Suggestions Requested: Portraying a 1947 Vehicle Salesman

[Swing Motorman]

Hello ladies and gents. Your wayward trolley operator finally got on the right track back to the Lounge (err, I mean, got life in order and found some time!)

I'm looking for outfit advice for an upcoming event/presentation. I need to introduce a 1947 trolley car at its dedication, by portraying a sales rep of a trolley building company circa 1947. I'm wondering what sort of clothes and shoes would be plausible.

My "employer" would be the St. Louis Car Co (basic overview here, if anyone's interested I can recommend a much better history in a book.) Not especially traditional nor especially progressive, St. Louis's business culture mostly boiled down to confidence in their build quality. The event is in mid-August, so I'm expecting it to be hot.


Specifically, I'm wondering:

1. Would spectator shoes be worn by a businessman on a customer visit? This is a summer event, so I was leaning towards using them.
2. Which would you think more plausible: vest or no vest?
3. Given the timeframe of May 1947, I'm guessing either more conservative wartime suit styles or early postwar "bold" designs would fit. Am I missing something there?
4. Any specific trends in fedoras for businessmen in the immediate postwar years?

I appreciate any and all suggestions that help me make the best presentation to the event audience!

-Steven


P.S. Wow, it feels good to be back. I had no idea how much I missed this place.

 

[Fastuni]

Basically it wouldn't differ from any outfit a respectable business man would wear at that time.

Search for photos of salesmen from the 1940's...

Louis Horwitz car salesman... photos from 1948.
http://www.hemmings.com/hcc/stories/2015/04/01/hmn_feature8.html

 

[Rabbit]

Business just means keep it subtle and practical. Wearing a bold suit for businesswear in 1947 would be a little too trendy, so if you have a simple late 40s suit, be it a DB or a three-piece SB, I'd recommend that. The DB can have a lower button stance, but in 1947 you'd still find DBs with more conservative button stance - not as low as the suits in fashion, I mean.

Spectators were designed to worn with light colored odd trousers or suits. Unless you're wearing a light grey or tan suit, I'd recommend against it. They're sportswear strictly speaking (very strictly speaking), which is reflected by the trousers that are worn with them - cream trousers or cream suits, for instance, would be considered leisure wear more than town wear, except in hot climates. A light grey suit with spectators would be just fine, I'd say.

Business wear is supposed to uphold a certain amount of formality, although in today's world this is often misinterpreted by making it plain dull. Generally, the smaller the pattern (or no pattern at all) and the darker the color of the fabric, the more formal the lounge suit is. Don't make it too complicated, just wear a reasonably inconspicuous 40s suit, and the same goes for the hat - simple, and not loud.

 

[Dinerman]

This is 10 years earlier than you're looking for, but still an interesting shot showing how car salesmen dressed
http://www.shorpy.com/node/18940?size=_original#caption

 

[tropicalbob]

I think the key to that look is the concern for details. My dad's Uncle Jim had a dealership in N.J. from the twenties through the fifties, and if there's a word to describe his look it would be "immaculate." His shoes were always perfectly shined, the crease on his trousers was like a knife-edge.You could almost say it was the opposite of today's approach.

 

[Swing Motorman]

This has all been quite helpful. Thank you, gents! I welcome more comments if anyone has some. Right now, I'm envisioning a couple potential plans:

- Find a suitable light-colored (off-white, white, very light gray) linen or summer-weight suit, and use with new black/white spectators.
- Use my basic gray SB suit and vest (could pass for a wartime one, though barely) and black shoes. Hope and pray the weather isn't too hot!
- I'm not sure if brown or green would be fitting for the occasion, but if all else fails, I do have an olive DB suit and subtle brown/medium tan spectators that go well together and aren't too hot.

Regardless of which I choose, I agree with tropicalbob's suggestion. Everything will be cleaned and creased to the nines. Well, either wish me luck in my one remaining month of shopping time, or pray for cool weather! :eeek:


-Steven