Show us your suits

[nightandthecity]

some cool threads Resortes! And cool company too! I met Vicky a couple of years back, we were playing the same gig. Fantastic singer.

 

[Wild Root]

Hey 'root! I discovered we drive the same car ('46 plymouth)!

Get out of town! You're a P-15 owner? How cool is that! When you have a chance, post a few photos of your MoPar in "Vintage car observation" under Observation bar. I started a thread there about vintage cars. What is yours, Special Deluxe or Deluxe? Four door or two?

Ok, now back no track. I think I've been to that shop "That's a Wrap" and found a cool white set of coverall's from Tucker! They were white herringbone twill with Tucker in red on the back. I wanted to get them but, they were a little small! I would have loved to have a set of coveralls from one of my favorite movies!

Wile you're in Burbank, you can also hit Studio City! There you'll find "Play Clothes" and they're a vintage shop that has some good stuff. Some what pricey but, you'll get the real deal and in extra fine shape! Figuring a new suit costs about 200+ you can find a very good vintage suit for the same price there that will last you for a longer time and look 100% better.

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

My new one. Thoughts? dissections welcome. Sorry for miserable pics. These are the pics i used to decide to buy it. Pics of it being worn to appear this weekend ... The second most i've ever paid for a vintage suit - $90

bk

Edit: Pics removed

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Pic of one of my suits

Hello Ladies & Gents,

Will endeavour to get some better pics of my suits soon, but thought I would show you my favourite. You will have to excuse the pose, the photo was taken for a Musical show programme, and I had to look like a brooding, sulky englishman. The shirt and tie aren't really right either. The suit is a 40's steel blue chalkstripe three piece, with a two button jacket, high waisted drop loop trousers, and 6 button 4 pocket vest. This suit is my favourite. I got it from Art Fawcett at Vintage Silhouettes, where I also got my DB 3pc and my Tails. Great shop! They seem to have closed now. Did I miss the sale of the century there? Does anyone know what they did with their stock?

Cheers

Pete

 

[Art Fawcett]

You DID miss the sale of the century Peter. What didn't sell to private clients was auctioned off this last june. All gone!!!

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Hello Art!

Hey Art,

Am grinning from ear to ear. It is so good to hear from you! Was so glad to see you were a member here. Wish I had known about this place earlier!

So what do you think of your suit! Will hopefully do some better shots soon. Can also post some pics of my tails that you sold me, that I got married in, just have to scan them in. Didn't have a digital camera back then!

Missed the sale of the century!!!!! That's an understatement. As we say here in Oz, and something you might have heard the Croc Hunter say BUGGER!!!!

Cheers

Pete

 

[Art Fawcett]

LOL...BUGGER indeed!!! Any shots of the 20's suit? The pin looks terrific!!

 

[Wild Root]

My new one. Thoughts? dissections welcome. Sorry for miserable pics. These are the pics i used to decide to buy it. Pics of it being worn to appear this weekend ... The second most i've ever paid for a vintage suit - $90

bk

$90? You poor man. You over paid! NOT! Dude, you STOLE THAT SUIT! You know, I talked to a vintage dealer today who has some great men's stuff from the 30's to the 60's. His name is Roberto Isola. He's not doing much with the 30's and 40's stuff because it's getting harder and harder to find and, the demand isn't there as much which is good and bad.

You did good man, that's a killer three piece DB! You'll love it I'm sure! Lucky stiff! Curse my tall size ARRG!

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Thanks Root. I can't wait to get this baby back from the cleaners. I now have an example of every union-type tag except NRA (an NRA 3 piece went on ebay for $104 - beyond my $100 cut off). This suit is '36 union tags. A rich blue colour with double double pinstripe, if you know what i mean. Need to get the legs taken up (and - surprise, surprise - the arms shortened).

I have a better "guess the era" suit on the way. I took a risk on ebay and got it for super-cheap. No sizes, no good pics for style. All i know it has a 6 button waistcoat w/ 4 pockets. Cuffed, straight leg pants - and there's a certain roll to the jacket lapel which got me interested. The fabric is what appears to be subtle grey herringbone with a light blue windowpane overcheck. G*d, i don't even know if the suit is single or double breasted. Gambling is Exciting! As is gambolling, but that's a different story ...

bk

 

[Wild Root]

I now have an example of every union-type tag except NRA (an NRA 3 piece went on ebay for $104 - beyond my $100 cut off).
bk

There was an NRA suit? And, it went for 104??? That's cheap! Now, please don't take this the wrong way friend but, if I were you, I'd have had $200.oo for my max bid. NRA anything is really REALLY hard to find. I have three items with this tag. A four pocket vest to a suit, a neck tie and a pair of ivory wool trousers. Say, just out of pure curiosity, what did the suit look like?

Can't wait to see this DB three piece when it's back!

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Say, just out of pure curiosity, what did the suit look like?

=WR=

The NRA suit was chocolate brown 3pc DB. Caramel coloured contrast buttons, i think. It was beautiful ... but had moth issues. My limit for moth eaten suit is $25 to use as patterns when i finally get around to becoming a tailor. If i remember rightly the trousers would have been pretty much unwearable due to moth holes. I've become very picky indeed regarding my eBay purchases. And i'd just received the gas bill for December when that suit was going on eBay. Otherwise i think my self-imposed $100 limit would have been out the window and i'd have gone for it.

c'est la vie.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Scratch that: I was a total a*shole not to go for this suit. Damn i wish i wasn't such a poor graduate student. I just didn't have the cash at the time ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/1930s-NRA-label-Gabardine-3-piece-Suit-Size-36_W0QQitemZ8365342046QQcategoryZ52388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

bk :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

[Wild Root]

that's a $250. suit right there!

Oh BK, I'm sure 5 extra bucks would have not broken you.

You know, I used to be picky with moth damage till I learned about French reweaving. Saved a few suits that way! I buy vintage also because of it's historical significance and when I wear something that has moth holes, no one ever sees them if they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re small. And if some one says: You have wholes in your suit. I answer: You would also if you were 70 years old and made of wool! An NRA suit is truly a piece of history because of it's connections to FDR's new deal and such. The "New Deal" lasted from 1934-1936 I believe. So, when you find that stuff, it's rare and will go to the highest bidder.

You win some, and you lose some.

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, $105 would certainly have broken me.

I agree with your point re. the historical value of the stuff we're buying. Take demob suits (i don't know if this happened in the US). In Britain, everyone coming out of the armed services at the end of WWII got a suit, a hat, and some cash, i think. Unfortunately my grandfather's demob suit fell apart long ago (it was altered for my father - the only suit he owned). I recently got hold of one in my size. I'll post it here sometime. Each piece had the CC41 (civilian clothing 41) utility label inserted since the rationing of fabric was still going on. If you've never seen one, the CC is in the form of two pac-men eating the 41:

The utility clothing scheme was used until 1952, when the last CC41 labels were inserted. I feel a duty to these garments to save them from the scrap heap. The suits are generally mass produced - and quite badly made compared to the suits of the late 30s - but there's a charm to owning something that came from that generation which i am miserably attempting to express in words.

bk

 

[havershaw]

I too felt like an idiot for passing up that suit...but it helped my marriage considerably.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Bespoke Hong Kong Suit

Continued from my previous post:

This is the suit I got made in Hong Kong that was inspired by Bogart's Maltese Falcon suit.

The full wide shot- I am aware of the lack of linen showing. The shirt has shrunken in the wash and meets right at my wrist. I actually think the sleeves could've been 1/4"-1/2" shorter on the jacket. Is it just me or is the jacket a little long, too?

Closeup of the higher v-closure that I like for the longer collars and smaller knots.

I think the shoulders feel a bit too wide, and there is a bit of bunching on the right side.

I don't really understand why there is such a long cord attached to the interior button.
My vintage jackets have buttons fastened with a regular amount of shank.

The back of the jacket.

Side shot of pants

Front shot of pants. They still seem a little bit low to me, and it's not because of the tie.

Sidestraps

Closeup of fabric

 

[bgbdesign]

Here are a few suits-sad some(like the white gab) no longer fit and my son went right past my size.
the white is wonderful,gab wool,patch pockets, nipped waist,very close stitched quality talioring,gusset back with waistband and pleat,button fly trouser and mother of pearl buttons throughout.

The dark blue is super-my favorite banker/criminal suit!
fine worksmanship 1 1/4 pinstripe on navy wool, vest and nipped waist double breasted with waistband and pleated back. zipper fly trousers with reverse pleats,wide leg,and super heavy cuffs.
I'll put up a few more in the future
all the best,
bg

 

[Mr. Rover]

Phew! That navy suit is a beauty! How high does the waist have to be to overlap with that waistcoat??
Someone correct me, but aren't inverse pleats forward facing and reverse pleats outward facing?

Just out of curiosity, what size are you, bgbdesign?

 

[BellyTank]

Nice one Ray! The fabric looks very Vintage from here.
It looks like a vintage job- the pinched waist gives the appropriate
vintage silhouette.
I don't think anybody could say the jacket is too long. Sleeves are fine.
Pants are terrific.
Well done young Sir.

:cheers1:
B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Drool ...

My word, Sirs, those are some fine suits. Belt back blue pinstripe DB! Mr. Deckard will be seeing green for a month

I have a very similar suit to put up later today. Just got it photographed this morning. Mine ain't belt back, though. What era is yonder gangster suit you just posted? Mine is 1936-'38.

Ray: I believe those are 'inverse' pleats on the blue DB. The "open" part of the pleat should face the fly for it to be 'inverse'. As regards your suit, i think the bunching could be due to the movement of the button stance (i believe you said you had the tailor space the bottom four out a bit more?). This would cause some stress on the button you have buttoned. Tailors can correct me on this.

The interior fastening button: I have a J C Penney early 40s jacket that has the long shank. All of my other DBs have the button more tightly attached. i suspect this may be the difference between a jacket when it left the tailor and a jacket which had been worn for a while, had the fastener button broken off and reattached by the missus.

More later. Must attend to my insects.
bk