Men's Evening Waistcoat with Satin Collar

Men's Tailcoat Vest with Flat Collar, Decorative Welts & Adjustable Back Strap with Buckle

A men's evening waistcoat with a deep, low V-neck edged by a flat collar, a three-button front with pointed hem and two decorative welts. The back is cut from lining fabric and has an adjustable strap with a buckle.

When To Wear

• Under a tailcoat for white-tie events, concerts and ceremonies.
• Under a dinner jacket or on its own with evening trousers at weddings and receptions.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Close fitting, shaped by waist darts in the fronts and in the back.

Length: Short, the fronts ending in points just below the waist.

Collar: Flat collar in two halves, each of an upper and an under collar, running from the shoulder seams along the V-neck and ending in a point above the top button; it is set between the front and the facing.

Closure: Three buttons, buttonholes on the left front; separate front facings.

Pockets: Two decorative single welts on the lower fronts, with no pocket bags; the welt ends are topstitched.

Back: Cut from lining fabric, with a centre back seam and darts; a strap from each dart joins at the centre back with a buckle. Small notch at the centre back hem.

Finishing: Fusible interfacing on the fronts, facings, all four collar pieces and the welts; neckline and armholes staystitched.

Lining: Fully lined, with darts in the front and back lining; neckline, hem and armholes are stitched in one pass and the waistcoat is turned through an opening in the centre back seam of the lining.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. A collar enclosed between front and facing, decorative welts and a bagged lining.

Fabric Recommendations

Wool suiting, barathea or cotton piqué for the fronts and collar; lining fabric for the back, straps and lining.

Additional Supplies

• Lining fabric
• Fusible interfacing
• 3 buttons
• Buckle for the back strap

Cutter’s Must

From Main Fabric:

• Front – 2 pieces
• Collar – 4 pieces
• Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
• Pocket Welt (marked on pattern as “Off-set Welt) – 2 pieces

From Lining Fabric:

• Back – 4 pieces
• Back Tie (marked on pattern as “Strap”) - 2 pieces

For drafting the Front lining, use Front pattern piece excluding center front facing area. Cut 2 pieces.

From Fusible Interfacing:

For drafting fusible interfacing patterns, use the following patterns without any modifications:

1. Front – cut 2.
2. Center Front Facing – cut 2.
3. Collar – cut 4.
4. Pocket Welt – cut 2.

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

• Apply fusible interfacing to Fronts, all four Collars (main fabric), Center Front Facings, Pockets Welts.
• Transfer all markings to fabric: dart placement, welt position, buttonholes, collar notches, and waist tie (back tie) points.
• Staystitch neckline and armholes to prevent stretching.

Darts & Front Shaping

• Sew waist darts on each front panel.
• Press darts toward the center front.

Faux Welt Pockets (Decorative)

1. Fold welt lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press — folded edge is the visible “welt edge.”

2. Finish the Welt Ends (Before Attaching)

• Open the welt again (right sides together).
• Stitch the short ends (welt sides) along the seam allowance.
• Trim corners, turn the welt right side out, and press — now you have a clean welt with finished ends and one raw long edge.

3. Attach Welt to Front

• Place the welt on the front bodice right side up, with:
  • Raw long edge aligned with the marked welt placement line
  • Folded edge pointing down
• Stitch along the raw long edge to secure it to the front.

4. Turn & Finalize

• Flip the welt downward over the seam so the folded edge faces upward.
• Press.
• Topstitch both short sides to secure the welt neatly and permanently.

Center Front Facing

Prepare Center Front Facings:

• With right sides together, sew center front facings to fronts along center front edge only.
• Clip, grade, and understitch where possible — but leave neckline unstitched and open.
• Turn facings to inside, press front edges.

Collar Assembly & Insertion

• Sew upper collar and lower collars right sides together along outer edges. Trim, clip, turn, and press.
• Position the collar between the front bodice and the front facing.
• Stitch through all three layers only along the neckline (do not stitch into the shoulder seam area).
• Grade seam allowances, clip curves, and turn facings inward — collar edge is neatly enclosed along the front.
• Leave collar raw edge extending into shoulder seams — it will be secured when shoulder seams are stitched.

Back Assembly

• Prepare Back Tie (Strap): sew, turn, press, attach buckle. Baste tie ends into the back darts
• Sew back darts.
• Stitch center back seam. Press seam open.

Side Seams & Shoulder Seams

• With right sides together, sew shoulder seams. Press open.
• Join front and back parts at side seams. Press seams open.

Lining Assembly & Armhole Finishing

• Stitch center back seam leaving a 20 cm opening. Press seam open.
• Sew darts on front and back lining pieces. Press toward center.
• Attach front lining to the outer edge of front facing.
• Join front lining to back lining at shoulder and side seams.
• With right sides together, match lining to waistcoat body at neck, hem and armholes.
• Stitch around these edges.
• Trim, clip curves, turn waistcoat right side out through opening in the center back seam.
• Press edges neatly.
• Press armholes flat.
• Stitch center back opening.

Finishing

• Make 3 buttonholes on left front.
• Attach matching buttons to right front.
• Thread back strap through buckle and adjust fit.
• Give final press: emphasize lapel roll, collar shape, welt edges, and hem.