I’ve already shared the finished ensemble in the article Doll Tailcoat and Gold Waistcoat: A Tuxedo Ensemble in Detail. But now that the process photos have surfaced, we can step back for a moment and see what was happening on the workbench before the final photoshoot.
Here, nothing is fully buttoned up, and not every detail is in place yet. Instead, we get a glimpse of what usually stays behind the camera: cut pattern pieces, fittings, and individual steps in making the shirt, tailcoat, and waistcoat.
The Shirt Begins with the Details
The work-in-progress photos show white fabric, and front shirt panels featuring narrow parallel pleats. Pins rest nearby on a cushion, the work is still underway, and these separate pieces have several stages to go before becoming a completed garment.
These are exactly the kinds of details I love capturing in photos. In the finished look, the shirt is partially covered by other layers, but here you can appreciate it on its own, from the precise front pleats to the fitting on the doll.
Tailcoat Fitting
Next comes the tailcoat. In some frames, it’s shown from the front; in others, from the side and back. You can clearly see the long tails, the lapel line, and how the garment drapes over the figure. In several shots, it is already being fitted over the pleated white shirt.
These are candid progress shots rather than formal portraits. The doll stands surrounded by tools and materials, yet this is precisely where you see individual pieces starting to form a cohesive ensemble. The white pleated shirt front remains visible between the dark lapels of the tailcoat.
The Gold Waistcoat — From Both Sides
We also have separate photos of the gold waistcoat fitting. From the front, it features a rich patterned fabric, a deep neckline, and sharply angled hem points. Shown here without the shirt or coat, its shape is completely unobscured.
From the back, it’s a completely different story: dark fabric paired with a subtle cinch strap and miniature buckle. This part is hidden by the tailcoat in the final look, but on the workbench, you can examine it up close. I really enjoy this contrast between the ornate gold front and the understated back.
To the Final Shots
The first article showed the result. This one captures the steps that made it happen: the shirt in separate pattern pieces, the tailcoat mid-fitting, and the waistcoat on its own.
I’m glad these photos turned up. They preserved not just the look of the garments, but the process itself, that moment when the finished ensemble doesn’t exist yet, but is gradually coming together on the atelier table.