Carol Alayne

So, why are we always talking about the weather!  I’m not one for making rash statements, but I’m willing to stick my neck out and predict that over the next few months the weather everywhere is going to be unpredictable. So the question of what to wear if, like me, you have an active outdoor and indoor life, starts to get tedious. A coat or not? A warm jacket? Will it rain? It’s sunny but it’s cold and windy… How to minimise having to shed layers every time you arrive in a building or jump in the car?

It’s a dilemma I’ve been pondering for some years and I’ve recently realised that our changing weather patterns are making it worse. So I got to work.

Thanks to my experience in the tailoring of country pursuits garments I was already aware of the extremely practical nature of the gilet – a sleeveless jacket often seen worn by ‘county women’ everywhere. Practical yes, but fashionable – very questionable.

Yet why not, I thought? Why not take the perfect answer to unpredictable weather and transform it into something that will look striking in almost any indoor or outdoor situation, without losing its practicality?

Introducing TfW’s Limited Edition Gilet. An all-season, comfortable, light, multi-use, warm, feminine garment which will eliminate cumbersome multi-weather dress problems for good. The gilet is sleeveless, which means freedom of movement. It can be worn over a business suit or under a topcoat. And its two-way zip enables you to adjust the front closure to suit almost any circumstances, whether driving or walking, sitting in a train or cycling indeed.

But crucially, I’ve hand-crafted the TfW Gilet to look good anywhere – at work, evenings out, walking the dog, shopping… There’s a selection of classic William Morris cotton print linings …

The garment is made from boiled wool, a fabric shrunk during manufacture so that it will retain its posture whatever the circumstances for the life of the garment.

And something else I learned from my country pursuits experience – handbags can be bad news when coping with windy or rainy conditions. So the TfW Gilet contains carefully crafted, fully lined pockets – for coins, mobile, travel documents, spectacles. And two secure internal zip pockets for credit cards, passes, etc.

An entirely original limited edition – but with unlimited style.

All photos: Keith Hern

We believe your hand-crafted TfW Limited Edition Gilet will not only prove the most convenient all-weather garment you have ever bought, but will ensure you stand out from the crowd on all occasions, indoor or outdoor. Here are some of its features:

Hand-crafted from boiled wool to retain its posture whatever the circumstances – A classic William Morris print lining for a touch of elegance – Sleeveless, comfortable, light – multi-use, all-weather, indoors and out – Can be worn over a business suit or under a topcoat – Suitable for walking, driving, cycling, travelling - Fully lined pockets for coins, mobile phone, travel documents, spectacles, including two secure internal zip pockets.

HOW TO ORDER

The TfW Limited Edition Gilet costs £420 (including VAT and postage to anywhere in the UK). For orders elsewhere in the world, please contact us first – email address below. Payment should be in £ sterling (GBP).Your garment will be specially personalised with a hand sewn name tag. Be sure you indicate the name you wish to use as identifier on the order form.

Send your details:by email to: contact@tailoringforwomen.com
(If contacting us by email, we will advise of alternative payment methods.)
or by post to: Tailoring for Women Ltd, 61 The Exchange Building, 132 Commercial Street, London E1 6NQ, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 (0)7950 401881

If contacting us by letter, please enclose a sterling cheque made out to: Tailoring for Women Ltd.

You will receive the hand-crafted TfW Limited Edition Gilet approximately 2 weeks after payment is received.

Please give us the following information:

1. Name
2. Full postal address
3. Telephone number(s)
4. Email address (if available)
5. The name as it should be sewn into the name tag
6. Measurements (see below for advice):-

• Height (inches or cms – please state which!)
• Bust (inches or cms)
• Waist (inches or cms)
• Hip (inches or cms)

For measurement advice, click on the image to enlarge:

How many garments do you require? If ordering for more than one person, please be sure to include measurements and name tag details for each recipient. Let us know also if you require the garment(s) to be sent directly to other recipients – names and addresses.