Chapter 1: Jacket Classes

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Jacket Classes — Bomber, Blazer, Tunic, Frock, Trench (Lapels, Facings, Vents)

Jackets are the chassis that carry character status, faction rhetoric, and motion language. For costume concept artists, choosing the right class—bomber, blazer, tunic jacket, frock coat, or trench—sets expectations for lapel behavior, facing engineering, and vent logic long before materials and trims enter the conversation. This article frames each class through readable silhouettes and the engineering of lapels, facings, and vents so your concepts thumbnail clearly and your handoffs map directly to pattern and sim.

Jacket Anatomy That Drives Reads

Lapel: The folded extension of the front that exposes the facing. Peak lapels point upward with authority; notch lapels imply versatility and modernity; shawl lapels signal ceremony or softness. Lapel roll line, gorge height, and canvas stiffness determine how the V opens during motion.

Facing: The inside extension that stabilizes the front edge and lapel. Self facings are cut from the same fabric; contrast facings broadcast luxury or faction rank. Facings carry pockets, label patches, and button supports; their width and interfacing weight decide whether the front edge remains crisp or collapses.

Vent: A controlled slit that lets the back or side panels expand. Single vents break center back; double vents break at the side backs; no vent forces the hem to ride with the hips but reads sleek. Vent length and placement dictate how jackets behave in sprint, mount/dismount, and seated poses.

Support Layers: Canvas, haircloth, fusibles, shoulder pads, sleeve heads. These invisible architectures fix lapel roll, stabilize armholes, and prevent hem collapse—critical for consistent camera reads.

Class 1: Bomber Jacket — Rib, Ring, and Radius

Silhouette & Read: Short, blouson body with rib-knit collar, cuffs, and hem. The rib trim creates three rings that trap volume and produce rhythmic billow at speed. Bombers read youthful, utilitarian, and agile.

Lapel/Facing: Typically no lapel; a straight zip or snap front with minimal facing. The facing is narrow but must anchor the zipper tape; specify fusible along the zip to prevent waving. In variants with shearling collars, a small roll is introduced—treat that as a pseudo-lapel and call out a soft facing.

Vents: None; the hem rib is the expansion device. For seated or mount poses, the rib permits ride-up without creasing. Avoid back vents; they fight the rib logic.

Concepting Notes: Emphasize circular read: collar rib, cuff rib, hem rib. Use contrast knits to telegraph faction or rank. Show zipper guard and chin tab in close-ups to solve wind flap behavior.

Production Notes: Call out knit recovery percentage, hem rib height, and zipper gauge. Add zip garage at top for neck comfort. If leather, note weight (oz) and whether the facing is leather or cotton drill for bulk control.

Class 2: Blazer — Lapel Discipline and Vent Rhetoric

Silhouette & Read: Hip-length, tailored torso with structured shoulders. Reads leadership, education, or formal civility. Works across eras with small adjustments to gorge height and lapel width.

Lapel/Facing: Notch lapel is default; peak lapel elevates rank; shawl is for evening or ceremonial. The facing is broad and carries the roll; specify canvas (full, half, or fused) and roll line length. A longer roll subtly softens the chest, while a short roll keeps a sharp V.

Vents: Single vent for American sportiness and seated comfort; double vents for equestrian and blade-wearing silhouettes—keeps fronts down when the back opens around the hips. No-vent blazers read minimalist but restrict stride.

Concepting Notes: Decide the rhetoric: academic (soft shoulder, patch pockets), officer (peak lapel, brass buttons, double vent), corporate (notch, single vent, narrow lapel). Sketch the lapel roll as a single S-curve; keep button stance consistent across views.

Production Notes: Specify canvas type, shoulder pad thickness, sleeve head wadding, and vent length. Call out pick-stitching for micro-contrast. Indicate button stance (two vs three), overlap, and lapel width at notch.

Class 3: Tunic Jacket — Panel Logic and Collar Authority

Silhouette & Read: Thigh-length, front that may be closed to the throat with stand/mandarin collars; reads disciplined, martial, or ceremonial depending on trims. Often paired with belts, sashes, or frogs.

Lapel/Facing: Usually no outward lapel; the facing hides beneath a clean edge or fly front. The facing must be generous to stabilize a long center front and support hooks, hidden snaps, or concealed zips. Shawl variants exist in dress contexts—then the lapel is shallow and continuous.

Vents: Side vents or deep center-back vents are common to preserve stride with long skirts or tassets. On officer’s tunics, double vents pair with belt gear to prevent hem torque.

Concepting Notes: Treat the collar as a rank badge: high stand for authority, shorter band for agility. Use vertical panel seams and chest pleats to add ROM without breaking the clean front. Align vent positions with belts and weapon hang points.

Production Notes: Define stand height, collar canvas/fusible, closure type (hook bars, hidden snaps, zip), and vent lengths. If the tunic layers under a cuirass, set a hem clearance and specify facing weight to resist plate abrasion.

Class 4: Frock Coat — Skirted Architecture and Roll Drama

Silhouette & Read: Waist-seamed body with flared skirts to mid-thigh, knee, or calf. Conveys authority, romance, or period gravitas. Shoulder shape and waist suppression control the hero line.

Lapel/Facing: Wide notch or peak lapels with pronounced roll; some historical frocks use a standing collar with narrow lapel. Facings are extensive, often extending into the skirt fronts; canvas and haircloth determine roll power. A softer chest creates sweeping drape; a hard chest reads military.

Vents: Traditionally a center-back vent or full split from waist seam; side-back vents help riding and sword draw. Vent depth defines cadence of skirt panels in motion.

Concepting Notes: Think in panels: side‑back seams, waist seam, and gores/godets. Emphasize the waist pinch and skirt flare as separate read lines. Use braid at edges for camera-friendly outlines.

Production Notes: Call out waist seam placement, skirt panel count, vent depths, and interfacing map (canvas through chest, lighter fusible down lapel). If bias-cut gores are used, warn sim of stretch behavior.

Class 5: Trench Coat — Weather Shell and Utility Grammar

Silhouette & Read: Long, belted coat with storm flaps, throat latch, and raglan or set-in sleeves. Reads intelligence, espionage, or officer utility; functions as weather armor.

Lapel/Facing: Generous notch or storm lapels that can button to the throat. Facings must carry large buttons and support the throat latch; use stout fusible to avoid flap flutter. A convertible collar (collar plus stand) is common; specify roll when worn open vs latched.

Vents: Deep center-back vent for stride; sometimes buttoned to control spread in wind. In raglan versions, back cape (storm flap) acts as a pseudo-vent for upper-body ROM and water shedding.

Concepting Notes: Use asymmetry—gun flap, D-rings, belt hardware—to break monotony. Ensure lapel logic works both open (hero silhouette) and closed (weather shield). Show belt keeper loops and vent buttons in callouts.

Production Notes: Define fabric (gabardine, coated canvas), interlining for weather stiffness, vent depth, cape dimensions, and throat latch hardware. For raglan, indicate shoulder seam path; for set-in, call out sleeve head support to keep lapel line stable.

Lapel Engineering: Roll Lines, Gorge, and Canvas

Lapel roll is where concept rhetoric meets production physics. A roll that stops too low exposes too much chest and reads casual; too high and the jacket chokes in action. For blazers and frocks, specify roll line distance from the collar break and the canvas build (full vs half). For trenches, define a secondary roll when buttoned to the throat. In shawl contexts, note the width at the belly and whether the edge is piped or faced—piping adds a crisp highlight for camera distance.

Facing Strategy: Width, Weight, and Pocket Integration

Facings are quiet but decisive. Broad facings stabilize long edges and support internal pockets; narrow facings save weight in bombers and tunics. Map interfacing weights: heavier at button areas and lapel tips; lighter toward hem for natural swing. If you plan contrast facings for faction color pops, ensure the lapel roll reveals just enough at idle.

Vent Logic: Motion, Seat, and Weapon Draw

Vents serve motion beats. Single vents open center back when seated—great for horsemen and officers. Double vents allow coat fronts to stay vertical while the back skirts ride around hips; they also clear sword hilts. No-vent fronts cling for sleek reads but demand stretch or shorter lengths. Set vent depth by action: walking (short), sprinting/mounting (long). Add stay buttons if the vent must close in wind.

Camera-Distance Reads and ROM

At game distances, a jacket read is lapel line + hem cadence + vent behavior. Peak lapels spike silhouettes; shawls paint a continuous halo. Vents create a predictable flicker at gait. Bombers rely on rib rings; trenches on flapping flaps and belt tails; frocks on skirt panel rhythm. Anchor micro-speculars on lapel edges and vent seams for clarity in motion blur.

Genre & Period Dialects

Military: Peak or stand collars, double vents or deep center vent, stiff facings, brass or enamel buttons.

Academia/Corporate: Notch lapels, single vents, subdued facings, lighter canvas.

Frontier/Utility: Bomber/trench hybrids with patch pockets, snaps, and storm flaps; minimal facing bulk.

Court/Ceremonial: Frock with lavish facings, braid, and full skirts; shawl lapels for formal grace.

Sci‑Fi/Techwear: Bonded facings, hidden fastening, laser-cut vents; lapels may be sculpted panels rather than folds.

Paintover Tactics for Concepting

  1. Choose class first, then place lapel line or collar edge with a single confident S-curve. 2) Block facing width as a shadow band; it guides pocket and button placement. 3) Decide vent scheme early—single, double, none—and echo it in the hem shape. 4) Reserve one motion motif (rib rings, vent flicker, skirt rhythm, belt tails). 5) In action frames, show open vs closed states for trenches and blazers; for tunics, show belted vs unbelted.

Production Handoff

Include: jacket class; lapel type and width; roll line position; canvas/fusible map; facing width and material; closure (button stance/zip gauge); vent count, placement, depth, and any stay buttons; shoulder structure (pad thickness, sleeve head); lining and back pleat (if any); pocket types and positions; hem length; and intended ROM scenarios (walk, sprint, mount, aim, sit). Provide material ID maps separating shell, facing, canvas proxy, lining, knit, hardware, and thread.

Failure Modes and Fixes

Lapel collapse in action: Increase canvas at chest, shorten roll, or add stay tape along edge. Wavy zipper/bomber front: Add fusible along zipper tape and define box-stitch at ends. Vent splits too wide when running: Reduce depth or add stay button. Frock skirt limp: Add gores or interlining; increase hem weight. Trench flaps chatter: Increase interfacing or anchor with hidden snaps. Tunic hem fights belt: Convert to double vents or add shallow side slits aligned to holster points.

Quick Handoff Checklist

State jacket class and purpose; define lapel type/roll and facing width; map canvas/fusible; pick vent scheme with depth; specify closure and button stance; set shoulder structure; set hem and skirt lengths; align with belts/armor; include ROM sheet showing lapel behavior open/closed and vent action. With lapels, facings, and vents designed as a system, your jackets will read crisply at thumbnail and behave reliably in production.