Vintage suit patterns

[Big Joe]

Hey yous guyz,

I am new to the neighborhood, but interested in a doing a civilian impression for some WW2 re-enacting. We are heavily into the civil war at this point.
I am trying to find patterns for a man's suit from the era. Any suggestions? My wife is good enough to make the suit and/or I'd have it made.

Here's lookin' at you,

Big Joe

 

[DanielJones]

Hello Joe!

Well, good luck with that. I've been trying to scare up a suit pattern for some time now in my size. About a rare as hens teeth so far. The only thing that I did find is a reproduction pattern from Vogue Patterns for a Zoot Suit. Other than that, I think we're in for a long search.
If you happen to find a good resource please let me know.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I have found a great resource for vintage mens clothing patterns. It has everything from overcoats and such to suits, sporting clothes and eveningwear.

But...it only covers the period from 1902 through about 1917. So if you want a suit of the 'teens style then I can really help you out. But in terms of 20s-40s I don't have any of those.

 

[Daniel Riser]

The only thing you can do is find a vintage suit that's maybe one size to small, and... possibly could be ripped to shreds, and take it to a tailor and have him draft patterns from it. except to pay about $1,000 + not including the material you have to find.

 

[Lauren]

Unfortunately, I have been collecting patterns for about 6 years off and on and have never come across a men's suit pattern! I have occasionally seen jacket or slacks patterns, which could be combined to make a suit, but never a whole suit. The best bet, as Daniel mentioned, is to find a suit in poor condition to use as a pattern. If your wife sews then she can take it apart and draft a pattern from it on pattern paper. Even if it's too small or too large, once you've got the base for it you can have her size it up or down for you. Good luck on your quest!

 

[scotrace]

Good Luck

I've been trying for a long time to find a suit pattern in darn near any size.
A men's sut isn't just sewing, it's tailoring, a huge difference. People didn't make suits at home then just as they rarely do now.
But best of luck! If you find one, you can make copies and sell them all day to hundreds of men here.

 

[CODDCOMMANDO]

YOU DO COME ACROSS VINTAGE PATTERNS OVER HERE IN UK IN SECOND HAND CHARITY TYPE SHOPS!
I WILL KEEP AN EYE OUT THERE VERY CHEAP WHEN YOU FIND THEM ,THERE WERE MORE SUITS MADE OVER AT HOME HERE IN THE WAR YEARS AND JUST AFTER DUE TO STRICT CLOTH RATIONING .
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A SEAMSTRESS DURING WW2 AND HAD MANY MENS AND WOMENS PATTERNS FROM THE 30,S TO 50,S, SHE DIED BACK IN THE LATE 80,S WHAT HAPPEND TO THEM I DO;NT KNOW.

 

[Lauren]

I've been trying for a long time to find a suit pattern in darn near any size.
A men's sut isn't just sewing, it's tailoring, a huge difference. People didn't make suits at home then just as they rarely do now.
But best of luck! If you find one, you can make copies and sell them all day to hundreds of men here.

There's a girl who'd buy a few too

 

[Sin Khan]

Check out this book for a bunch of patterns that can be altered to create a vintage looking suit. Also, study the patterns in the book and go to a museum and check out some of the suits and see where the stock patterns can be altered. Here is a link to the book. It was written about 20 years ago and is from an author that has learned from the good old days of tailoring

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0870054317/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_4/103-8175354-9802227

I just ordered it along with another book about tailoring. you can have a look at the table of contents on amazon.com

 

[Flitcraft]

Man!
Keep us updated!
If they've got any belt-backs, please share!

 

[scotrace]

Well, not exactly

Check out this book for a bunch of patterns that can be altered to create a vintage looking suit. ...

I have this book. It's an EXCELLENT textbook that's meant to go with a college level tailoring course. But the patterns are base jump off points for modern suits. Not 'here are complete patterns for different styles of suit' but instead 'here's a collar tracing you can use to get started making A Collar.' Nothing about creating a vintage look, or how to make a belt-back jacket, or high wasited pants, for example. Extrapolation from the text to do these things would require a pretty deep knowledge gained after several years of practice. It's a training book for people who will become professional tailors, but there's a lot that one needs tp know or be taught through an apprenticeship (once the techniques outlined in the book are mastered) in order to actually create a vintage suit.
I was as excited as you to find this book, but it isn't The Answer, sorry to say.
Great book though. Too pricey on Amazon. My copy was $20 via Ebay.

 

[Flitcraft]

Well, I'm a little disappointed, but at least its good to know.
Thanks, Scotrace.

 

[Sin Khan]

The books just came in and I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m going have to disagree with you bud, i don't see why someone cannot make a vintage suit pattern using the regular pattern in the book because the book teaches you everything you need to know to make a completely new pattern for yourself.

All you need to do is pattern your cut lines like a vintage suit. Of all the info that I have read about suits on here, such as armholes and such, they are less pertinent to a vintage suit than simply a tailor made suit that fits right. Outside of cloth choice and pattern cut, what else is there, a pocket maybe.

I have seen some interesting liners in vintage suits posted on the board, and i am curious about the differences with those patterns in the book. But this book teaches you how to create the pattern yourself, not simply copy the one in the book. I have gone through my suits and can all ready see where cut lines and liner design is different but not much else.

 

[BellyTank]

The easiest way for somebody who is NOT a pattern maker or grader- but can 'make a pattern' to go about this, is to de-construct a garment of the type required. It is a little different talking about a made-up garment compared to a de-construction- a flat set of patterns. In a jacket for example, the more pleats, gathers and darts you add, the wider and more weird shaped the panels become.
It is of course possible to make a construction in card without un-making a jacket but if you're not familiar with seam allowances and allowances for 'shaping' techniques such as darts, gathers and pleats, especially box-pleats and the like, then it could be somewhat of a minefield. But then again, if you're making one garment for yourself and have all the time in the World to experiment and can fit, re-fit and fit again, gathering, pleating and darting as you go, then why not try..?

B
T

 

[scotrace]

Just So BT

If making a vintage suit repop were just making a suit that fits...

But it isn't. Lapels? Quite different from decade to decade (year to year). Pocket placement, shape, stitching, and as BT says, pleats, darts, gathers, gussets, bi-swing, belt back... all skills of a master tailor, and all needed skills to make a proper vintage suit/coat/pants/shirt.
But give it a shot and at the end of the project, you will have learned skills that are beyond price. And then your next attempt will be better, and the next still better, so that one day, you'll have a product that you'll be proud to wear and show off.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I got the cabrera book out from my local library. I agree pretty much with the last two posts. If you want to make a suit that fits, this book is the place to start. But what i really got out of the book was that even doing that is going to be one hell of a job for the untrained.

And then to try to alter patterns without a master tailor to help? Hopefully someone will be able to do it, but wow, that will be verrry difficult.

 

[BellyTank]

Fer instance- if you have a jacket back with a yoke and sewn-in halfbelt, it's gotta surely have a long, vertical box-pleat between yoke and belt- think about the back panel now- you need to 'let-in' the fabric that makes the pleat- into your back panel. If you could have the rest of it partially assembled- the fronts and shoulder/yoke- the sides(side seam) of the front panels should finish where you want the seam- then you can cut an extra wide back panel and start trial assembling it from the centre-top, at the yoke and outward. Pin in your box-pleat at the yoke- ah! but now your gonna have gathering of the back into the halfbelt.
Again start from the centre- you need to put gathers into the halfbelt and below it into the 'skirt' and when all that detail is done, you need to cut to your side seam but it may not be as straight/vertical as you'd guess- it may need to run in a bit to make the belt and gathering work- otherwise you have gathering above and below the belt on your prototype but it doesn't have the tailoring, cinching effect. Maybe the back/side seam isn't straight..?
Maybe the halfbelt is twisted now... Construction is not all straight lines- it's about making a sophisticated collection of compound curves and form-fitting shapes. Of course, this is after you've already put darts in the front...

Don't forget the gathers into the yoke either-

Gotta start somewhere...

You need a tailor's dummy... chalk and lots of pins my man.

B
T

 

[Alan Eardley]

Patterns

BT makes the point about deconstructing an existing garment to make a pattern. That reminds me of an amusing incident that took place in the 70s. I was really into street rods at that time, and a friend (let's call him Garry) used to work for an upholsterer. His boss used to let him use the shop after hours and we'd do tops or interiors for each others' cars (I worked in teh clothing trade at the time). One night we finished off a Model A roadster in smooth black steerhide (with a BIG seat roll like Tom McMullen's) a little early and someone broke out the beer. We were having a good time, when someone suggested that there was enough hide left to make a nice jacket. We didn'y have a pattern and were abiout to give up when our eyes lighted on...the boss's new Levi's 70503 Trucker jacket hanging by the door. With that sense of inevitability that links creative ideas, men and beer, we soon had the jacket unpicked and were cutting the hide using it as a pattern. We just happened to have a twin-needle machine and more beer, so by morning - Voila! A nice copy of a Levi's jacket in beeeautiful smooth steerhide. Now, the problem was that we were less enthusiastic about sewing back together the boss's jacket. So, we had to give him the leather one. Any way, to cut a long story short, recently the guy died (having worn it a lot) and we found that he had asked his wife to give the jacket to Garry, who we had hidden behind when the boss turned in the next day. Now, Garry has put on a little bit of weight in the last 30 years, and I haven't, so I got to keep the jacket. It's beautiful - and very, very grainy...

Alan

 

[DanielJones]

Vogue men's suit pattern

And where is a picture Alan? Hmm?

About a year ago I had seen a pattern for a double brested pants suit put out by Vogue patterns but it was too small. Unfortunately they discontinued that pattern and the search continues. It had a very vintage late 30's early 40's cut to it with the peaked lapels. I'm quite sure if that pattern can be found it could be more easily modified than pulling apart an existing garment. Just because they discontinued it doesn't mean that there are none in circulation. If anyone happens to come across this pattern in a 48R or larger I would be most greatful. The cover of the package shows a man in a navy pinstripe peaked collar suit.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Has anyone tried 'Tailor and Cutter'? They might have produced some patterns back in the day.

I'm going to try to get some on interlibrary loan. My local doesn't have it, though the university does have a fashion history department. They have some good books with some patterns, but mostly 17th-18th century stuff.

bk