How to put on a coat

Purely as a matter of interest, the item of male clothing that has the maximum number of manufacturing operations done on it is the coat, twenty-seven separate operations (www. stitchworld. net).

The best way to put on a coat is to have an assistant standing behind you holding the coat at the level of your neck. He clasps both shoulders of the coat, one in each hand. Using his right hand, he opens up the front half of the right side, so that the armhole is clearly visible and positioned slightly below your right hand. After you slide your right arm fully into the right sleeve, he opens up the left half with the buttonhole slightly above your left arm, so that you have to reach upwards to slide your left arm into the sleeve. I will stop here, as all subsequent actions are the same as those carried out by you without an assistant.

When you have to put on your coat by yourself, the best method is to start by laying the coat on its back on a bed. With your left hand, hold the collar facing you (the right collar when worn) between your thumb and the other four fingers and slide your right arm into the sleeve, gathering the coat as you stand up. Bring your bunched left fist up to touch your right cheek, fold your right arm so that you can use the fingers on your right hand to replace the left. Now move your fist backwards towards the center of your neck. This will help you to locate the left armhole with your free left hand. Slide your left arm in.

The most widely used method is when you have just a coat and nothing else. Again, with your left hand, hold the collar facing you between your thumb and the other four fingers, but at the spot directly above the center of the armhole. The armhole should be visible to you at a fairly downward incline. Slide your right arm in fully and fold your right arm so that the fingers on your right hand replace the left. Now move your fist backwards towards the center of your neck. This will help you to locate the left armhole. Slide your left arm in.

Collect the coat by holding both sides of the upper portion of the collar in your fingers and making minor adjustments to ensure that the coat drapes absolutely straight and level. The collar should curve smoothly around the back of the neck while the lapels lie flat on the chest (www. throughtherye. com). Check this by using a mirror. If possible, check that the flaps of the vent are not pulled apart, showing the seat of your trousers (ibid). Adjust the waist of your trousers to ensure that the flaps fall as close to the vertical as possible. Now pull down your sleeves so that they hang naturally.
If you have a three-button coat, leave the lowest button open. In a two-button coat, leave both open. Check your lower pockets for symmetry and your upper pocket for flatness. You are now ready to step out into the free world.