McCall's 6246 (Modified) | The Cropped Trench!

So, I was peacefully going about my life... just doing regular internet stuff.  You know how those ads follow you around from one webpage to the next?  Well, I had been looking at something on Farfetch.com, and along with that item they showed me this marvelous cropped trench!

Ralph Lauren Cropped Trench Coat, $2441.31 - Farfetch.com

Cute, right?  I was literally giving no damns about a cropped trench jacket.  And out of the blue, I saw this one too:

Michael Kors Collection, $1215 - Stylebop.com

Now, what is the likelihood that I would see TWO similar items that I wasn't even thinking about in the same day?  Internet web searching algorithms obviously.  But for the sake of fun, I'm going to call it sewing kismet!

So, I had to make one.  And why not, it's spring and I am currently wardrobe filling.  And I'm sort of having a "spring jacket moment" currently.  I had a gap in my wardrobe and didn't have any lightweight jackets.  I've never been a cardigan type of girl.  I use to simple rely on my denim jacket or my leather bomber, but I wanted different options.  I knew that I had a cropped trench jacket pattern in my collection.  And my search lead me to out-of-print McCall's 6246 from 2010.  But it was going to need slight adjustments to achieve something like I wanted.

I'd had this tan outerwear fabric in my stash for some years.  It's some kind of waxed cotton that is supposedly waterproof.  I remembered that's why I bought it from Hancock Fabrics years ago.  I only had 2 yards,  I think that was all that was left on the bolt, so I had to be very selective as to how I was going to use it.  I cut the size 14 of view A.  I first changed out the sleeves.  I'm not a fan of one-piece sleeves in jackets.  And I didn't want a jacket with puffy shoulders either.  So I replaced it with traditional tailored two-piece sleeves.  

I added epaulets.  That's one of the details that I feel, make a trench a "trench". 

I also added a buttonhole and button to the front yoke.  

And I also added an extra large hook and eye like ready-to-wear trench coats have.

My fabric is so lightweight weight that I had to add extra interfacing.  I interface the entire front and both the under and upper collar pieces.

I used the back yoke piece to create a back stay for the jacket.

My lining is a cute beige and white polka dot I found at Joanns.

The main thing about making a trench coat is finding enough of the same buttons.  I lucked up and found all of mine in a single shopping trip.  They're 7/8" tortoise buttons and I used 9 in the making of this jacket.  The only detail that I wished I had included were sleeve tabs.  But I literally used every possible of inch of my 2 yards of fabric.  I plan to make a full-length trench for fall and I'm going to use every possible trench detail in it.

Styling tip:  Since my trench jacket is classic tan, I decided to add color:  I wore one of my favorite red striped shirts, which is New Look 6735.  My Birkin Flares, blue bandana knecktie and red open-toe pumps.