When I was in grad school I had this big "ah-ha" moment. I didn't really understand how to draw a suit collar & lapel until I drafted and pad stitched one in the costume shop. Even looking at research, I didn't understand what I was seeing. There are so many details to consider that subtly change year by year.
This coming week, I am hosting Chloe Chapin, former costume designer and current American Studies PhD candidate, to come speak about all the considerations of fitting a suit, plus a little history of the suit to lay the groundwork for designing and rendering Edwardian menswear. Also, this year, for the first time, I'm teaching advanced design (for undergrads), and my colleague, Sarah Oliver, is teaching a tailoring class in the same term. Last week, her students built suit dickies in obviously patterned fabrics that are now on dress forms ready for observational drawing by my students. (We're being super COVID safe- students can also work from photos, or access the lab by sign up). Last week, Chloe helped me prioritize a "Tips for Drawing Menswear" document for the student to reference...something I'd wished I had when I was a student.