Another "Holy Grail" suit up on Ebay- a full edwardian sack suit.

[Qirrel]

There is much photographic evidence showing older men wearing the style of their day standing aside younger men wearing the current styles. There is a tendency around here to think that there was a clear distinct division of style periods; that people would throw out all their dated clothes and buy into the newest style of the day. Not so, there was always a mishmash of periods worn on the street as many were either resistant to change or couldn't afford the change. And tailors would regularly make the old styles for their older clients who were not interested in the newer styles.

Of course, but there wouldn't have been many old men left in, say 1920, to buy this suit, which could pass for something from the 1880s. I'm just saying that it is unlikely to be from anything after the edwardian period, since anyone wishing to have this style made after that would have to be very specific about it. If you went to a tailor in 1920 and asked for a suit, you would not get this.

 

[Two Types]

If you went to a tailor in 1920 and asked for a suit, you would not get this.

Why not? I went to a tailor in 1992 and had them make me a suit in the style of 1952 (copied from a photograph of an uncle's wedding in that year).
Also, if as a man of fifty, you went to a tailor you had been using thirty years (i.e. since 1890) and asked for your 'usual suit', that's what you would get. After all, the word is bespoke: you get what you ask for.

I think what we really need to see is a good quality, close up photograph of the tailor's label. I am sure that would give us a better idea of the period.

 

[Qirrel]

Why not? I went to a tailor in 1992 and had them make me a suit in the style of 1952 (copied from a photograph of an uncle's wedding in that year).
Also, if as a man of fifty, you went to a tailor you had been using thirty years (i.e. since 1890) and asked for your 'usual suit', that's what you would get. After all, the word is bespoke: you get what you ask for.

I think what we really need to see is a good quality, close up photograph of the tailor's label. I am sure that would give us a better idea of the period.

I meant: If you went to a tailor in 1920 and asked for "a suit", no more specifications, you would not get this. If you said: "I want this old style suit", then you would of course get that.

 

[Guttersnipe]

There is much photographic evidence showing older men wearing the style of their day standing aside younger men wearing the current styles. There is a tendency around here to think that there was a clear distinct division of style periods; that people would throw out all their dated clothes and buy into the newest style of the day. Not so, there was always a mishmash of periods worn on the street as many were either resistant to change or couldn't afford the change. And tailors would regularly make the old styles for their older clients who were not interested in the newer styles.

Here, here! That's the phenomenon of what I call "the vintage old guy's suit."

A few years ago, I bought some suits at the estate sale of a man who's father fled Germany in 1933. The father was a doctor and already middle aged when he came to the US. Most of his wardrobe was dated bespoke pieces spanning the early 30's through mid 50s. Stylistically, though, everything stopped evolving about about about the late 30s.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

.
Remember those vintage bespoke "Stadler & Stadler" suits that I picked up recently? The ones made for the New York stockbroker? Everything about them screams 1930s: the type of wool and lining, the silhouette and dimensions, the construction, the details.


When I first saw and examined them in person, I was certain they were from the '30s, or '40s at the latest ... and I'm not easily fooled by such things. Then, I looked at the tailor labels ...


Every one of those suits had been bespoke made for the stockbroker between 1961 and 1966. Every one.

 

[Guttersnipe]

It really common sense. Just look at old guys now. My dad dresses circa 1989 in perpetuity . . .

Lots of guy never change their taste after turning about 50 (or retiring). My grandpa did the same thing. He was always a stylishly well-dressed man who loved Roos Bros, Oxxford and bespoke suits, but after about 1974 he never progressed any further.

 

[Fidena]

Of course, but there wouldn't have been many old men left in, say 1920, to buy this suit, which could pass for something from the 1880s. I'm just saying that it is unlikely to be from anything after the edwardian period, since anyone wishing to have this style made after that would have to be very specific about it. If you went to a tailor in 1920 and asked for a suit, you would not get this.

I think 1880's might be a bit too far back. Didn't they button up almost to the neck back then?

 

[Cobden]

One thing which I find a tad odd is the colour: an all black suit wouldn't have been worn by someone from the middle and upper classes during this period - (if black was worn, it would have been with cashmere striped or spongebag trousers, and definitely not with black trousers). Black was also rather uncommon amongst the working classes (it was a rather more expensive colour then blue or brown), and the detailing rules this out - to "fussy" for a working class suit. it almost makes me wonder if it was for wear by a domestic servant (who, in some housefolds, would indeed wear all black) or as a uniform of some description

 

[Qirrel]

One thing which I find a tad odd is the colour: an all black suit wouldn't have been worn by someone from the middle and upper classes during this period - (if black was worn, it would have been with cashmere striped or spongebag trousers, and definitely not with black trousers). Black was also rather uncommon amongst the working classes (it was a rather more expensive colour then blue or brown), and the detailing rules this out - to "fussy" for a working class suit. it almost makes me wonder if it was for wear by a domestic servant (who, in some housefolds, would indeed wear all black) or as a uniform of some description

The majority of edwardian/turn of the century suits I have seen on ebay and other places have been black, but this could be because black was seldom worn and the suits thus survived until today. The notion that black suits are only for undertakers, which seems to be all over certain internet fora today, was not really established back then.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Maybe he was reffering to the 1930s? I think black was very common in the edwardian era.

 

[Qirrel]

Maybe he was reffering to the 1930s? I think black was very common in the edwardian era.

That makes sense.

 

[Dinerman]

Black was also common in the '30s.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

$475 and 2 offers already. Don't anticipate this being up for very long.

On the contrary: it was up for the entire week, and sold for $350 ... a good deal less than the $475 "Buy-It-Now" price. Did anyone here win it?