Advice Needed: Looking for a Suit

[Mahagonny Bill]

Hey all,

So, after watching Noir movies for a week at the Seattle Noir City festival, I'm more anxious than ever to get a vintage styled suit. I really want something in a late 40's style, but not necessarily a double-breasted, peak lapel, business outfit. I want something more working class. The kind of suit a post-war plumber would wear on a Saturday night to take his best gal to the movies. Unfourtunetly, due to my "21st Century" frame (48 jacket, 44 waist) a real vintage suit is probably out of the question.

Any advice on where I can find modern suits in large vintage styles? And what kind of terms can I use to describe a "late 40's plumber suit"?

 

[David Conwill]

I haven't tried either of these guys (but I fully intend to when money isn't so tight), but Indy Magnoli and Matt Deckard seem to be the go-to guys around here for quality reproductions of menswear. I'm sure PMing either will give you a good idea of what to order.

As for me, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see what other suggestions crop up.

-Dave

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Demob Suit

I don't know if these were purely a British thing but what it sounds like you're looking for is called a Demob suit. Historians please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe these were given to soldiers from WWII who had just returned from Europe to go back and live their normal lives again, some of which probably included plumbing .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/95/a5875095.shtml

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

I haven't tried either of these guys (but I fully intend to when money isn't so tight), but Indy Magnoli and Matt Deckard seem to be the go-to guys around here for quality reproductions of menswear. I'm sure PMing either will give you a good idea of what to order.

Matt's clothes are very very nice, but they seem to be more 30's influenced than late 40's. Indy has some things in his catalog that are close to what I am looking for and I'm sure he can help me find what I want. I have his "Princeton Tweed" high on my wish list, but it isn't exactly the "working suit" I have in mind.

I was looking around today and found this photo of Robert Mitchum's dope arrest. This is the kind of suit I'm looking for, but I'm not sure how to describe it. I'm also not sure what material the suit has that gives that great drape.

Yes, my goal in life is to look as cool as Bob Mitchum being busted for marijuana

 

[Feraud]

You might want to look for a single breasted suit. It's an underrated classic style. Something in a decent weight should give the drape you are looking for.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

You might want to look for a single breasted suit. It's an underrated classic style. Something in a decent weight should give the drape you are looking for.

Ya, it's definitely single breasted. Now that I know where to look, I found two more pictures from the incident in question.

These shots show the jacket waist a bit more tapered that I thought and certainly much more than the boxy modern suits. What material weight would you estimate was used for this suit? Also, how would one describe the cut of this suit?

 

[Feraud]

Most modern lapels do not accurately reflect the period style but it's worth looking for.
As for fabric weight, I cannot tell what weight Mitchum's suit is but modern suits are terribly light. They tend to crinkle as opposed to drape. You might get lucky to find a flannel with some heft.
I wouldn't bother trying to describe this style to a salesman. Imho, most tend to not know anything other than what they are selling. Do your own research and try to find something that works best for you.

 

[Flitcraft]

"Yes, my goal in life is to look as cool as Bob Mitchum being busted for marijuana"

Bravo, Sir!
I know exactly what you mean!

 

[Flitcraft]

Re: Late '40's suit search...

See if you can find one with patch, vs. flapped pockets and, most likely, no vent.
Trousers were still generally pleated.
Check out Dana Andrew's suits in Laura- I think this might be sort of what you're looking for?

 

[TrueBlue]

If you're in the UK Tesco recently did something remarkably similar to that in wool. I didn't quite get the cut until I saw that picture though - it's length is like a normal suit, sizes all matched me, but it had the look of the one on the right - very low buttons. Rather nice now I see where it's inspiration is from.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Don't count out vintage either...

48" chest x 44" waist vintage suits are definitely scarcer than smaller sizes, but they pop up now and again on e-bay. And, while they do tend to be on the pricey side, but they still cost less than a custom suit.