1920's Light Grey pinstripe 3 button 3 piece peak lapel suit

[herringbonekid]

What do the experts on British tailoring say?

p.s. i would never call myself an 'expert'; the word seems to imply that you've sat the exam, got the diploma and can talk with authority on the chosen subject.
i'm an enthusiast and i'm learning all the time. i also don't know any vintage 'experts' either.

 

[Rudie]

Call it what you want, you are certainly one of the most knowledgeable members of the lounge when it comes to 1920s/1930s men's clothes, especially British garments. In my book the expert is not the one with the exam and the diploma but the one who knows what he is doing and what he is talking about. There are probably not many people alive today who know as much about construction of vintage men's suits as you do.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, expert means "one with experience of a subject", so I guess hbk qualifies.

 

[herringbonekid]

Rudie and Baron,

you know what i mean; with vintage clothing there's always more to find out.
we've all seen 'X' and deduced that they only did 'X' in year 'Y' and that was that...period (as they say in the US).
then we've been proven wrong by subsequent examples.

best to remain humble before the great yawning abyss...
(sorry wrong essay).

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yes indeed; the expert who stops learning swiftly becomes non-expert. I have, frankly, been shocked by some of the fashions and patterns in 1930s editions of Tailor and Cutter. People simply wouldn't believe me were I to tell them what was in there, available - and being actively pushed by the highest end tailors - at the time.

And yes, a confident and knowledgable humility is the best way to go, as I try to convince my students every moment of every day. (doesn't work very often though …)

 

[herringbonekid]

People simply wouldn't believe me were I to tell them what was in there, available - and being actively pushed by the highest end tailors - at the time.

try us !

 

[Baron Kurtz]

How about for starters - a 6x3 double breasted, notch lapel and cutaway fronts with flat fronted skinny trousers. "New for Autumn 1938". the pattern's in there, if you want it!!

 

[Rudie]

For starters? I'd like to hear about the real weird stuff, then!

 

[herringbonekid]

Baron this needs a whole new thread !

 

[Rudie]

I second that!

 

[herringbonekid]

p.s. i'm not making this up... when i saw this suit at the V&A years ago i wondered if the DB cutaway would work for a man:

 

[GoldenEraFan]

Baron this needs a whole new thread !

Third!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It will (that thread) occur, but I need to get back to the British Library Newspaper Archive to get some photocopies. I'm working from notes and memory, here.

 

[Qirrel]

Lots of interesting stuff can be done with the plain old square reefer/double breasted. Fore example:

 

[herringbonekid]

does it work though ? ... that is the question.

or stick to the plain old straight front DB ?

 

[Fastuni]

Most fascinating stuff. The last sketch posted by Qirrel works perfectly for me... the curved front (what's the English term? In German it's "Abstich") one above looks like a oversized SB haphazardly made into a DB.

 

[Two Types]

It will (that thread) occur, but I need to get back to the British Library Newspaper Archive to get some photocopies. I'm working from notes and memory, here.

Are they digitised in the British Library Newspaper Archive? If so, I might be able to access them.

 

[herringbonekid]

what makes the Hardy Amies (1947) women's suit above so good is that it's a very strong shape and the cutaway echoes the exaggerated angle from waist to hip.
on the men's versions posted by Qirrel the cutaways all look a bit half-hearted and not really worth it.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

No - hard copies only so far as I can tell. Were they digitised, I would be able to access them, too. Alas! They've got them all, though, which is nice.

Are they digitised in the British Library Newspaper Archive? If so, I might be able to access them.