Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

BOTH SIDES OF THE TWEED! - Show us your tweed suits, sport coats and pants

Jim C

New in Town
Messages
6
Location
Essex UK
Thanks for your replies.
Does it fit you? What size do you usually have.
I usually go for a 42" chest as I find that 40" tend to pinch a bit under the arms, so it fits comfortably.
I can't see any signs of alteration, not that I would if it was done well I suppose :)
Isn't the narrowed waist more of a 40s style than 50's?
 

Fastuni

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,277
Location
Germany
British tailoring didn't greatly change until ca. 1956. You could find 1930/40's style tailoring well into the early 50's.
Still I believe the handwriting on the interior pocket is the date: 1942. The style fits. Not all lapels were wide.
Possibly there was some sort of alteration done...
 

Jim C

New in Town
Messages
6
Location
Essex UK
A photo showing the back of the jacket. Does this give any more clues?
6.jpg
 

Rabbit

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,561
Location
Germany
Am I the only one who is wondering about that neck label with "pure virgin wool" on it? That spells post-war to me, but then I haven't much experience with British off-the-rack.

Looking at the cut, the lapels and now the back vents which are not deep, I'd be inclined to say it's early 50s at the earliest, more likely mid 50s. I agree with TT that the lapels look original and unaltered.

The two-button closure with lapels that roll that much higher would be unusual for wartime and pre-WWII British jackets, I think. I wouldn't know about that detail on 50s British jackets.

Edit: I have yet to see a 40s jacket, whether American or British, sporting a perfect 50s cut. The shoulder padding looks like it has that certain rigidity of 50s jackets, although that's hard to make out on a photograph. How does the shoulder feel like? British jackets in general always tended to have more structured shoulders than their American counterparts, but the 50s took it to another level.
 
Last edited:

Hal

Practically Family
Messages
590
Location
UK
Am I the only one who is wondering about that neck label with "pure virgin wool" on it? That spells post-war to me, but then I haven't much experience with British off-the-rack.
Well spotted, Rabbit. And not immediately post-war, either.
 

Fastuni

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,277
Location
Germany
On what grounds would a label like this indicate a more recent date?

The late 1940's Harris Tweed label already had a line "100 % pure wool"... also period German garments sometimes had a label "Reine Wolle" (pure wool).

SAM_6775.jpg
 

Rabbit

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,561
Location
Germany
I wasn't trying to make it sound definite, but if I look at the cut, the lapels, the button closure, and all the labels, then I'd say it's more likely that this is a 50s jacket with am older stock label used, assuming the lapels have not been altered.
In the case of the Harris Tweed label which does look old, the most simple scenario would be that the fabric itself is older and came with labels to be attached.

That said, we know that dating British suits is foggy at best.

Edit: If this were an American suit, I'd say that the shoulder construction (disregarding the lapels) looks like late 40s to early 50s. I just haven't seen a jacket in that cut from an earlier date, neither American nor British.
As for the virgin wool label, I haven't seen that on earlier British jackets, but as I said I haven't that much experience with British RTW. In pre-synthetic days, the label would mean that there is no reprocessed wool in it, so to put it another way, would British RTW have been available in partly reprocessed wool in 1942? The military used it, but I don't know about RTW civilian garments.
 
Last edited:

esteban68

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
Here's one I found today, pretty sure it's British c1960's and probably a Barney Goodman of Sheffield (though no labels at all)
2j4vp6v.jpg
2rgnwh5.jpg

ad2st2.jpg
21oon5w.jpg

6du6tj.jpg
21o9y0.jpg

r70h2d.jpg
2d1s5y8.jpg

opclco.jpg
9az97b.jpg


There's a couple of very minor fit issues but it's immaculate and a three piece...which is nice!
 
Last edited:

Eddie Derbyshire

Practically Family
Messages
849
Location
Riddings, Derbyshire, UK
Here's one I found today, pretty sure it's British c1960's and probably a Barney Goodman of Sheffield (though no labels at all)
2j4vp6v.jpg
2rgnwh5.jpg

ad2st2.jpg
21oon5w.jpg

6du6tj.jpg
21o9y0.jpg

r70h2d.jpg
2d1s5y8.jpg

opclco.jpg
9az97b.jpg


There's a couple of very minor fit issues but it's immaculate and a three piece...which is nice!

That's absolutely lovely - I'm very jealous! Love the cloth and the cut! Well done my friend. It suits you really well too!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,097
Messages
3,074,070
Members
54,091
Latest member
toptvsspala
Top