Breast 48 and waist 50 can be fitted by enlarging the square from 1 to 1¼ in.—1 in. often yields excellent results. But by enlarging the square for any purpose, we ought to consider this: If we enlarge the square 1 in., point 13½, as on a sack, and on line 9 in front will sink down ¼ of the 1 in., which will make the back that much shorter on line 11¼. This is very little, but it ought to be known to the cutter that a short back is always better for a large waisted form than a long back. (See Dia. [X].) Bear in mind that an under coat for a large waisted form is about the same thing as an overcoat that fits the normal form.
There is always a class of men found who complain that they seldom have a coat large enough in the armholes, unless the coat is too large all over. Such persons are usually well filled up at the side of waist and hips, and require their coats large there, and if this is not done, the sewed up back cannot give, and consequently the coat must give in front, and the whole of it is drawn backward, taking the armhole with it, and striking the front of the arm, while the back of the armhole shows too much cloth. A coat which swings loose at the back and around the side of the waist will never cut the front of the arm; it may be small all around the armhole, but it will only feel close and will not saw on one spot only.
Stooping Forms.
(SEE DIA. [IX].)
Stooping forms have so many variations that it is impossible to describe them all. The term “stooping” is generally applied to persons with prominent shoulder blades. We find them combined with long and short necks, large and small waists, hollow or flat in the back and front of the waist, and arms thrown backward or forward. All of these conditions must be observed and separately calculated, and a cutter will be kept constantly busy and on the watch. It is only where a cutter is thoroughly acquainted with the workings of this system of bases that he will be able to fit all forms as near as he is expected to do. All kinds of measures have been devised, and all sorts of imaginary bases have been adopted to fit the forms of a man; but where one cutter succeeds with a certain appliance, others utterly fail. The fact is, even if all measures should give the correct amount, the body itself could not be fitted except on a few specified points, and all defects should be covered up in place of imitating them. To fit the stooping form in all its details would result in a misfit from the start, particularly when the back of the waist is very hollow.
If we take a coat that fits a normal form, and put it on a stooping form of the same size, and button it under the chin, the neck will fit, but will stick out behind at the waist and spread apart in front. A reasonable way of altering it is to reduce the back seam of the side piece from the blade down, which will produce more curve over the blade and give more length to the back; and what is taken off behind at the waist is allowed in front. It is generally taken for granted that a stooping form requires his armholes more forward, but this is not always the case, for some of them throw their arms backward; and we find the contrary in a great many erect forms, who throw their arms forward—all of which the cutter must observe.