No Front Dart

[Nick D]

A jacket without a front dart is something I would expect to see on a blazer (and I have a mid-50s blazer sewing pattern with only a side dart). However, one of my suits, dated 1946, has no front dart. It's not loose, either, there's a good amount of shape when the jacket is buttoned, though it hangs a bit loose when open. How common was it to have no front dart on a suit jacket?

 

[Fletch]

The undarted front jacket is called a "sack."

J. Press "Pressidential"

I dunno about the 40s - I suppose it was fairly common then - but the purist "trad" or "Ivy" style since at least the 70s has been a 3-roll-2 sack jacket with "natural shoulder," ie, little padding (some claim none). Suits made this way typically have a 5" drop to trouser size, ie 40 jacket / 35 trou.*

Brooks Bros used to be the premier exponent of the style but began moving away from it after the 80s.

* 6" is industry standard these days, but it was 5" back in the high armhole era - darts or no darts.

Sack suit discussion at Ask Andy Forum

 

[Nick D]

Thanks, Fletch, I'd heard the term but wasn't sure what it meant. Although it's described as a more informal American style, my suit is a dark pinstripe tailored in Mayfair.

 

[Tomasso]

The undarted front jacket is called a "sack." I dunno about the 40s -

The sack goes back to the 40s.....the 1840s.

 

[Fletch]

Here's Charles Lindbergh showing us a good sack suit in 1929.

This is either a very high-set 2B or a 3B. Today's version buttons lower, shoulders are wider, no puff at the sleeve head, and the lapels lie flatter.

For you leatherheads, the Navy pilot on the right is wearing a 37J1 jacket, BuAer's version of the Army's A-1.

 

[dwebber18]

I love the sack suit. If I had gotten the job I last interviewed for I would have gone and gotten a few made at a local shop. The sack suit fits me really well as I have broad shoulders I really like the limited shoulder padding because shoulder padding on top of my shoulders really looks silly. I'd love to see the sack look come back, but with the current trend of Italian or "European" cut suits I don't see it happening any time soon.

 

[Belloqinabush]

I just got a 1930s blazer pattern and was wondering if I had read something incorrectly when I saw no front darts. However it does have to rear darts to accompany the half belt in the back. Is this something not uncommon on belt backs from the golden era?

 

[herringbonekid]

the majority of 30s belt back sports jackets have two front darts.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Quite a few of the McCall's patterns for home making are without a front dart. Potentially this would be to make it "easier" but since women's pattern of the same era are darted all over the place, that doesn't make sense.

I can understand why the two-tone leisure jacket patterns don't have a dart, as that boxy cut is what they're all about, but I don't get why they drop them for "normal" sports jackets, but they do.

 

[Nick D]

I just got a 1930s blazer pattern and was wondering if I had read something incorrectly when I saw no front darts. However it does have to rear darts to accompany the half belt in the back. Is this something not uncommon on belt backs from the golden era?

Is this the EvaDress pattern? If so, when I made it I added front darts to the fronts and canvas. You could make a mockup and try it without, or with one.

 

[Belloqinabush]

Is this the EvaDress pattern? If so, when I made it I added front darts to the fronts and canvas. You could make a mockup and try it without, or with one.

It is the eva dress pattern. Did you just copy the back darts on the front or did you draw up your own? We're you happy with how it came out?