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Show us your suits

Marc Chevalier

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Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Baron Kurtz said:
Look how short his trousers are.

In America, at least, men's trousers were worn with practically no break at all. Trousers were meant to hang down perfectly straight, with no "sloppy" interruptions in the line. This tradition continues in "preppy" style: the classic East Coast preps still tend to wear their khakis, and even suit trousers, short.

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Marc Chevalier

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I have seen many, many preppies wear trousers with legs as short as those. I've also seen '30s American photos and fashion plates of models wearing their trousers that short. It was even worse in the 'teens and early '20s: practically above the ankles!

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Marc Chevalier

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Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Baron Kurtz said:
Does the drape model description - which you're going to transcribe - prescribe severely tapered trousers?

It prescribes trousers that are higher waisted than the norm, and very full at the thigh. Some tapering from the knee down is also a part of the equation. Such trousers hadn't been seen in men's fashion since around 1912. Unlike the 1912 versions, however, these '30s "drape" trousers had pleats: very full ones, too.


Pants1.jpg



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Shaul-Ike Cohen

One Too Many
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1,176
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.
Even as I child I learned this was how Americans clothed. Always with a slight shaking of my father's head, showing a mix of compassion and incomprehension.
 

Marc Chevalier

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Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
.


See the vertical fold running down the right chest of Mr. Gable's jacket? Sure sign that it's a drape suit:


clarkgable1934ia9.jpg






And there's the telltale vertical fold again, on the far side of Mr. Cooper's right chest:


gc_sized-vi.jpg






And here's the real drape deal:


Morephotos004_edited.jpg






Now, compare the three suits above to the one below (at right). See any chest fold here? Not at all. The fit is smooth, almost tubular. This is clearly not a drape suit:


edwardg.jpg



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Wild Root

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5,532
Location
Monrovia California.
Marc is right, the shorter cut of the trousers was to keep clean straight lines with no interruptions... also, a plus side to this style was that your cuff bottoms wouldn't wear out!

This trend also went beyond the "Preppies"! It can also be seen in the "Jitterbug" trend... yes, not so much in the early 30's but in about 38-46 or so young men who were "Gates" would roll up their cuff a little which gave their pants a very tapered look and, also made them hang above the ankles thus, showing off the ever so trendy stripped socks that American youth loved to wear. Most Zoot Suit's were worn high like this as well! Reason being it was out of the ordinary, it was a way in which they used to rebel and also it offered freedom of movement on the dance floor.

=WR=
 

herringbonekid

I'll Lock Up
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6,016
Location
East Sussex, England
thanks for the 'english drape' descriptions Marc !

i must say, it is a much more subtle thing than i imagined but it makes sense now. and i am definately a non-drape guy. but i must stress that it is my physique that has lead me to this aesthetic. i think fuller shoulders and a 'drape' looks great if you're a big or tall chap like Wild Root but i think it can swamp a slimmer 5' 11" guy like me. the picture of Edward G's buddy is how i like mine to fit.

thanks again.
 

herringbonekid

I'll Lock Up
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6,016
Location
East Sussex, England
it's odd that it should have it's origin in england as i think of an 'english' fitting jacket as being non-drape, i.e. wrinkle-free, and the drape as more of an american look culminating in the 'Holllywood' look. even today i think 'english' means 'fitted' to most people.

also, the added volume for ease of movement...was the 'drape' the beginning of easy-fitting 'comfort' clothing ?
 

Sefton

Call Me a Cab
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2,132
Location
Somewhere among the owls in Maryland
The Baron suggested that I post some of these pictures here. It's a 1940s(?) Blue pinstripe DB suit that I just received the other day. Sorry if the pictures aren't the highest resolution.

bluesuitportrait2mq2.jpg

bluesuitportrait3gr9.jpg

skeletonliningzm5.jpg

Here's a shot of the label. Which of these numbers is the date?
unionlabel2wj2.jpg

Thank you for looking!:)
 

Wild Root

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5,532
Location
Monrovia California.
Buddy, it's such a nice suit! But, you need to button it on the other side!!! You've got it buttoned on the "Ladies" side... men button their coats to the right, not the left.;)

It looks as if it was made for you! Fits like a glove she does! Good job!!!

=WR=
 

Sefton

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,132
Location
Somewhere among the owls in Maryland
Wild Root said:
Buddy, it's such a nice suit! But, you need to button it on the other side!!! You've got it buttoned on the "Ladies" side... men button their coats to the right, not the left.;)

It looks as if it was made for you! Fits like a glove she does! Good job!!!

=WR=
Hey..who you callin' a lady?!;) Ha ha...being left handed always causes some kind of problem...:p

It is a good fit. A little more fitted at the waist wouldn't be bad,but I'm not complaining! Just complaining about this blasted hot weather that's keeping me from wearing it! :)
 

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