This project took a very long time, but it was very worth it! I made a mock-up on July 17th, 2022 and then started the real pair on the 23rd. I finished the Steeches on August 9th! It was a really time-consuming process and I had to work on them every single day, so I was slightly burnt out by the end, but the breeches are only one-third of a three piece suit, so there is a lot more to come...
Before sewing, I did a LOT of research, both for historical stuff and for construction. Fortunately there is a kind and helpful historical sewing community on the internet. I found "Pattern Cutting for Men's Costume" at my local library, which sort of became my bible for the summer. That book has EVERYTHING. I used it for the drafting of my breeches, waistcoat, and coat, although I had to make a lot of adjustments to the patterns because I'm much much shorter and smaller than your average grown man.
Because this was a Stede cosplay and not an earnest attempt at 100% legit historical accuracy, I was able to take a lot of liberties and simplify some things (there aren't any pockets on the Steeches, for example) but I really wanted to be as true to all the extant breeches I'd seen as possible. Some historical inaccuracies were there because that's what's on the TV show. I'll go into more detail on my other posts, but I had to sort of pick and choose which Stede outfit bits I'd use and where I'd change it to make it "more accurate" OR, in the case of the coat, change it so that it's something that a human being can wear on their body.
The outfit I wanted to re-create for my cosplay was the "getting arrested" look from the very end of episode 8. I chose it because I like it and because I wanted to make Stede's Signature Teal Lewk but with the more historically accurate (and easier to sew) waistcoat that he wears later.