A compilation of the Esquire/ AA illustrations 1934-42 L. Fellows

[Rabbit]

This is a compilation of the widely available scans of the Esquire and Apparel Arts illustrations. I thought it might be useful to have whatever we managed to find of them in one place.

Apparel Arts started in 1931, Esquire in 1933. The drawings posted here, most of which you will have seen someplace or other, are unsorted and, unless specified in the file name, undated. The file size is unchanged from where I found them. The drawings are mostly from the mid and late 1930s, and a few dating from WWII.


I'm not going to comment the individual illustrations as they have been covered here and there before, but if there is anything you'd like to know or discuss, I encourage you to post your questions. I'll do my best to answer them.


A few words on how these drawings came about

The content of these images, having been discussed over and over again on various boards, is well known. Their origin, however, is not self-evident and deserves to be mentioned here.
The combinations that you see in these drawings are not inventions of Laurence Fellows and escorts, designed to target retailers and customers. Rather, everything here depicts what the fashion observers in metropoles and resorts all over the globe witnessed as the latest quirks of the upper class. We therefore see what was actually worn, and not what the fashion industry might think one should wear. Of course, the drawings depict the clothing preferences of only a tiny percentage of the population - of those who had both the means and the inclination to develop their taste in clothes to such degree. Today's equivalent of this part of the population still has the means, but apparently not the inclination to follow the footsteps of their antecessors, which is why we still come back to these magazines...

In this spirit, enjoy.

Edit:
As Flo suggested, it's only fair that I should reference the sources of these images. Thank you for the reminder, Flo.

The vast majority comes from this blog:

Will Boehlke's A Suitable Wardrobe Blog:
http://asuitablewardrobe.blogspot.de/

A lot of images are from the London Lounge forum, which is a bit tricky to get access to, for reasons unknown to me. I saved the files from there several years ago.

More images are from these sources:

Simon Crompton's Permanent Style Blog:
http://www.permanentstyle.co.uk/

Sven Raphael Schneider's Gentleman's Gazette:
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/

My apologies if I have neglected any sources. I've collected these images over a longer period of time and unfortunately cannot recall all the sources I've used.


This series consists of about 380 images.

 

[herringbonekid]

Rather, everything here depicts what the fashion observers in metropoles and resorts all over the globe witnessed as the latest quirks of the upper class. We therefore see what was actually worn, and not what the fashion industry might think one should wear.

by 'fashion observers' do you mean the actual illustrators such as Fellows ? or was there another group of people who collected the info and described it to the illustrators ?
i wonder whether they took photos or made on the spot sketches ?

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, it was the illustrators themselves, Fellows among others, who visited the resorts, took sketches in the field, as it were, and subsequently did the complete drawings while still at the location.
The jet set which had begun with the new possibilities of 1930s aviation, long before the advent of public airliners, spent a good deal of time in various resorts, all of which had their specific seasons.
It was therefore possible for the fashion observers to visit specific locations at specific time frames, where they could expect a good supply of the well-tailored. The term fashion observers is mentioned in the Esquire magazines.

I'll try and dig up a description of the resorts as listed in Esquire.

Edit:
I might add that the fashion observers were very accurate observers who paid attention to the smallest detail, as evidenced by the descriptions which accompanied the illustrations in the magazines.
They also kept a record on how often specific styles, fabrics etc. were seen, and how this changed from year to year. For instance, the frequency of different tie patterns, or odd trousers colors and fabrics, or cuts.

 

[Rabbit]

An example of the "fashion observations"; this text excerpt is from Apparel Arts 1932:

Note that some suggestions to retailers are included in this text. Apparel Arts was targeted at retailers, while Esquire was targeted at the consumers.

From summer 32’

Fashion observation was an increasingly difficult task each year, for the last five or six seasons. This little
island off the Florida coast, a pleasure park where the social luminaries of two continents play in Spanish
patios and Moorish courts for a brief six weeks in the forepart of the year. Has long been of paramount
importance as an incubator of authentic fashions for men. By 1930 Palm Beach was crowded with
representatives of two distinct classes, the colony crowd, as opposed to the hotel crowd. The colony,
composed of those owning their own homes, to whom Palm Beach in the winter and New port in the
summer is a habit of many years standing, found itself, each year, more hedged in by the vast horde of
climbers to whom Palm Beach represented a gilded gate to crash, and a golden opportunity to flaunt
their newly acquired riches.
Those were the days of the famous “Soirees de Palm Beach”, when every last hotel was filled with a
rostrum of guests as socially ambitious as their origins were ambitious. The colony aristocrats, dismayed
at the prospect of contact with these “low-lifers”, went into precipitate retreat. They did not, however,
abandon Palm Beach. They simply went into seclusion. Breaker’s Beach no longer saw their patrician
footsteps on the sands. But the depression has changed all that. The “phonies” are conspicuous by their
absence. The hotels-that is, those hotels that are open—can boast no more than corporal’s guard, with the
result that members of the colony are easier to see, and the job of the fashion observer, who must
separate the wheat from the chaff, is correspondingly easier to perform.
A number of very important fashion changes have been introduced this season. We observed them at
the Bath and Tennis Club, Sea Spray Beach Club, Breaker’s Casino, Bradley’s, The Everglades Club, The
Poinciana Golf Course, and at the new, very exclusive, very smart, Seminole Country Club.
The patios and corridors of the Everglades Club are always filled with the smartest of the colony
residents…polo matches at the Gulf Stream Club draw a fashionable crowd…lunching at Le Maze, the
chic new Normandy Inn (where liver and bacon still costs $1.50 a plate) adds a few more items to the
fashion scout’s notebook…so does tea time at the Bath and Tennis Club.

For convenience in checking we separate the various items of the masculine wardrobe into their several classifications:

Clothing

Summer 32’

Coats are longer. Plain fabrics are out. Exception: the perennial solid colored grey flannel. Exception No.
2: gabardines, which are naturally, solid colored. Cream is the leading color in gabardine, with Havana
brown and plain white next in popularity, in the order named. Suits of gabardine, both single and double
breasted. Sport coats of gabardine, saddle stitched, three buttons single breasted. The latter invariably
worn with grey or white flannel trousers.
A new note in odd jacket and trouser ensembles. Light coat and dark trousers, in direct contrast to the
familiar dark coat and light trousers of the past.* Some of the best turned out men at Palm Beach wore
cream colored linen sport coats with dark Havana brown linen trousers, the latter in a self herringbone
pattern. Another favorite combination among those whose dress preferences have a direct bearing upon
the nation’s fashion trends was that of white gabardine sport coat with grey flannel trousers. (This is the
beginning of an important change. It should be reflected in your merchandise this summer, Remember
how the equally “queer” combination of brown coat and grey trousers caught on!)

 

[herringbonekid]

reminds me of the Seeberger brothers who frequented resorts such as Deauvile, Saint Moritz, Biarritz and Cannes to photograph the wealthy and style conscious.

 

[Rabbit]

Another excerpt, from 1933:

From summer of 33’ on summer fabrics and materials

Climatic conditions, as one of necessity’s guises, have been the mother of many articles of use and
fashion in men’s apparel. Noel Coward’s observation that “mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday
sun” is one way of accounting for many of our present day warm weather fashions. The Hollanders
and English who followed the flag with commerce to India, Java, Africa, New Zealand, and other hot
countries learned from the natives the secrets of warm weather comfort. Without benefit of science, but
through the experience of centuries, the natives of these countries have discovered how to use nature’s
help in combating the hot rays of the tropical sun. The cellular constructions of the fibers of jute, flax,
and similar local vegetable fibers will probably always remain a main secret to most of these darkskinned
folk, but they have long since learned the practical value of clothing that allows a constant
circulation of air about their bodies. Probably, too they may never hear what science now knows about
the heat absorbing qualities of dark clothing, but they long ago learned the wisdom of adhering to the
natural off-white colorings of the fibers that they use of their garments.
And, taking the tip from those who ought to know, white clothing has long been obligatory for naval and
military officers whose duties lead them into the heat of the tropics. The khaki shade of the service
uniform represents a sacrifice of comfort as a concession to grim necessity, occasioned when white
uniforms were coffee dyed simply and solely to make them less readily discernable to the keen eyes of
native snipers. Early prints and engravings of naval officers consistently show white clothing in use for
summer wear. It is evident that experience long ago taught the need of protection against the un-shaded
heat at the sea, and the need of clothing that reflect rather than absorb this heat.
Man has conquered nature’s limitations by adapting his clothing to climatic conditions. Men from the
northern countries finding themselves in tropical climates, have found it necessary to dress in a fashion
that competes with the thermometer. And that is why there is a sound, sensible, and even scientific basis
for the summer fashions that are coming into vogue at the present time. Practically every item of
summer clothing that is accepted today by the fastidious social leaders who set the country’s mass
fashions has been adopted directly from the traditional dress worn by colonists in those countries. Health
and comfort are the primary factors of this new change. Along with these two considerations is the basic
fashion acceptance among the leaders in social circles of a wardrobe that is planned—that is functional
and suitable from a standpoint of fabric, model and color.
The problem of the influence of the sun’s rays upon the body is one which has had a great deal of
attention and it has been determined, recently, that the use of materials of red or orange color may be of
benefit in the tropics for the protection of the body from the actinic rays which are believed to act
prejudicially to the human system. These colors are found in linings of native clothing, as well as in many
of the natural fabrics as dyed by the natives in India. Thus soldiers, traders, and explores, who have long
known, through the intuitions of the natives, what science is only beginning to find out for itself.

Witness the woolen material called solaro, in which a read thread is woven in the cloth, forming a lining
which gives this protection from Sun’s actinic rays. Serge, flannel, and tweed are also recommended by
those who have had experience in the tropics, many of whom avoid cotton as a general rule, although it
has been used in fabrics with other materials and found most successful. A popular fabric which has
found favor through years of tropical experience is a cotton and linen gabardine which in many instances
is made to resist rain without interfering with the porous nature of the cloth.

Another favorite of tropical countries is shantung silk. This comes in variety of weights but, as now used
for men’s summer suits, is most desired with a fairly heavy “body” to it. Linen has been worn in the hot
climates of the world for years. That worn by the natives is of a natural tan shade and is coarse in
character.
Bleached linen was adopted, as far back as 1800, for parts of the uniform of British Navy. It was also
popular in Beau Brummel’s time and, later on, Thackeray mentions again and again the practice of
wearing white duck trousers in the summer months. Coffee planters on the South American plantations
today wear a white linen that resembles a handkerchief in weave, but is not quite as porous as the linen
that is generally used for men’s summer suits in this country.
Shirtings that have proved most successful in torrid zones are light weight flannels, silks and madras.
Headwear of natural fibers has always been preferred—straw hats and straw plaiting date back to ancient
Egypt. The preferred neckwear has been that light weight silk known as foulard, and as an equal favorite,
India madras.
Comfort and easy fit have been always been the main characteristics of this particular type of clothing*,
hence we have, as an established model, the Norfolk jacket, and the great popularity of the
cummerbund, double breasted and soft collar—attached shirts. These articles were, when originated in
the tropical colonies, dictated primarily by necessity, but today these same items are taken up by fashionminded
men as the essentials of smart dress in the summer wardrobe.

Gabardine, that favored fabric in the tropics, was the outstanding single item of the entire Palm Beach
season. Bow ties and four-in-hand ties of India Madras were another conspicuous note. Silk pongee
shirts, fabric shoes, and mesh weaves, in hose, underwear, and shirts are also widely accepted, while a
great vogue is beginning for the Norfolk jacket of linen, silk or gabardine. The derivation of all these
items from tropical usage is obvious.

 

[Rabbit]

reminds me of the Seeberger brothers who frequented resorts such as Deauvile, Saint Moritz, Biarritz and Cannes to photograph the wealthy and style conscious.
i'm sure some of the resorts are the same.

Yes indeed, those locations are all part of the "regular list".

 

[Rabbit]

I found the excerpt I was looking for. What follows is a description of the summer resorts and other places where fashion was observed from the mid 1930s.

 

[Rabbit]

THE SOURCES OF SUMMER FASHION

All anthology of the leading fashion centers of the world each of which provides
a valuable promotional background for the major summer fashions with which
it is identified
THE point is not that you can't successfully merchandise a new fashion that
originated at Juan-les-Pins without knowing whether Juan-les-Pins is the name
of a Spanish bullfighter or the latest version of the tango. The point is rather
that if you know where Juan-les-Pins is and know a little about it, you can endow
your promotion of the new fashion with a background that will better its
chances for success.
Juan-les-Pins, Biarritz, Cannes, Aintree, Southampton—these places are all very
real and very much a part of the fashion picture. Their association with men's
fashions, properly utilized, can constitute an invaluable element in your fund of
promotional ammunition. To be sure, the names sound a bit "ritzy"—and they
are. But what do you care if you have to traffic in the resorts of princes and
international society leaders, as long as it helps you sell more apparel? You can
say, along with Arnold Bennett, that "the best is good enough for me."
Fashions emanate from definite localities frequented by people of wealth and
distinction. These leaders wear this year what will next year be in widespread
demand. It is through the prestige and sanction of authenticity that attaches
itself to anything worn at the important fashion centers that the new styles get
their start. Therefore, it is only the better part of logic to capitalize on that same
prestige and sanction of authenticity in speeding the new fashions on their
career of dissemination so far as your store is concerned. You don't find
Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., the writer, forgetting all about the prestige value of
his name and attempting to crash the slick paper magazines under the
pseudonym of Jack Jones. And there is just as little showmanship in taking a
fashion item that is rich in the prestige of Biarritz or Cannes and presenting it to
your customers as your own idea or something that your brother-in-law thought
up.

There are even fashions in fashion centers, one resort sometimes increasing in
popularity at the expense of another. But compared to the inconstancy of the
styles which emanate from them, at least, the important fashion centers are as
fixed and changeless as the smile on the face of the Mona Lisa. Fortunately,
therefore, it is possible to list and identify these centers in such a manner as to
provide an authoritative anthology for some time to come. Keep this issue
handy and dip into the anthology—compiled here with specific reference to
summer fashions— for inspiration both as to copy and illustration in your
effective sponsorship of the new fashions associated with these centers.
Treated first are the main fashion centers in the United States. The places listed
in the following paragraphs set the pace for smart fashions in keeping with the
social and amusement programs of those who dodge the cold in winter and the
heat in summer.

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

Riding Fashions

THE clans begin to gather at this boot and saddle resort in February, but for the
commoner the social steeplechase is as full of hazards and pitfalls as the famous
Aiken Drag itself. The resort, situated on a sand ridge surrounded by yellow
pine forests, is seventeen miles northeast of Augusta, Georgia. The i ness and
dryness of the climate make it., noted health center in winter, spring and
autumn. The luxurious private estates, hotels- and country clubs attract, in j son,
the outstanding members of the riding, hunting and polo playing set.
Mr.Thomas Hitchcock, Sr., founded the Aiken colony in 1898 as a means of
indulging a love for hunting cultivate -his younger days while at Oxford. So
other friends of similar taste, such Ambrose Clark, joined the colony and' the
resort has since become a traditional place of annual pilgrimage for the riding
set who continue the equestrian activities which they pursue at Long Island.
The Aiken Drag (colors: green uniform with chamois collar and white breeches
has become one of America's best known steeplechases. Under the influence
Tommy Hitchcock, Jr., the polo star Aiken has become a winter training
ground, for most of the famous polo players.
The chief pastimes are fox hunting polo, tennis and golf, with emphasis on
horses and equestrianism. Nig life is negligible, including mostly private dinner
parties with simple gatherings," ten or twelve guests. Most people retire early,
since nearly everyone pops out of bed at the crack of dawn and dashes-J his
favorite mount and the yelping pack.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

Spectator Country Clothes—Horsey

THE Maryland Hunt Cup is on the most sporting "blue blood, steeplechases in
America. Sportsmen come from all over the country to : the race and there is
always a gallery of several thousand socially prominent, smartly attired people
in attendance. Maryland, settled by English gentry, the Cavaliers, has always
loved fox hunting and other sports associated with it. m keen rivalry has long
existed between |he Elkridge Fox Hunting Club, organized in 1872, and the
Green Spring Valley Club, founded in 1892. In the spring of 1894, the Elkridge
members challenged their rivals to a cross country run which would test the
speed, endurance and jumping ability of their horses. The event has been
perpetuated ever since, last year's race having been held in April. The Valley
Club wears a field uniform of scarlet coats with green collars, while the Elkridge
members wear scarlet with old gold.

BELMONT PARK, LONG ISLAND

Spectator Race Clothes, Town Clothes

THIS premier United States track was founded in 1905 with August Belmont as
first president. The races are held in June and September for a period of two or
three weeks duration. The spring season features the Belmont Stakes and the
fall season the Belmont Futurity, the later being the most important two-year
gold race in the country.
Turf and Field, the smart horsey club, has a special enclosure which is reserved
exclusively for members. The elite turf |set are always at Belmont—William
Woodward, the Whitney, Robert Gerry, Marshall Field and many others.
Joseph Widener is a guiding spirit both here and fat Hialeah.
In addition to Belmont, there are of ^course many other important tracks
throughout the country. None approach I Belmont in smartness, however,
except I perhaps the Downs at Derby time, Hialeah at the height of the Palm
Beach season and Saratoga in August.

EAST HAMPTON, LONG ISLAND

Resort, Beach and Tennis Fashions

WITH the development of suburban estates within easy commuting distance of
New York, East Hampton and Southampton have become second New-ports
for wealthy New Yorkers who wish to secure the advantages of residential and
resort life without sacrificing their business interests. The Maidstone Club is a
center of social activities and is particularly popular for its golf and tennis.
Although originally regarded as a nouveau riche upstart by its more pompous
rival, Southampton, East Hampton now considers itself more exclusive. At any
rate it is gayer, for the older colony suffers from a touch of registerite heaviness
somewhat comparable to the Grande Dame-Union League atmosphere of
Newport.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

University Fashions

IN 1700, ten ministers formally founded the school now known as Yale. Today
this university, with its large national student body drawn from many well
known and wealthy families, is considered one of the foremost fashion centers
in the country. The close proximity of both Yale and Princeton to New York
has been responsible for numerous important fashion trends.
The Harvard-Yale Regatta, held annually in June at New London, Connecticut,
has been a significant sporting event since 1898. The bitterly contested crew
race over a four mile course gathers a gallery of all the famous yachts and
pleasure craft of Eastern society. The clothes worn on this occasion are very
significant from a fashion standpoint.

 

[Rabbit]

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

Ultra Smart Resort Wear, Summer Formal Wear

SITUATED sixty-nine miles southwest of Boston on Narragansett Bay is this
swankiest of all American resorts. The exclusive clannishness of the town began
long ago with the influx of wealthy New Yorkers after the Civil War. Associated
with Newport are such names as James B. Dake, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, W.
B. Leeds, Herman Oelrichs, Perry Belmont, Mrs. William Astor, H. O.
Havemeyer and dozens of others.
Bailey's Beach is the famous exclusive playground of the social register, while
the Newport Country Club is an elite golfing center. A tennis tournament,
second only to the National Singles, is held annually at the Casino, a private
club. The sailing facilities attract ardent yachtsmen, providing a site both for the
annual New York Yacht Club cruise and the International Yacht races in which
Sir Thomas Lipton once figured so prominently. Horse shows, aquatic events,
polo matches and the best professional summer theatre in America add zest to
Newport life.
Social life of the most high hat character, an exclusive privilege of the hand
picked residential members of this colony, centers around the Casino and the
Sprouting Rock Beach Club at Bailey's. Admission to either one is gained only
through the most rigid standards of culture, wealth, breeding and genealogy.
They are fortresses never conquered by the social parvenu. Typical of Newport
exclusiveness is the high fence at Bailey's Beach which perfectly conceals the
seaside life of these socialites from the eavesdropping and sightseeing of the
curious.

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

Semi-Tropical Wear, Summer Formal Wear, Golf, Beach and Swim Apparel

THIS "City of the Sun on the Isle of Beauty" is perhaps the best known
millionaire's paradise in the world. It is located on a long narrow island, sixty
miles north of Miami off the eastern coast of Florida. The present charm and
beauty of Palm Beach are synthetic, for this tropical Utopia was created from a
miasmic region of swamps, tangled underbrush and barren sand dunes once
inhabited by the Seminole Indians.
In 1886, Henry M. Flagler, regarded at the time as a well-intentioned visionary,
began his Jacksonville development which started the first of the great Florida
booms on the East Coast. In 1894, Flagler broke ground for the Royal Poinciana
in Palm Beach, then the world's largest tourist hotel, and in 1895 he ran his East
Coast railroad to West Palm Beach.

In 1913, Colonel Edward Bradley further accelerated the development of the
colony by selling lots on a filled-in swamp called Camp Styx, and later Paris
Singer and Addison Mizner, visualizing the future beauty of the place, were the
progenitors as architects of the currently typical Hispanic style. Soon many
socialites settled here in patioed estates—Anthony Drexel Biddle, Jr., Mrs. E. F.
Hutton, Harold Vanderbilt, R. R. McCormick and others.
Up to 1926 the resort was a tourist center without any sharp social distinctions,
everyone bathing at Breakers Beach and golfing on the old or new course north
of the hotel. With the erection of the new Bath and Tennis Club in 1926,
however, a definite cleavage was made between the socialites of the magnificent
estates and the tourists of the hotels. Just before the crash during the twenties,
more villas blossomed out and the three important clubs—Bath and Tennis,
Gulf Stream and Everglades—were crowded with the wealthy.
Social life at Palm Beach has two aspects — one centered about the hotels and
the other about the private residential colony and the exclusive private clubs.
Most of the hotel crowd get to see very little of the elite cottagers, who keep
pretty much to themselves. Between 10:30 and 11:30 the male members of the
cottage set usually congregate at the brokers' offices, repairing to the Bath and
Tennis Club, the Sea Spray Club or to their private pools and plages. Luncheon
follows the bathing hour and afternoons are largely devoted to golf or tennis.
The evenings are frequently given over to private parties or balls at the Colony
Club which, though smart, is open to the general public. Many attend motion
picture theatres, in formal attire, and go dancing afterwards. Still others pay a
visit to Bradley's Casino, where the gambling stakes run high. The cottage
coterie, however, are seldom seen in Palm Beach proper, most of their dinners
and dances being given at home.

PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY

University Fashions

PRINCETON University, a potent influence on young men's clothes, has
always been attended by students of wealth and social distinction. The
limitation of its enrollment in 1922 to about 2,000 students selected on the basis
of scholarship and character has added to its reputation for exclusiveness.
Inasmuch as the school is located in a small town, there is considerable interest
in outdoor activities, and Princeton is considered an important fashion center
for informal and outdoor dress. In spring, the Maytime house parties run the
gamut from the smartest of informal attire during the day to the most strictly
formal dress for evening.

 

[Rabbit]

SARATOGA SPRINGS,-New York

Fashions for the summer resort

THE first hotel was built here in 1774 and throughout the 19th century the
resort was one of the most popular in the country. Its prestige faded at the
beginning of the 20th century, but in 1929 a committee under Bernard Baruch
planned a successful revival of the Springs as a health and resort center. At
present, the height of the season is the period of the August races on the
Saratoga tracks. This is the scene of the oldest stake in America, the Travers.

SOUTHAMPTON, LONG ISLAND

Resort and Formal Wear — Beach Fashions for Summer

THIS exclusive residential and sporting center, 92 miles by rail east of New
York, dates back to 1880 as a watering place. Next to Newport, this town is
probably the most deluxe resort, from the social standpoint, in America. It is
not quite so regal or impregnable, however, as the Rhode Island resort. Here
reside such people as Nicholas Murray Butler, Alonzo Potter, Goodhue
Livingston, Charles H. Sabin and Mrs. James P. Donahue.
The Meadow Club is an important private society center, while daytime
activities in season focus on the very exclusive Beach Club. The social life
reaches its highest pitch during Tennis Week when most of the country's best
players participate by invitation.

ROSLYN, LONG ISLAND-THE UNITED HUNTS

Country Spectator Fashions

THIS is the scene of the spring meeting of one of the most important
steeplechase events in the country, the fall meeting being held at Belmont Park.
The event was inaugurated in the early part of the present century and today it
brings out a representative cross-section of the leading sportsmen in the New
York sector. Richard Whitney, James W. Girard, John Hay Whitney and T. W.
Durant have been active figures.

WESTBURY, LONG ISLAND

Clothes for Post and Paddock and the Hunt— Spectator Sportswear

THE exclusive Meadowbrook Club has for twenty years been the national polo
center. More polo is played here, within a small radius of the club, than
anywhere else in the country, and the club is the focal point for all international
polo activities in the United States. The history of the Meadowbrook Club goes
back to an early interest in fox hunting, but the club was not incorporated until
1881. A steeplechase was first run in 1883 and the Meadowbrook Cup event,
held annually on the estate of F. Ambrose Clark in September, is one of the
most smartly turned out in America. The field costume consists of scarlet coats,
white waistcoats and robin's egg blue collars.
Vastly important in their influence on men's fashions are the fashion centers of
England and the Continent. The cult of the warm weather enthusiasts of
Europe, during both winter and summer, revolves around the places described
in the following paragraphs.

AINTREE, ENGLAND

Country Spectator Fashions

THIS is the scene of the famous Grand National Steeplechase. The first
Liverpool Grand National was run at Aintree in 1839, but steeple chasing as it is
known today, with trained horses and jockeys to negotiate them over a series of
artificial jumps, is a comparatively modern sport. The Grand National is now a
March . event of considerable fashionable importance.

ASCOT, ENGLAND

Formal Day Dress

THE racing seasons of this celebrated course have always been exceptionally
smart. The annual meeting, which is held during the second or third week in
June, is notable for the Royal Procession and is attended by all the important
members of the fashionable sporting world. Usually, the men in America who
disseminate fashions are in England at the time of the Ascot and the Derby,
frequently returning home later by way of the French Riviera and thus bringing
with them the latest fashions both of England and the Continent. Morning coats
and grey toppers are worn by every man at the Ascot from the royal family
down to the bookmakers, and the derivation of the name for the Ascot tie is
obviously associated with this important center.

BIARRITZ, FRANCE

Ultra Smart Sea side Fashions

THIS significant fashion center, the most frequented resort in France, is located
on the Bay of Biscay. The climate and scenery are equal sources of attraction,
with the Pyrenees on one side and the Basque coast on the other. The beaches,
Grande Plage and Cote des Basques, are connected by a magnificent
promenade. Beautiful villas and hotels make Biarritz a brightly flourishing
society center.
Most of the prominent men English and Spanish aristocrats here in season,
where they may invariably be observed garbed in the latest f in beach wear,
swim attire and informal dress. Elite society pays frequent visits to the Hotel
Miramar where may see and be seen, paying particularly critical attention to the
matter in clothes. Other galas, equally are held at the Ambassadeurs Casino and
at the Hotel Palais.
There is much fashionable dancing gambling at the Casino, while the Socoa
Yacht Club attracts a smart coterie includes many prominent Americans. The
Chiberta Golf Club is a favorite ' the Prince of Wales, and the d'Amour and the
Bar Basque patronized by the cosmopolitan e the least part of the charm of t is
found by many in the fact the lies in the heart of the Basque with its quaint
natives unrelated language or origin to any other race existent.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY ENGLAND

University Fashions— Spectator Country Wear

CAMBRIDGE, one of the universities of Great Britain from the 12th century.
Young men of the best families, after an earlier such schools as the fashionable
Chester, Eton or Harrow, conclude education here or at Oxford, universities set
standards of dress which influence the whole world of fashion. The rowing
races, called the May Bumps, bring out the latest vogue in informal attire—
slacks with odd jackets in all types plaids, checks and tweeds.

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE

Beach Fashions

This fashion center on the northwest coast was launched in 1860 by the Duc de
Morny who created a charming fort from sandy wastelands in much the same
manner that Palm Beach was converted into a tropical paradise from literally
nothing. Deauville has been appreciably described as "la plage fleurie" 'The
beach of Mowers. Le Petit Trianon gambling casino, swimming baths modeled
along Pompeian prototypes, two golf links, two racing courses, two polo
grounds, twenty-two tennis courts and yacht Club are its major attractions,
because of its proximity to England, Deauville has been an important fashion
center. Such articles of beach wear as the Deauville sandals and beach robes first
gained popularity here.

EPSOM DOWNS, ENGLAND

Formal Day Wear— Spectator Sportswear

LOCATED in Epsom, fourteen miles southwest of London, this place was
originally a health resort but is now famed its fashionable races where the sports
of kings reaches perhaps its highest peak. Epsom Downs has been the scene of
racing long before Edward, the 12th Earl of Derby, founded the Derby in 1780.
Derby is now the "world's biggest " being, attended by over a million people.
This important event usually occurs during the first week in June.

ETON, ENGLAND

Fashions in Sportswear

THIS most famous of English public schools, drawing its student body from the
oldest families, whose children are usually registered for entrance at birth, is an
important fashion center for young men. At the June fourth celebrations in
honor of King George III, the "old boys," parents and friends appear in the
smartest attire. The occasion is the famous boat parade, an annual river pageant
celebrated since the early part of the 19th century and described in an earlier
issue of APPAREL ARTS.

LE TOUQUET, FRANCE

Golf Clothes, Beach Fashions

THE stimulating atmosphere of this resort provides a tonic for the fatigued, and
the Pine Forest of 2,000 acres, less than half a mile from the sea, is a source of
recuperation. A full program of sports attracts many visitors, with racing, horse
shows, polo, golf and tennis. The Casino de la Foret and the Casino de la Plage
offer diversion in many forms of gambling. The season, from Easter to October,
is a gay one.

 

[Rabbit]

LONDON, ENGLAND

Town Fashions

THE Earl of Devonshire, in the 18th century, remarked, "When London takes
snuff the rest of the world sneezes." That boastful generalization still applies, as
far as men's fashions are concerned in summer, the city is perhaps the world's
brightest capital. With the lifting of the winter fogs, life for a few short months
becomes one of hectic gayety. The "season" reaches its peak in June, with a
calendar filled with daily events of importance: the International Horse Show,
the Richmond Royal Horse Show, the trooping of the color on the king's
birthday, the Derby at Epsom, Ascot week, the tennis matches at Wimbledon
and the presentations at court.
The peak of the season, with reference to men's fashions, is reached at the Eton-
Harrow game in mid July, the most important cricket match of the year. The
Henley Regatta, July 4-7, is also important, as is the yachting at Cowes in
August. As a result of all these multifarious attractions, the city is packed with
visitors who later disseminate all over the world the current fashions which they
pick up in London.
Since London not only possesses a large leisured class among the nobility but
also among the untitled, the social set has a dozen different types of dress suited
to their hours of diversified amusement. In the West End, the shops of fine
tailors, shirt makers, hatters and boot makers are crowded side by side. Apparel
familiar to such streets as Old and New Bond, Conduit, Dover, Grafton,
Albemarle, Duke, Jermyn, St. James and far-famed Saville Row sets the pace in
current fashion trends.
On week nights, one may see ultra formal dress at the Savoy or the Berkeley,
and the smartest informal attire may be observed on Sunday nights at
Quaglino's. Luncheon at the Monseigneur or the Ritz brings out the smart town
clothes. Other places frequented by well dressed men are the Ivy, Claridge's,
Punch's Club, the Blue Train, Ciro's, Cafe Royale, Cafe de Paris, Grosvenor-
House Restaurant and the Florida.

THE LIDO, VENICE, ITALY

Beach Fashions

THE Lido has been popular with Venetians since 1872, located as it is on the
chief island separating the lagoon from the Adriatic. In recent years, deluxe
hotels have made this spot of amethyst lagoons, lazy gondolas and golden sands
an international fashion center from May to October. Regattas on the Grand
Canal, international motor boat races, biennial art exhibitions, international
motion picture previews, as well as the usual gamut of pastimes for dispelling
care, attract the socialite world.

OLYMPIA, LONDON

Riding Clothes— Horsey Spectator Styles

THE International Horse Show, held here for twenty-two years, is one of the
most fashionable of June events in London, as well as being the chief event of
equestrian interest in the metropolis. It is indeed international in all respects
and, as a result, constitutes an important source for current fashions in riding
attire and horsey spectator wear.

OXFORD, ENGLAND

University Fashions

OXFORD, the oldest university in England, dates back to 1163 and has long
been one of the most famous seats of learning in the world. Such fashions as the
Oxford bags have originated here and, at the time of the boat races in the
spring, the newest ideas in sportswear make their appearance.

THE RIVIERA, FRANCE AND ITALY

Beach and Summer Formal Fashions

UNDER this classification is given a general description of the entire Riviera
district. Immediately following will be found the specific descriptions of
individual spots on the Riviera, namely, Antibes, Cannes, Menton, Monte
Carlo, Nice, St. Raphael and San Remo.
The Cote d'Azur region of Mediterranean resorts extends along the southern
coast of France, east of Marseilles, and includes a small section of Italy
northwest of Genoa. This littoral, famous for fashion, is an almost continuous
series of major and minor towns and villas, extending from St. Raphael on the
west ; through Cannes, Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, | Nice and Monte Carlo to
Menton on the east. The Italian Riviera, of which San Remo is the most
important resort, continues from Menton for a short distance ; along the
northeast Ligurian shore. The beaches of these resorts are the ground of
celebrities from the four corers of the world. Originally the region was a winter
resort, but following the world war it was discovered that May
June were the best months, with the of summer being almost equally active.
Thus the vogue of the summer season from June to August is of comparatively
recent origin.

ANTIBES, FRANCE (JUAN-LES-PINS)

Beach Fashions

ANTIBES and the fashionable surroundings of Juan-les-Pins and Cap d’Antibes
between Cannes and Nice, is I a summer and winter resort. Rocky creeks, a
beach of silver sand, pine woods, flowers and panoramic views, as well as the
famed climate of the Mediterranean coast of France, are all part of the
attractions of this resort. The town has grown in popularity in recent years,
especially among the international set who annually visit the Cote d'Azur.
With the development of a summer season, the English began to visit Antibes
and Juan-les-Pins at the expense of Cannes. Recently, Juan has been
supplanting Antibes in interest. The life is very indolent with everyone rising
late, but by 11:00 most people are out on the beaches sunning themselves. From
1:30 to 2:30, some go to the hotels for luncheon and others remain at
restaurants along the plage, one of the most popular of these being a place
called La Provencal, erected by the American millionaire, Frank Gould.
Afternoons are spent at tennis or on the sands, with aquaplaning and riding on
catamarans a favorite diversion. Aquatic activity ends around 5:00 when
everyone drops in some place for tea or cocktails. Cafes, such as the Hollywood
(a name inspired by visiting cinema stars) and Maxim's, open for tea dances at
which most men continue to wear beach clothes consisting of slacks, polo shirts
and espadrilles, the women also dressing informally. In the evening, everyone
dresses for dinner, after which they go to night clubs or the casino for gambling,
where dress is optional.

 

[Rabbit]

CANNES, FRANCE

Beach Fashions

THE fashionable popularity of Cannes, situated nineteen miles southwest of
Nice, dates from 1834 when Lord Brougham settled there after being attracted
by the beauty of the ancient little hill town. The hills cut off the chill northern
winds, rendering the climate one of the most equable m Europe. The beautiful
environs, exceptional beach and modern hotels, in addition to the famous yacht
anchorage, have made this one of the most popular Mediterranean resorts. It is
also famous for the charming Promenade de la Croisette and Casino
Municipale.

The chief sport is tennis and it is here that the players practice for the Davis
Cup Matches. The newest additions to the facilities of Cannes are the smart
Palm Beach Casino and Plage. The Circle Nautique is a very old club,
membership to which constitutes a passport to the most exclusive English and
American society. The winter season, starting in December and ending in April,
is filled with galas, winter sports at Allos, royal regattas, dress balls, fencing
tournaments and motor boat and yachting competitions, as well as fashionable
diversions.
Cannes has a social atmosphere reminiscent of Palm Beach and maintained by
the older group of socialites. Life at the huge hotels, which are the most
elaborate of any of the Riviera towns, is the focal point of this paradise among
resorts.

MENTON, FRANCE

Beach Fashions

THIRTEEN miles northeast of Nice, and almost as celebrated, is this charming
village of the Cote d'Azur. The surrounding hills dotted with lemon and orange
groves are famed for their natural beauty. The social activities are the usual ones
of the smart resorts of the French and Italian Riviera.
The vogue of Menton began with its popularity as a health resort, but present
day health treatments are restricted to a large sanatorium and most of the
interest now lies in the fashionable activities typical of the Riviera. The amusing
epigram, attributed to an Irish writer, that "but for an occasional funeral there
would be no life in Menton" no longer has any point.

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

Beach Fashions— Summer Formal Wear

INTERNATIONAL playground of the J- Riviera is the independent principality
of Monaco. Its picturesque scenery, mild climate and especially its world famed
gambling casino annually attract many fashionable cosmopolites. Its attractive
villas provide residences for authors, actors, artists and the socially prominent of
all countries, and it is one of the spots favored by the followers of the sun cult.
Gambling has been famous here since the middle of the 19th century, the
erection of the world's best known casino in 1878 definitely, establishing the
prestige of Monte Carlo as a resort for people of means.

Since that time an additional feature has been made of music. Illuminated
gardens of exotic flowers, band concerts, dramas and operettas and
international regattas also attract many members of the world of sport, art and
fashion.
Life is simple and centers around the Hotel de Paris, and gambling is the chief
interest day and night. There is also the Monte Carlo Beach Club, while the
Sporting Casino with its pool is likewise popular. Excellent shops draw smart
trade.

NICE, FRANCE

Summer Clothes—Beach Fashions

THE climate of Nice has been celebrated for years, and it is a favorite winter
resort both for invalids and pleasure-seekers. Nice is especially famous for its
carnival season during the last days of February, while fancy dress balls and
floral parades are important features in March. Numerous golf championships
attract large audiences, and international regattas and various race meetings
provide additional diversions.

ST. RAPHAEL, FRANCE

Beach Fashions

"LE soliel toute l'anne"—sunshine all the year—is the slogan of this resort. This
spot is famed for the same virtues of climate and scenic beauty as the rest of the
Riviera, combining as it does the opportunities for sophisticated social life with
village simplicity. It is also a place where people may own private villas removed
from the bustle of the older and better known tourist centers. French families in
particular find St. Raphael very inviting.

SAN REMO, ITALY

Beach Fashions

THIS important city of the Italian Riviera has become the major center of the
Ligurian district. It is frequented by the more exclusive members of the English
and foreign "beau monde." The season is extremely gay between Christmas and
Lent, while the International Horse Show, under the patronage of the Crown
Prince of Italy, is a magnet for smart socialites. Festivals, cabarets, theatres and
an extensive season of opera, as well as a casino permitting the highest maximums
in the world, entertain those who can afford the pace.

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Golf Fashions

ST. ANDREWS, a seaport three miles southeast of Dundee, has long been
noted as the "Mecca of golf." As far back as 1457, the game of golf in Scotland
had made inroads on the popularity of the chief sport of the time, archery, and
since then it has been known as "the royal and ancient game of golf." In 1834,
King William IV became the patron of the golf club here, then as now the most
famous seat of the game. St. Andrews, with its exceptional links, has always
been a source of great interest to golfers, especially at the times when it has
staged the English Open Tournament. The course is, at one time or another,
visited by all golf specialists, both professional and amateur, who get the
opportunity.

WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND

Tennis Fashions

THIS English town, eight miles southwest of St. Paul's, London, and a famous
suburban residence, is the headquarters for the All England Lawn Tennis
Association. The stadium, with its Davis Cup Matches in the summer, is a
fashionable gathering place for all lovers of the game. This prestige has been
unbroken since the first English championship was held here in 1877, when the
game as played today was first inaugurated.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Quite wonderful! I adore the stylelized drawings. Thank you for all the hard work and research

 

[Broccoli]

This thread scores a 10/10. I will be archiving it. Thank you for all the information!

 

[Benny Holiday]

Magnificent Rabbit! Many thanks for the scans and the information and all the effort you put into this!

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Thanks, Rabbit. There were still a few I didn't see before. The resort wear observations are an interesting read too.

Just on a sidenote: I saw some gentleman's Gazette watermarks. I remember the blog owner would like to get credit and a link to his blog when his pictures are used. I think that is fair.

 

[esteban68]

I thought I'd saved most of these off the net but there's a few I hadn't seen before so well done that man!
Very useful for seeing what goes well with what and overall they are pretty damn good although there's just a couple of ensembles I wouldn't wear...is there a book with all these in and if not why not? I'd buy it if it were a reasonable price especially if it came with one of the figural colour wheels what, jacket goes with what shirt/tie/trousers sort of thing!!!

 

[Rabbit]

Quite wonderful! I adore the stylelized drawings. Thank you for all the hard work and research

This thread scores a 10/10. I will be archiving it. Thank you for all the information!

Magnificent Rabbit! Many thanks for the scans and the information and all the effort you put into this!

You're very welcome.

Thanks, Rabbit. There were still a few I didn't see before. The resort wear observations are an interesting read too.

Just on a sidenote: I saw some gentleman's Gazette watermarks. I remember the blog owner would like to get credit and a link to his blog when his pictures are used. I think that is fair.

Thank you for the reminder, Flo. I just added references to the first post of this thread.

I thought I'd saved most of these off the net but there's a few I hadn't seen before so well done that man!
Very useful for seeing what goes well with what and overall they are pretty damn good although there's just a couple of ensembles I wouldn't wear...is there a book with all these in and if not why not? I'd buy it if it were a vrwasonable price especially if it came with one of the figural colour wheels what, jacket goes with what shirt/tie/trousers sort of thing!!!

I agree, these drawings are still a highly useful source. To my knowledge, there is no compilation in book form except for one publication by Esquire which I have never seen in person and which has apparently been out of print for a long time. I don't know how comprehensive that book is, though, nor do I recall the title. I'm sure it doesn't contain all Laurence Fellows illustrations, though.

The original magazine issues are rare and expensive. Sadly there no big market for a reprint in book form, it seems.
The text that accompanies the illustrations is just as valuable as the images since it describes the outfits in detail, and much more. The fabrics, for instance, although famously well depicted in the images, still require a little extra information in text form to be identified.

By the way, Laurence Fellows continued to work for AA/ Esquire throughout the 1940s. From what I've read, the post-WWII illustrations are somewhat different in style, but I've never seen illustrations from these years. So, what we can easily recognize as Laurence Fellows' style are the illustrations that he made from the mid 30s to early WWII.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

is there a book with all these in and if not why not?

Men in Style: The Golden Age of Fashion from Esquire. Sold out and super expensive for years now. I believe there would be a market even if I am normally quite catious. The whole bespoke / trad / ivy guys also like Apparel Arts and Esquire even though they dress rathher differen.