Window Pane

[Shanghailander]

I'm picking out fabric for a made to measure suit. My closet is filled with dark blue pinstripes, middle greys, charcoal greys, and one white linen suit. I thought I would go for something different - more brown, and a windowpane.

After a few hours looking around the Fedora Lounge, though, I have seen only a few examples.

Can anyone turn up some photos of vintage suits in the window pane pattern?

I'm considering these two fabrics.



Two button SB two piece suit, pleats and cuffs on pants, ventless jacket

 

[avedwards]

Different colour from the cloths you have, but it shows that windowpane was around back then and very fashionable.

And a 1930s suit that was on Ebay a few months ago.

 

[herringbonekid]

Can anyone turn up some photos of vintage suits in the window pane pattern?

sorry to get pedantic, but those fabrics are glenchecks (or glenplaids, or Prince of Wales checks) rather than windowpane.
a window pane is a much bolder check which stands out against a plainer ground. usually for sports jackets rather than full suits:

or sports suits:

 

[herringbonekid]

here's a Prince of Wales / glencheck:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, pedants unite! The Prince of Wales is a Glenurqhart check with a windowpane overcheck. That it's over a busy base doesn't negate the windowpane-ness of the check.

 

[herringbonekid]

glencheck:

http://www.themerchantfox.co.uk/pro...ing-lengths/london-lounge-chestnut-glen-check

windowpane:

http://www.themerchantfox.co.uk/pro...ing-lengths/london-lounge-chestnut-windowpane

 

[Baron Kurtz]

What, other than a windowpane check, is displayed in chestnut colours here? The large, rectangular, reddish chestnut brown overcheck is a windowpane check, independent of the background.[huh]
Though called something else (to name the combination), this fabric is a combination of two very traditional checks, one of them indisputably a windowpane.

 

[herringbonekid]

Baron, the fact that it has a windowpane in it doesn't make it a 'windowpane'. it's still called a Glencheck, or POW check. that's what you would ask for at the counter.

i'll give you one pedantic point for the fact that there is a windowpane in there somewhere.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I agree. One would never describe a glencheck as a windowpane, but it does often (though not exclusively) contain a windowpane check. Were I to ask for a windowpane swatch book, I would expect a book of solid grounds with contrasting rectangular overchecks.

But, to digress a little, were I presented, as a naif, with a plain black and white glenurquhart but I wanted a bit of colour, I would suggest to the tailor maybe something with a coloured overcheck (windowpane).

 

[herringbonekid]

according to Flusser's glossary, an 'overplaid' (which we can assume is the same as 'overcheck') is a 'block figure pattern superimposed upon a smaller plaid or other type of design'.
i stand my pedantic ground that a windowpane is over a plain background, like the ones in my first post.

anyway, i'm sure the opening post of this thread means 'glencheck'.


edit.. actually his first swatch is more of a shadow plaid. i didn't look closely enough. still not a windowpane.

 

[Two Types]

A can of worms has been opened here!

 

[Tomasso]

Yes, and I'm not having any.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I'll leave this here, I think.

But, thinking more about the etymology … the pane would be in the centre of the rectangular checks. So this should surely have originally been named a "windowframe" check.

 

[herringbonekid]

yes, and 'windowpane' would actually be an invisible design.

terminology aside, i'd love to get some of that Fox LL windowpane and do a belted back number similar to this:

if only i could justify £240 for two metres of fabric. [huh]

 

[Tomasso]

if only i could justify £240 for two metres of fabric. [huh]

I've learned to pay up for the cloth I really want rather than settling for a less costly option. I've had too much stuff go underused because I didn't really love it and that's to me that's the definition of expensive.

 

[herringbonekid]

A.C. apart from some Ardalanish tweed, i've only used vintage 30s-40s suiting, so i've been spoilt by the quality and the price. don't worry, there's no way i'd buy something cheap and modern.
this LL Fox cloth is really the only modern cloth i've seen that has same quality as vintage. i'm just annoyed that it's got this 'luxury' price tag.

 

[Tomasso]

HBK, have you visited W. Bill to peruse their vintage stock?

 

[herringbonekid]

no, i heard that it's not open to the public and you have to be 'accompanied by a tailor'.

 

[Two Types]

Doesn't Barmey count as a tailor now?

 

[Tomasso]

no, i heard that it's not open to the public and you have to be 'accompanied by a tailor'.

I think that's something somebody put out so the place doesn't get stampeded by iGents. I've got in without a tailor and know several others who have as well.