfectly, but still looks distinctly masculine.

[@meamela9820]

I love how you show the pattern making and the mock-up process! That's the ones where I learn the most new things. Making a pattern fit is always tricky, so glad to get some new insights on how to think.

[@graceface418]

I don't sew and, quite frankly, don't even understand half of what you say when you're describing what you're doing, but I freaking love watching you sew! It's like watching someone perform magic (even though you tell and show us precisely how you did it) That vest is banging and I can't wait to watch you make the rest of the suit!

[@galaxysprinkles1573]

Really great video, it was easy to follow the different steps and I really appreciate that you show the drafting and fitting process! And the finished product looks so dashing! 💕

[@allisonbradley3499]

This is such a good video. The vest turned out just fantastic, and the descriptions of how to fix the various fit problems were so well-explained. That wool has such a lovely weight to it!

[@autumncosandaffect9735]

Glorioski! thanks for the link to Progressive Tailor. I didn't actually need to be reading hundred year old news letters but it's so cool and it's still a great idea to have two pairs of trousers made with a new suit.

[@deniseyoung3738]

Thanks Nicole! You always describe things so well! Beautiful Fabrics and wonderful finished products!

[@khaxjc1]

Ahhh! It turned out fantastic! Thanks as for sharing.

[@kathryncoelho2249]

The fit you achieved is SOOOOO GOOOOOD!

[@skepticbat]

Your work is such a joy to watch, keep em coming!

[@MisSiszY]

This has come out fantastically!! Looks phenomenal 👌😍

[@MonaSkovJensen]

Crisp and nice!!!! Great with the dance at the end!

[@theresacopeland2451]

this is really one of the best videos on youtube, for a number of reasons, but I'm here to say THANK YOU for explaining how you did the lining!! it made so much sense and sounds so simple! and your hand-stitching is beautiful to watch!

[@Hiker_who_Sews]

I love watching these techniques. Thank you.

[@laurahi3468]

This looks absolutely stunning!!! I am very interested in tailoring but it just seems like such a high art... I love that with every video I watch I gain another tiny insight into the world of tailoring. Today you taught me about tailor's tape, which I had never heard of before, so THANK YOU!! My next project will probably already be improved by a lot now :)

[@hiberniya]

absolutely lovely! fantastic job!

[@new_romemusic4212]

As (insert unnecessary self identification here) this is great. In all seriousness, I'm pretty glad I found this video. I'm deep in a KZbin rabbit hole and your video is perfect for it.

[@sycamore33]

It's so cool to see all the different techniques that go into tailoring!

[@TealCheetah]

Turned out so good!!

[@fluffydragon84]

THE VIBES. Also, as always, loving the ASMR bits. Love the pattern matching of the lining/back and main fabric. All around wonderful job and it looks so good on you.

[@guineverecassidy4855]

Such beautiful work 💗

[@shonitagarcia3222]

Beautiful job! Great outfit! Yay

[@doris1826]

Pairing that vest with the skirt was lovely! Very nicely done, Nicole!

[@erinrabideau3691]

The finishing is amazing and you look so so good in the finished outfit! Work it!!

[@kendall7041]

another knock out Nicole! Not sure if i'm more obsessed with that lining fabric or your dancing!

[@AZJS23]

Beautifully made. Well done!

[@lisahodges8299]

Lovely description of the use of tailors tape, the bridle was described perfectly. I enjoyed this one so much. Birdy

[@joshuaharper372]

I suppose most people are not shaped like the "ideal" for any period, but I am particularly short and thick. My waist is certainly a few inches bigger than it ought to be, but I am also incredibly barrel chested. With narrow shoulders and short arms but a thick chest, the only clothing that really fits are tailored garments. While I lived in Kenya, I found a really good tailor at an affordable price, but off-the-rack vests here in the US are too long and narrow for me. This video has given me courage to take one of the store-bought vests apart to see if I can let it out a bit.

[@corasgrove3474]

Looks amazing and talking about fitting was really helpful. A lot of the more feminine historical fashions aren't my style, so looking forward to the outfit for inspiration :)

[@lindateller9325]

Beautiful work!

[@TheMaggieMia]

it looks very flattering and classy on you!

[@amb163]

I love the lining you used! Low-key gorgeous !

[@tiffanytomasino335]

Thank you for sharing! I’m appreciate of the snappy suit aesthetic