Palm Beach cloth Marine Tunic?

[mattface]

Today at one of my favorite vintage stores I happened across something I think is probably quite unique. I know I've never seen it before anyway. It was a 1940s vintage Marine Service Uniform tunic in light OD out of Palm Beach cloth. I kind of assume an officer would have had this custom made. It's greener than the khaki's usually worn for warm weather, and I know good pre 1950s palm beach cloth is somewhat in demand.

HAs anyone else seen uniforms made from this fabric, and does anyone have an idea of what a tunic like this would be worth in excellent condition?

 

[Fletch]

I just spotted a Navy summer khaki blouse of PB cloth. Unusual because the color had yellowed to a kind of ochre.

 

[dhermann1]

I believe in WW II officers could still get uniforms custom made by tailors, as long as they met regulation parameters. I know for sure there were some real variations on the footware allowed. It wouldn't surprise me if an officer had one made up. There must have been a run of the material made by Goodale in Maine, which makes me wonder if one or two more might still exist out there.

 

[dhermann1]

It would be nice to have a picture. Are you talking about the tan summer dress uniform, or the green winter?

 

[mattface]

Green, but I don't think I would call it winter given the fabric. I didn't take a picture, and have no idea if it fits me. The price wasn't cheap, but it was probably a bargain for Palm Beach cloth, so I may yet go back for it. Being that I'm friends with the owners I told them what they have, but I don't know them well enough to know if they will take me seriously and raise the price accordingly.

 

[Guttersnipe]

I believe in WW II officers could still get uniforms custom made by tailors, as long as they met regulation parameters. I know for sure there were some real variations on the footware allowed. It wouldn't surprise me if an officer had one made up. There must have been a run of the material made by Goodale in Maine, which makes me wonder if one or two more might still exist out there.

Correct. I believe there was actually a clothing allowance paid to officers for just such a purpose. Having uniforms made of superior cloth or by more exclusive tailors was regarded as a subtle way of distinguishing officers with aristocratic lineage from those of more modest backgrounds.

 

[Rathdown]

My father was an officer in the Army Air Corps in WWII (previously in the Cavalry) and all of his uniforms were tailored. While stationed in Southern California prior to shipping out to North Africa he had a half-lined khaki uniform made out of tropical (PB?) cloth by the tailors at the Western Costume Company in Hollywood, who also did uniforms for Clark Gable and several other luminaries who were in the armed forces.

 

[dhermann1]

What I find puzzling is that anyone stationed in a hot weather location, where the Palm Beach material would be appropriate, they would have the tropical (i.e. khaki) uniform as the official uniform.

 

[Canadian]

Perhaps it's a theatrical costume? There are a lot of war movies and I guarantee they aren't all filmed on location.

Tom