Two-Button Tailcoat with Notched Lapel, Cutaway Front, Chest Welt Pocket, Sleeve Vents & Center Back Vent
Introducing tailcoat pattern for the refined two-button tailcoat with sweeping cutaway front and dramatic back tails – Classic Formalwear with Contemporary Precision.
When To Wear
This tailcoat is designed for occasions where elegance and structure are essential:
- Formal Events: Ideal for weddings, evening receptions, and black-tie gatherings.
- Stage & Performance: Perfect for conductors, musicians, and performers wanting formal flair and dramatic movement.
- Ceremonial & Uniform Wear: Suitable for traditional dress codes, ceremonial attire, or costume tailoring.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Tailored body with defined waist and tails.
Front: Hook & Eye closure with two decorative buttons at the waist with sharply cut away front opening.
Lapels: Notched lapels with clean edge finishing and classic tailoring lines.
Chest Pocket: Welt chest pocket on the left front for traditional detailing.
Back: Side body seams with waist seam transitioning into long curved tails and finished with a center-back vent.
Sleeves: Full-length two-piece sleeves with sleeve vents.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. This garment requires experience in structured tailoring, precise seam alignment, interfacing techniques, and shaping curved cutaway fronts and tails.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose structured, stable woven fabrics that hold sharp seams and formal shaping:
- Wool suiting, melton, barathea, or cavalry twill
- Heavy gabardine, brocade, or velvet for evening use
Lining: Satin, viscose, or acetate for a refined interior finish
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- Shoulder pads and sleeve heads
- 2 buttons
- Hook & Eye
- Lining fabric
Cutter’s Must
From Main Fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Side - 2 pieces
- Tail – 2 pieces
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Chest Pocket Welt (marked on pattern as “Off-set Welt”) – 1 piece
- Upper Pocket Bag – 1 piece
From Lining Fabric:
For drafting the lining pattern pieces, use the following modifications:
- Back lining – use Back pattern, add a 2 cm ease pleat at center back, exclude vent extension, cut 2.
- Front lining - use Front pattern, exclude center front facing area, cut 2.
- Side Back lining – use Side Back pattern without any modifications, cut 2.
- Side – use Side pattern without any modifications, cut 2.
- Tail - use Tail pattern without any modifications, cut 2.
- Upper Sleeve - use Upper Sleeve pattern, exclude vent extension, cut 2.
- Lower Sleeve - use Lower Sleeve pattern, exclude vent extension, cut 2.
- Upper Pocket Bag – use Upper Pocket Bag pattern, cut 1.
- Shorten both body and sleeve lining by 2 cm at hem.
From Fusible Interfacing:
For drafting fusible interfacing patterns, use the following patterns without any modifications:
- Front – cut 2.
- Center Front Facing – cut 2.
- Collar – cut 2.
- Chest Pocket Welt – cut 1.
Important Information
Before cutting your fabric:
- Print and lay out pattern pieces to determine yardage.
- Check mirrored pieces, notches, and grainlines.
- For patterned fabrics, align carefully for symmetry.
Assembly Instructions
Preparation
- Fuse interfacing to all designated pieces: collar, facings, fronts, pocket welt.
- Apply a 1 cm-wide strip of fusible stay tape along the roll line of each lapel.
- Mark all notches, dart points, and vent lines clearly.
Back Assembly
- Stitch the center back seam down to the top of the vent. Press seam allowances open.
- Construct the vent: press each vent extension to the wrong side, finish edges, and overlap according to markings. Baste temporarily.
- Sew back side seams, press allowances open.
Front Assembly
- Stitch darts on the front panels, pressing intake toward the center front.
- Sew sides to front parts, press allowances open.
- Construct the welt pocket:
- Fold the Welt lengthwise right sides together and stitch across the short ends. Turn right side out and press.
- Pin the Welt (turned downward) to the garment front along the marked placement line.
- Place the pocket bag of lining fabric over the Welt, then pin the pocket bag of main fabric turned upward above it. Stitch 5 mm on either side of the marked line.
- Slash the opening between the stitching lines, clipping diagonally into the corners. Turn the pocket bags to the inside.
- Secure the free edge of the Welt to the pocket bag with zigzag stitches.
- Align both pocket bags and stitch around the contour.
- From the right side, secure the Welt ends to the garment.
Main Body Assembly
- Join fronts to backs at shoulder seams, press allowances open.
- Sew side seams, press allowances open.
- Attach tails to the back. Press all seams open and shape the tails carefully with steam.
Facings
- Place center front facings right sides together with jacket fronts. Stitch along the lapel and front edges up to the hem.
- Trim and grade seam allowances, clip into corners, and understitch along the closure edge where possible.
- Turn facings to the inside, roll edges slightly, and press.
Collars
- Pair upper and lower collar right sides together. Stitch along outer edges, clip corners, and turn right side out. Press.
- Attach lower collar to the neckline of the jacket body.
- Attach upper collar to the neckline of the facings.
- Join collars at the neckline seam, grade seam allowances, and press.
- Turn collar into place, roll the lapels, and topstitch close to edges for a crisp tailored finish.
Sleeves & Vents
- Construct sleeve vents: press vent facings under and stitch neatly.
- Join sleeve seams, leaving vents free. Press seams open.
- Turn up sleeve hem allowances and press.
- Insert sleeves into armholes, easing caps smoothly between notches.
- Attach shoulder pads and sleeve heads.
Lining
- Sew lining seams: center back, side back, and side seams. Insert lining sleeves. Leave an opening in the underarm seam of one sleeve for turning.
- Attach lining to sleeve vents: press lining edges under and slipstitch or machine stitch to vent facings, leaving ease pleats at hem.
- Attach lining to center back vent and tails: press lining vent seam allowances, sew to vent facings, and overlap lining at the vent exactly as on the shell. Tack lining to vent allowances at top to prevent twisting.
- Sew lining to front facings and along back neckline.
- Sew lining to jacket hem and sleeve hems.
- Turn jacket right side out through sleeve opening. Close opening by hand or machine.
Closure
- Attach an invisible hook-and-eye (or inside button + loop) at the waistline inside the front overlap.
- Sew decorative front buttons through the outer layer only (no buttonholes).
Finishing
- Shape lapels and collar with steam for a tailored roll.
- Press all seams, hems, and edges for a sharp finish.
- Tack lining discreetly at shoulder seams and underarm points for stability.
