Costume Suggestions Desired. Help me look the part!

[Shangas]

Hey guys, girls,

As some of you might be aware, this time next week is the Melbourne Pen Show (18th November. Malvern Town Hall, 9:00am-4:00pm; $10.00 Admission-fee).

I'm going to be one of (and probably, the main) tableholder this year for the Melbourne Pen Group, it being the local pen-collector's club.

Our display for this year...which I admit, was my idea...is the Interwar Period of the 1920s and 30s.

The setup we're aiming for is a desktop of the period, which might have been found in a household study, or in an office environment. I want it to look as EXACTLY like the real thing as possible. Like it was a museum setup. It's designed to give as realistic a look of the "Golden Age of Writing" as it's possible for us to do in the space we're given (fortunately, a nice big trestle-able!). It'll have all the usual stuff - pens, paper, typewriter, camera, telephone, stamps, envelopes etc.

As this theme was my idea, and since I will be at the show ALL DAY (most of the stuff in the display will be my possessions), I wanted to dress in an appropriate vintage outfit for the occasion.

The weather on the day will be coolish-warm (about 20-25 degrees celsius).

I was thinking of trying to do like a 1920s/1930s office-worker sort of getup.

So, brown leather boots, dark trousers, suspenders, white shirt, brown waistcoat, watch and chain, contrasting tie (if anyone has any colour-suggestions for this, now is the time to tell me. I have a rather large selection of ties, so go ahead and fire off), and sleeve-garters, for that "period" look.

I have two pairs of sleeve-garters - Black steel, and silver steel. which would look better?

also, what hat should I wear?

I have...

Trilbies -

Blue-green.
Brown.
White Panama.
Grey.

I also have a black homburg, and a straw boater.

If I could, I'd wear one of those old-fashioned visors, but I don't have one...

If anyone has any suggestions on my costume for the Show, please post them below!

It needs to look...

1. Period appropriate.
2. Exhibit-appropriate.
3. Preferably DARK (although this isn't set in stone. If you have ideas for a light-colour costume, let me know).

 

[Espee]

You wouldn't WEAR the hat there, would you?
(Now someone else can tell you what kind.)

 

[Shangas]

I may not wear it during the show. But I might leave it on the table as a prop. I was thinking of sticking a big "PRESS" card into the hat-band as a gimmick

 

[DeaconKC]

trillbys generally had narrower brims, so i would go with the Homburg or the Boater. I really like the idea of the press card.

 

[Shangas]

Taking inspiration from Daniel Radcliffe, maybe I could pull off something like what was in the Woman in Black?:

I know his suit is really dark grey, but I have a black pair of trousers, waistcoat and tie. Hell, I could even bring my black trenchcoat along. But that might be a bit too warm.

I figured since Radcliffe plays a lawyer in the film, it might suit me as a costume for the Show.

Plus, this is a PEN show. There will be ink. It would be advantageous to wear black. But I could muck around with the tie a bit to add some colour. The only thing I don't have is a wing-collar shirt, and I'm not prepared to pop up the collar on my regular shirt to try and emulate the look...

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

With brown I quite like green ties. Not olive but rather emerald or forest green. Just my personal taste not a rule. Other colors would work fine too.

For warm weather the straw boater might fit the bill...it would go better with the brown suit (sans jacket) than the black homburg.

Some day you might want to get a good period haircut but of course not just for the show. It's more important for the overall impression that say the tie width or stuff. People don't measure ties. They look at the head and the face first. Of course this is only a suggestion but if you already thought about it...do it. You won't regret.

 

[Shangas]

I have a green tie which I could easily wear with a brown waistcoat. It's a sort of...um...dark leafy green. Bottle-green, kind of.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Sounds good. Without a suit jacket I think the brown ensemble would work better than the black.