1970 or 1929? You Decide !

[Marc Chevalier]

.

It's always fun to be surprised. At a Pasadena thrift store, I found a tweedy blue/grey suit with a belted back. There's a date inside this suit: 1970. Yet most, though not all, of the details -- the jacket's cut, its fabric weave and color, and the look of the belted back itself -- scream late 1920s. Where on earth did this thing come from? Left field?


Below are some pictures that show what I mean. Compare this suit to a REAL late '20s one: the tan grey windowpane piece isn't mine, but it bears a strong resemblance to my 1970 find. What do you think? Odd, yes?



1970:

Circa 1929:

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And here's where you can easily tell that my suit's from 1970:

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

That's wild.

Also very scary, as an unscrupulous forger could conceivably change out the lining and tags from a trashed vintage piece to a 70's repro piece and sell it as vintage to an unsuspecting buyer!
There was apparently a revival of 20's and 30's styled suits in the early 70's, just before disco? Too bad it didn't stick and we ended up with leisure suits instead,...

 

[Rosie]

Great find. That lining IS wild. lol I've bought a few dresses from the 70's that look very much like dresses from the late '30s early '40s. Often, like in the case of your lining, the dress will have the correct cut and fit but oh, the polyester and print.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Nice find! Did it fit?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... an unscrupulous forger could conceivably change out the lining and tags from a trashed vintage piece to a 70's repro piece and sell it as vintage to an unsuspecting buyer!

More often than not, it's the case of an unknowing seller who really thinks that a '70s suit is from the '20s or '30s, and who unwittingly promotes it as such.

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[Benny Holiday]

The 70's jacket is surprisingly close. So there was more to 70's suits than John Travolta scooting around the disco floor in be-flared white?

 

[CharlieH.]

That lining reminds me of a Seinfeld episode where Jerry ruined a suede jacket with a similar feature (only the stripes were white and pink).

 

[herringbonekid]

the back looks very accurate. i know they had that single vent back then (as evidenced on the tan suit) but it always makes a suit look later, since ventless is more typical of the 30s. also, the big leathery buttons don't help. and the top-stitching around the pockets and lapels is just a bit too fat.

 

[Senator Jack]

That is a great find, Marc. The only thing that bothers me about the jacket is the breast pocket - that screams early 70s.

It does seem that for a brief moment that the suit designers of the 70s were on the right track. Watching films produced from 70-73, when there's a scene about bankers, executives, powerprokers, et cetera, I'll occassionally see narrow waists and even high armholes. Unfortunately, they seemed to like to play with the pockets back then - exagerrating the welt and flap or by using some sort of weird tongue and groove system for closure. I use to off-handedly dismiss the era, but no longer, and am keeping an eye out for bargains.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I'm like you, Jack -- I notice the details and am willing to play among eras. Funny thing, I don't mind the flapped breast pocket, and I actually dig the black leather buttons (which give the suit a more tweedy look).

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[Mr. Sable]

I've got a nice teal double breasted pinstripe suit made in '69 that's close enough for me. It has a lot of features seen on your two suits there, Ms. Chevalier.

I'm going to have to wear it to the QM event because there's no way I can find anything truly vintage in less than a month.

 

[Briscoeteque]

I like the lapels more on the 1970's jacket, more angular, but everything else I like more about the 1920's suit, I wish they weren't so rare.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That 30s suit is something else, no? Pleated shoulders and everything! That is my favourite of all lapels: the 20s/30s two button SB that you see above.

bk

 

[Marc Chevalier]

That '30s suit is something else, no? Pleated shoulders and everything! That is my favourite of all lapels: the '20s/'30s two button SB that you see above.

Yes, it's a beauty. Has every detail that comes to mind when one thinks of a late '20s-early '30s suit.

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[Lauren]

The girl in the peanut gallery says "Check out the buttons!"

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The black leather buttons look good, I think. Better in person than in the photo.


I considered using grey/blue bakelite-esque buttons that would match the fabric color, but they sort of faded in and looked bland.


Black woven leather buttons are more muscular, more earthy and tweedy; they're not afraid to stand out. What can I say? They do the trick for me.



P.S.: Buttons are a lot more important to a garment's look than many people realize.

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[Marc Chevalier]

It does seem that for a brief moment that the suit designers of the 70s were on the right track.

Yup. Take a look at this suit jacket from around 1970. Yes, it has some '70s details: long side vents, wide pocket flaps, and no boutonniere holes. But apart from that, check out how much it looks like a suit from the '40s!


Someone could take the jacket to a tailor, close up the vents and add two chest buttons, and it would be pretty darn close to a Golden Era piece.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Here's a blazer from the early '70s. Put black or navy blue buttons on it, shorten the length a bit, and you've got yourself a very passable Golden Era-looking jacket.

 

[herringbonekid]

Yes, it's a beauty. Has every detail that comes to mind when one thinks of a late '20s-early '30s suit.

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it's EXACTLY my size too.