Any plus four aficianados out there...

[Mike1973]

Following my rather hasty decision to put an old plus fours suit up for sale in classifieds, I was genuinely overwhelmed to see the response it got.
I wear a big baggy pair of plus fours on my vintage racing bikes, and I love the look to bits. But I've never met anyone else who understands them!
Also, I'm a shy fella, and I hate being stared at like I'm some sort of freak
I guess on the bike I'm always on the move, and people are less likely to think I'm a golfer who's lost his way but I couldn't walk down a street in this garb without people gawping

On a 1946 Hobbs of Barbican Raceweight. I'm wearing an old M-41 which were very common as army surplus jackets after the war.

On a 1933 BSA Sports. I struggle to find decent casual shirts, so I usually wear a wartime pullover tropical army shirt. Socks finish the look, but are a bit too 'flash' for me, I prefer my plain dark green ones.

They are proper 1930's cycling plusses, with a re-enforced seat. I've worn them maybe a dozen times since I found them at a cycle jumble for £8 about 5 years ago. The 'drop' is perfect, as big as possible without fouling the chain. they have buttons inside for braces, belt loops, AND two adjusting straps on the sides of the waist! The bottoms have staps, which are incrediblely tight, even on a skinny fella like me!

Any other loungers wear them? Where do you wear them and what sort of reaction do you get? Anyone else love the Tintin look?

 

[Dinerman]

I really like the way they look, but don't own any.
It's good to se someone wearing them.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Lookin' good, Mike1973.

I have 'em and have plucked up the courage to wear them a couple of times. I will only wear them if the Baroness is with me. For some reason, yobbos are less likely to act up if there is a lady present. Man, alone, wearing plus 4s or 2s or 6s is ripe, as they say, for a kicking.

Not something i'd wear alone down a dark alley, shall we say

Ahhhh, intolerance. Dontcha just love it?

Anyway, those brown ones you're wearing seem to have a salmon overcheck. Is this correct? or a trick of the photography/scanning?

bk

p.s. the one you were going to sell was identical to a german one that sold a couple of months ago. I started a thread on it, but the pics are now invalid URLs.

 

[Mike1973]

fabric

I'll post a shot of the fabric when I get a chance baron. It's a brown, cream and dark green weave, with dark red stripes. Pretty colourful close up!

 

[herringbonekid]

i like those argyle socks !
not too flash at all....dashing.

 

[shindeco]

I have a pair of plus twos. I've worn them a couple of times. They are extremely practical but you do get a few gawkers.

 

[scotrace]

Those are fantastic and look really great on you. I like the argyle socks as well.

As an avid cyclist, I can certainly vouch for those being very practical. I have several perfecly good pairs of pants with the cuffs ruined from getting caught in the sprocket.

I don't have any plus-fours.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I just got my first vintage pair, cream linen with a black windowpane check. I really love the style, and I wish it was still in the mainstream. When riding a bike my cuffs have a habit of getting caught in the chain, but plus-fours or knickers never have this problem. You also don't have to worry about your cuffs getting muddy or dirty while in the country or while golfing.

 

[Kostya]

Vintage cycles--an oft forgotten accessory to your wardrobe!

Following my rather hasty decision to put an old plus fours suit up for sale in classifieds, I was genuinely overwhelmed to see the response it got.
I wear a big baggy pair of plus fours on my vintage racing bikes, and I love the look to bits. But I've never met anyone else who understands them!
Also, I'm a shy fella, and I hate being stared at like I'm some sort of freak
I guess on the bike I'm always on the move, and people are less likely to think I'm a golfer who's lost his way but I couldn't walk down a street in this garb without people gawping

On a 1946 Hobbs of Barbican Raceweight. I'm wearing an old M-41 which were very common as army surplus jackets after the war.

On a 1933 BSA Sports. I struggle to find decent casual shirts, so I usually wear a wartime pullover tropical army shirt. Socks finish the look, but are a bit too 'flash' for me, I prefer my plain dark green ones.

They are proper 1930's cycling plusses, with a re-enforced seat. I've worn them maybe a dozen times since I found them at a cycle jumble for £8 about 5 years ago. The 'drop' is perfect, as big as possible without fouling the chain. they have buttons inside for braces, belt loops, AND two adjusting straps on the sides of the waist! The bottoms have staps, which are incrediblely tight, even on a skinny fella like me!

Any other loungers wear them? Where do you wear them and what sort of reaction do you get? Anyone else love the Tintin look?

Mike,

I love the plus fours and the cycles as well. I happen to collect old English roadsters. I have about 5-6 in my collection, some of which are in pieces all over my garage. I have a 1931 Golden Sunbeam roadster (26" wheels w/ rod brakes), a 1940s-era New Hudson ladies 28" roadster w/ rod brakes, a couple of Raleigh DL-1's, some Raleigh Sports, etc. I would love to find some plus fours to wear whilst cycling. Do you know of any good repro sources?

Another question--this is with regard to my thread on "proper shirt collars" a couple weeks back--can you get some more pics of those 1920s-30s detachable collars which you posted? I think the side view is helpful. I want to have these duplicated by a tailor. I tried to contact you privately, but I can't seem to access the private messaging system here. You can send me an e-mail at pieces_ofthe_past@yahoo.com.

Kostya

 

[scotrace]

Kostya -

Make a few posts saying "Nice hat," or something similar. Once you reach 15 posts, you can PM other members.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Woohoo! Just won these on eBay! My first pair of knickerbockers!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=002&item=120022784375&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

 

[Baron Kurtz]

those are nice ones Ray. And a good, reputable seller, too. I've had a few things from him in the past, and will be buying another suit from him presently.

bk

 

[Naama]

I love knickerbockers! But I'm not really sure about buying mans pants (don't ask me why [huh] ).

And, never mind the stares! Just get used to it and you'll learn to love it!

Naama

 

[Baron Kurtz]

i don't mind stares. But stares are often followed by fists. This, i'm not a fan of.

bk

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

If they were good enough for these chaps,...

Then they're allright by me!
If I were a golfer I'd wear 'em too.
They are quite practical for activities that might tend to ruin the cuffs on long trousers too. And really, the only difference between these and some of the big shorts you see all over the place now is the closed ends with socks.
So what gives anyone the right to criticize these? [huh]

 

[Baron Kurtz]

So what gives anyone the right to criticize these? [huh]

well, the same thing (impulse, maybe) that gives people the "right" to roar at transvestites, homosexuals, punks, hippies, etc. The word: difference.

Unfortunately in this land of sartorial pigeonholes - and incredibly (almost unbelieveably) willing pigeons - there isn't really a place for the plus-four-bedecked gent. He is someone to be mocked; pilloried from on high. Conform conform conform. Identity as prescribed by "the clothing industry". Because he is hard to place, and relatively rare, he is more vulnerable to taunting: he has no group within which to protect himself. It's sad to say, but for many people, ridiculing others is the only way in which they are able to affirm themselves, and have any semblance of control over their lives. This is arguably a product of our post-industrial "society", where one is merely a cog in the machine (read: market fluidity; dispensibility). Personality and individuality must be suppressed when they lead one into conflict with the prevailing view. Ridicule (usually in public) of others is a way in which people convince themselves that they are in control, that they EXIST rather than merely being alive.

I think about this alot, as you can see. Being the daily object of such ridicule (quite often merely for appearing androgenous) makes one question such things quite profoundly.

bk

 

[Mike1973]

I think I agree Baron, although it's late here, I'm struggling to stay awake before I turn in. There is a time and place to wear attire like this. Just a shame that I don't play golf, or like a huntin'shootin'fishin...

Before I sign off, just want to post some pics of the plus fours. I did a search yesterday and saw a couple of folks mention converting a pair of trousers. Tricky I think, you'd have to start from scratch because they are so wide. My pair are over 13 inches wide at the knee, and that cracking pair that Ghos7a55asin has just scored look even baggier!

Kostya, I'll try and sort a decent photo of the collar for you. I'll see if I can put a tape measure by it, even better maybe some graph paper.
I've got a couple of roadsters too, but I prefer the 'modern' racers!

 

[Fastuni]

German flecked-tweed knickerbockers/plus-fours.
Completely lined!

 

[Nick D]

WOW! Now that's a fabric! Quite a nice looking cut, too. Could you post a couple more detail shots of the cuffs? This is a kneeband arrangement I haven't seen before.

 

[Rabbit]

Neither have I. A very simple solution, it seems. I imagine the drawstring is just to keep the hem loosely in place with the trouser fabric pulled over it, rather than to securely strap the hem to the leg.