The tailors' director, containing an important discovery for fitting the human shape

Front matter

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE

TAILORS' DIRECTOR,

Dedication

To the Merchant Tailors of the City ofNeic- York:

Gentlemen — I appeal to your respectability as a guarantee for your candour. I solicit a talented criticism by your experience, and confide in your honour.

The attempt is now made to establish a true and practical science for the government of the trade. Your practice with the fashionable part of society must produce a refined experience, peculiar to yourselves. You are the only competent judges of merit or demerit; consequently, it may justly be presumed that your credulity cannot be imposed upon by the pretensions of any man.

Preface

, The Author is fully sensible of the critical situation in which he places himself, by attempting to detect false Hypotheses, and venturing to correct and improve the popular Si/stems of others who are patronized by Tailors of established reputation ; but the chief motive in this arduous undertaking being directed towards general improvement^ the Trade will no doubt appreciate his industry and acknowledge his application, who has combined utility with simplicity.

The Author makes use of two figures, with lines, to represent the effect produced by the positions, and at once demonstrates the importance of dividing the height of neck from the width across the breast, and proves that there can be no sound principle connected with the technical distinction between crooked or straight fore-parts. He solicits the attention of the Trade to this important discovery, not doubting but they will acknowledge that it is not only useful, but of the greatest consequence to them ; their property, reputation, and connexion, are more or less affected by their knowledge of fitting the human shape. The lines on the Figures

XIV PREFACE.

are fully explained, and every pains taken to render this Treatise as comprehensive as possible. There are many Systems in use, but ask any experienced Cutter or Foreman which he follovi^s \ his answer is none, for he cannot find one that will generally suit his purpose ; he has therefore recourse to his own judgment, obtained by many years practice and expensive experience ; for if a System will not apply to every shape, it cannot be admitted to be of general use. Such Works may assist and be useful in presenting young practitioners with Rules that will fit a certain description of shape, without which they must have been deficient of any rule whatever, — for it must be admitted by experienced Tailors that their own ideas of Cutting cannot be truly conveyed to others without many years practice, because their plans may justly be acknowledged the result of observation as produced by alterations ; however matured their plans may be, they never could find patience nor time to make a systematical plan of their practical ideas, consequently they cannot even teach their own sons ; therefore it is justly presumed that every Author on and Teacher of Cutting ought to be men of business to be qualified to invent Systems for the government of others. The Tailors'^ Director is offered to the Trade to correct and improve every System of Cutting, by a true knowledge of the external shape of the human figure. Great part of the admeasurement is not requisite for practical Cutting, yet every part 'is required to elucidate the principles which are connected with genuine effects. It is fairly presumed that an attentive perusal of this

PREFACE. XV

elaborate Treatise will induce the inquiring mind to compare his System with the Anatomical Standard, and while it discovers Errors, at the same time it gives Instruction to correct and improve it. A full description of the Anatomical Lines is in the first part of the Work, a mere glance at which will convince the well informed that this Treatise is worth their most serious attention ; for here will be found cause and effect properly explained— and where any Tailor is found to be in error, the utmost liberality is shown him, but no exposure without a just cause assigned ; Improvement being a higher object than the paltry pleasure of discovering the faults of others. Every Tailor (who professes to be a Cutter) will allow that the causes of blunders and alterations is a serious subject against the faculties and property of the Trade, which proves by ocular demonstration that the Scientific, Geometrical, and Mathematical Systems of Cutting have been, and continue to be inaccessible to practice: cunningly obscured, and artfully complex. Any cutter can now improve and correct his acquirements, and properly apply his genius to the dictates of the Goddess of Fashion, who is the Nursery of Trade— the propagator of arts— and a field of great employment.

Having accomplished what others have in vain sought to do, viz. a complete knowledge of all the causes and effects produced upon Garments, and clearly elucidated them to every capacity, he drops the pen with good wishes towards those who have not been so industrious in the Field of Discovery, aud most respectfully submits the following pages

XVI PREFACE.

to th e candour of every Practical Cutter ; and as improvement in any Science is desirable, he doubts not that the Trade in general will know how to appreciate his labours.

JOHN JACKSON.

THE TAILOR'S DIRECTOR.

The principal object of this Anatomical Measure is to explain the cause of all the expensive Alterations in the Trade. It will clearly demonstrate the errors of all the preceding Authors, and show, by example, that their own calculations and geometrical rules, are very far from producing a system so as to fit the human figure, without being subject to doubtful variation.

True science will always produce cause and effect ; it ennobles the mind, and removes conjecture : when genuine effects are the consequence of natural or acquired rudiments, and proportionate systems are produced by efficient causes, and when the object is attainable by application, it will stand the test of criticism ; for the more it is tried, the greater its brilliancy.

The Trade are respectfully solicited to select a SHOUT STODT MAN : 01' n. tall thin man, as a standard for the operation of the Anatomical Measure. The lines may be made of tape or leather, or the measure can be correctly taken by using pipe clay, to mark the various points ; this admeasurement is to obtain a proper knowledge of the width, height, and shape of the man.

Description of the Anatomical Lines.

The lines round the breast and waist are the circumference ones ; place a line correctly round the neck, which is the neck line ; also one from the top of the back to the shoulder seam, and continued to the waist at front, or lay the measure straight across the back to the side of the neck or shoulder-seam, say 3 inches for the reputed standard, and 4 for a stout man. The space between them (across the breast lines) are the front proof lines ; figure one represents but one line, because it is not a full front, but both sides must be taken when the figure is full fronted, in order to obtain the correct space between them ; the one across the back opposite the elbow, is distinguished as the centre line; that from the back-seam, at the hollow of the waist, and round the front of the arm, to the centre of the back, at the centre line, and the same continued to the top of the back seam, are the hack proof lines ; from the bottom of the scye to the hip, is the length of the body ; from the top of the back-seam under the crotch, and up to the neck in front, is the position line; from the centre at the back-seam, to the bottom of the forepart scye, and the line across the bottom of the scye to the front are distinguished by the depth of scye lines.

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Illustration of the Anatomical Figure Measure,

Parts First and Second. — When the measure is laid at the back-seam to obtain the length to the elbow, take notice if the sleeve seam is in a line with the measure, or mark the centre of the back scye directly opposite the elbow; then measure the width of the back to suit the appearance of the shape, and take the length from the top of the back seam to the centre of the back scye, or make a mark on the back-seam at A, and take the length from the top to A, which will find a correct centre-line ; the width of this back is 6 inches, and 4i from the top, which is the reputed standard-height, independent of the width. — Another back may be 7 inches wide and 8i long, which would be the some height of neck, and proves that the width is independent of the height.

As the skin of the arms is connected with that across the back and shoulders, so is the back of the coat with the elbow ; as the skin is affbcted by the arms, so will the cloth be that covers the same parts. The length to the hollow of the waist at C is 17 inches, which is a variation. Some men are 5 feet 10 inches high, yet the waist is no longer than others who are onli/ 5 feet 3 inches high ; six men of equal length and width may vary in the shape. The erect position causes the breast to project in front, and the head and top of the back to be upright, and is the principal cause which produces the holloic waist. The extra hollow at the waist is caused by a small waist and large hips; if the skin which covers the back was made one inch too high from the centre line at A, it would be one inch too short at the hollow of the waist at C, and would cause the skin which covers the hips to be brought up one inch, and as the hips are larger than tlie waist it could not fit the hollow ; or if the back skin was brought down to its place, then it would be one inch too short between the waist and the centre line, the back would be one inch too short at the side-seam, and would cause the forepart skin to be one inch too low under the scye. The skin round the arm from the elbov/ to the bottom of the scye would be contracted, or it would bring the scye up to its place, which would move the hip, and cause the top of the side-seam to be one inch too high, and is the principal cause of the side-seam not fitting.

Part Fourth is a practical principle, and can be comprehended by any cutter. If the bottom of the scye is too loiv, it will contract the whole coat, for as the skin on the arm will compel the bottom of the scye to be brought up to its place, it will contract the length to the elbow, and as the elbow is connected with the back, it will contract the width across the shoulders, and would cause the skin at the fore -arm to appear as if it was too long.

Part Fifth proves that the fore-part shoulder-seam is a part of the width across the shoulders, and as it must hav^e a name, it ought to be distinguished

22 ^

by the width and not by the length of the shoulder-seam ; if this seam is too wide or too long, it will cause the skin which covers the front part of the body, to come down at the front, and hang oft' behind ; if the coat is fixed on the body as it ought to be, then the top of the back will be too large, or the neck string will be too small at the front, and too large behind, which causes the collar to set oft' at the top of the back, and destroys the shape at the front. Parts Sixth and Seventh, which are truly mechanical, and will clearly prove the proper height of neck, or what is technically distinguished by straight or crooked fore-parts, and is calculated for correcting the neck line, or illustrating the eftects connected with the height of neck, or explaining the consequences attending crooked or straight fore-parts. The fore-part gorge is the greater part of the neck line. The skin which covers the front of the shoulders is in union with the top part of the back, both in height and width ; if the front part or fore-part gorge is too low or too crooked, it cannot be in union with the back ; as the skin of the arm is connected with both back and front, it must bring the back up to its proper height ; and as the back is fixed to the front at the shoulders, it must cause the fore-part to move up with it, and bring the front of the neck or gorge up also ; if the neck line or gorge is cut the correct length round the neck, the front must be raised, because the gorge is too low or too crooked ; as the cloth cannot stand at the front with the collar on it, it must fall down, which, destroys the shape of the collar.

This is the eflfect of many systems or plans of cutting. If the neck line is too high, or too straight at the fore-part, and the correct lieight at the back, then the neck hne will be disorganized by the back and sleeve, which will combine to bring the fore-part loicer at the shoidder-seam, then the neck line will be too loio at the front ; the collar may improve this error, but apply the effect to the skin there is two inches of it taken off at the front of the neck ; if the length down the front to the waist must be twenty-two inches, the waist line must be two inches too low ; if the waist line is brought up to its place, then the skin across the hips must move up with it, as it would be affected, so will the cloth, which causes some coats to open behind. The neck line is now up at the front, but the skin is twisted between the hip and the front of the scye, which causes superfluous cloth at the front part of the arm-hole, and the back to appear as if the journeyman had held it on. The height of neck is the greatest mystery in the art of cutting ; one error at this point will destroy the union between the back and fore-part. The allusion made to the skin, which covers the neck and shoulders, must convey the ideas of the author, to the comprehension of every tailor who professes to be a cutter. The front proof lines are not to be considered as a practical principle in the common way of business, yet they are a certain guide for producing a correct fore-part for a corpulent man ; for example, the neck line may be correct, but the same system may not cause the cloth to fit the shape of the projection at the belly; apply them to the forepait as directed, then draw the line from the top of the shoulder at F to the projection at H, this will produce the front edge of the fore-part at the projection ; then the width across will correct and improve the side-seam. The front lines are invented to correct and improve every system of cutting, and qualify the trade to detect the errors of every author on and teacher of Cutting, by assigning efficient causes for the effect required ; for instance, suppose a learned anatomist gave a lecture to his young students on catting a subject's head oft', without injuring the shoulders, by cutting the body from the waist up to the neck, and allow the author to put the following questions to be answered by his well known experience : — • , >

First — Would you obtain the circumference^ of the neck, and if so, what part of it would make a correct mark for the side of the neck?

Answer. — Yes, and take the sixth of the circumference from the top of the spine to the side of the neck.

Second. — If the circumference of the waist or belly was larger than across the breast, would the line from the side of the neck to the waist, cause more or less to be cut oft* the breast \

AnsiDcr. — The size of the belly will aftect the quantity taken from the breast, a large belly will cause less to be taken oft", and a small waist will cause more to be taken oft* the breast ; the line will give the quantity.

Third. — If the subject was tall or short, would the length of neck aft*ect the quantity taken oft* the breast I

Answer. — The tall subject, with a long neck, will raise the line, which will bring it more forward on the breast, and will cause a smaller quantity to be taken off the breast than a short one of the same circumference.

Fourth. — If young students had a tall thin man for a subject, and they (through ignorance) marked the line down the front one inch more from the centre of the breast than the given space, what would be the effect on the shoulders 1

^nsicer. — It would cause two and a quarter inches to be cut off the shoulders.

Part Eighth is the back-seam and front edge of a coat.

Any cutter may see the effect of this line by fixing a tape measure at the top of the back, bring it under the crotch, and continue it up to the front, and fix it at the neck. This line is the correct length of the body ; if it is fixed on a man as directed, cause him to stand upright or erect, which will make the position line move down at the back and upwards at the front — cause him to stand forward or stooping, then the line will move down the front, and upwards at the back. If the back-eeam is seventeen inches long for both positions, the hip buttons will be lower on the upright shape, than on the stooping one. This part of the Anatomical Director produces genuine effects by efficient causes, and will demonstrate the various parts of the coat in unison with the height and width, and as the position line moves up or down, the same effect will be observed on the coat ; — for example, refer to the fourth part of the anatomical measure. The length from the back-seam at A to the bottom of the scye at D, and the width from the back-seam at B to the front of the scye at E, will be shorter and smaller by the erect position, and longer and wider by the stooping one, which proves that both shapes cannot be fitted by one pattern, although the circumference and length of the body may be the same. Again, as the centre line at A, and the hollow of the waist at C, vary according to the figure, so a true measure must be obtained of those points in order to form the back, and the principal parts of the coat. Again, the centre line at A, and the line opposite the bottom of the scye at B, will make the side-seam of the back longer for the erect position, and shorter for the stooping one, yet tlie back- seam is one length — if both backs were cut by one pattern, one of them would not fit at the hollow of the waist, because it might be too high for the erect one, and too low for the stooping one. As the position line aflfects both back and fore-part, it must be requisite to understand the connexion the one has with the other. The back proof lines are to prove that the fore-part shoulder seam is in unison with the back, both in height and width across the shoulders ; they are practically useful to obtain a correct knowledge whether the fore-part shoulder-seam be (what others term) too long or too short when applied to any system. Although my pupils are taught to use them for proving their practice, they are never applied to in the first instance to find the proper width of the shoulder-seam in coats.

Part JVlnth is the length of the body from the bottom of the scye to the hip, which is requisite for cutting the coat across the waist.

Part Tenth is the neck line which is technically distinguished by the gorge. As the coat is to go over the waistcoat, the measure round the neck ought to be taken over it. The neck line for top coats ought to be taken over the garments over which they are to be worn. The circumference must be allowed accordingly. This measure is variable according to tlie heiglit and v^^idth, which represents the fore-part gorge of a military coat, and proves the union between the back and forepart both in height and width.

Part Eleventh, the length of the sleeve, which is variable according to measure ; the length from the top of the inside sleeve (at the bottom of the scye) to the elbow, is connected with the back, which proves the inside sleeve to be an important part of the coat. — The erect position causes the breast to project, and the arms to be extended, which requires a longer fore-arm seam. Officers of the Army and Navy, and others exposed to manual exercise, require an additional length to the elbow, which will give a proportionate width across the shoulders. If the inside sleeve is too short, or too much hollowed, it will cause the outside to appear to be too long at the fore-arm top ; yet it may be a correct length : this measure is found by causing the arms to be extended ; then measure the top to the wrist. If the arm was bent in a square position, the length may be gained from the top to the elbow, and will be an ocular proof for illustrating the effect of hollowing the inside sleeve, but may be a doubtful principle for obtaining the correct length of the fore-arm seam. The position or crookedness of the fore-arm seam affects the top. If the sleeve is eight inches and a half wide, across the line at C, the bottom of the fore-arm seam ought to be the same, and the width ought to be made at the back arm-seam, for the width ought not to alter the shape of the fore-arm seam. The standard length is thirty-five inches, which ought to be a principle : — For example, suppose a man would have the left sleeve six inches shorter than the right one, and each wrist to be formed by the width at the top, which is eight and a half inches, the left sleeve would be one inch and a half more crooked than the right one, and would make the top appear as if it was too long, because the whole sleeve is twisted, which is too common with short stout men's sleeves.

The following directions are for any one to examine his own system, and if correctly and attentively applied, will show whether a coat is cut to fit the shape and position of his customer. When the measure is correctly obtained and plainly written in the order book, or on paper, then cut a coat, paper pattern, by any system most esteemed, and compare it by the following rules and lines upon the figures: place the back to the side-seam, and shoulder-seam of the fore-part, in a joined position ; mark the correct width of the breast and waist, allow for the seams ; apply the front proof line according to the measure : — suppose across the back three inches; to the breast circumference thu'teen ; to the waist twenty-two ; the space may be four ; if so, two on the breast line from the front. — Draw a line from the waist to the space mark, continue it to the top of the fore-part ; (refer to the plate) this is an anatomical process, and will clearly demonstrate the proper height of neck, or what is technically distinguished by straight or crooked fore-parts, which is the greatest mystery connected with the art of fitting the human shape. — This anatomical principle is not requisite to obtain a complete fit, but is an incontrovertible and practical hypothesis for qualifying the trade to be competent arbitrators of merit or de-merit, and will compel professed authors on cutting, to be more cautious of exposing their own inability. This valuable discovery is simplified to the comprehension of the greatest novice in the trade.

Suppose the person is corpulent at the belly or waist, the space will be less between the front proof lines ; or if he is tall, or long in the neck, it will be also less : — if the position is upright or erect, it will cause the breast to project, which must increase the proof space ; if it is stooping or round shouldered, it will decrease it, consequently the extra upright position must be loicer at the top of the fore-part gorge, than the stooping or round shouldered one. — This admeasurement must be a valuable acquisition, because it obtains tlie crooked, or straight fore-part, which is united witli the top of, the hack : — the fore-part gorge is a part of the line ao

round the neck. — As the back gorge is a part of the neck line, it is requisite to explain the necessity of obtaining the correct length of the back to be in union with the fore-part, as the whole fit of the coat depends on its being in its proper place. The centre line across the back, opposite the elbow, is to distinguish the height or le^igth, from the width; and as the back is that part of a coat which is generally, and very properly cut first, it becomes an important consequence to the Tailor, because his property and connexion can be improved or injured by the shears. Admitting the back pattern is seventeen inches to the hollow of the waist, yet it may be cut very incorrectly, because the part above the elbow belongs to the shoulders and the neck line.

The object of this Treatise is to explain what fart of the hack is connected with the height or length. — The common height above the centre line is four and a half inches ; the breast circumference might be fifty, yet the length or height above the centre line, may be four or five and a half. The breast circumference of another man might be thirty-two inches, yet the height may be four, or four and a half, or five, from the centre line — the length must be distinguished from the width.

31 On Admeasurement.

The Author considers it unnecessarf to waste time or paper, in attempting to prove the superior advantag-es which the inch measure has over the parchment one with notches. A correct square with inches is an acquisition. The cutter may mark the most part of the coat accurately without any measure. As square lines are required in correct cutting, they cannot be produced with precision, without a correct square. A division table of the breast circumference is matured by practical experience for the use of the Trade, any Tailor may make paper division measures, by applying to the said table, or may easily learn the requisite divisions by application.

Correct measuring is acknowledged by all the trade, to be the only means of insuring complete fitting. The position of the figure must be understood by the cutter. The round shoulder is a stooping position ; but the stooping or forward position may not be round shouldered. This position causes the back to be longer from the top to the centre line. The forward position may be hollow in the waist. Write in the order book, round shoulders or shoulders foricard, hollow waist.

The hollow waist is produced by upright or erect position. A tall figure, with small waist, and large hips is extra erect. Write in the order book extra erect.

S2

The Measure of the Dress Coat,

Sleeve from the back-seam - - 6^ 22 35 From the top of the back-seam to the

front of the waist _ _ _ 22

To the length required - - 23^

From the bottom of the scye to the hip 81