Building a WWII era British Suit: the details?

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Aha! Well, don't make it look like the one slicedbread posted. That's very very non-British. Couldn't be less British.

The trousers are clear even to me, but what are the telltale details in waistcoat and jacket?

 

[cookie]

A Wooster suit for the URLs

1930s pants

click on the URLs at the top of the pix and right click copy and then transpose - paste.

 

[PADDY]

Famous Five

Famous FIVE buttons and lashings of Ginger Beer.

Hullo Paddy,

How many boutonnes on yonder waistcoat?

bk

 

[Sefton]

Thanks for the pics Paddy. I went to my tailor yesterday and spent 3 hours with him getting measurements,looking at vintage menswear catalogs,picking fabrics,buttons,and generally talking about vintage clothes.

I'll be back about mid December for the first fitting and if all goes well the suit will be ready shortly after that. As for fabric, I went with a grey Donegal tweed. I will list all the other particulars after it's finished and I have photos to show.
Cheers.

 

[GBR]

I am researching a slightly later period for an English suit. I have had some considerable help here and other research suggests the following

There should only be one inside breast pocket in the jacket on the right. You could have a ticket pocket on the inside left - fairly high up though for both. Much higher than a modern suit.

The watch pocket on the right of the trousers should be roughly 5+ inches wide and must be with a flap. It would be for cash not a watch.

Button fly and cut high

None of these are negotiable!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Just one issue would be the optional inner ticket pocket. Should be on the left, but should be quite low. The ones i've seen are positioned just south of the fastening (waist) button. I've never seen a high-placed one. Hope i didn't mislead you inadvertantly, GBR.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The trousers are clear even to me, but what are the telltale details in waistcoat and jacket?

Only really because i've never seen a golden era British suit that is cut like that. The example we're discussing is almost the quintessential American 1930s suit. The SB 2 button with those lapels - lots of curve, relatively low fastening - and those natural shoulders (British shoulders of the mid 30s tended to be squarer, more padded) is the über-American cut of the 1930s. No-one else seems to have been doing anything quite like it.

This is, without a doubt, my favourite jacket cut of all time.

Or this may just be my impression.

I've just recently picked up a suit made in 1940 by an Irish tailor for a Japanese customer which freely, almost with gay abandon, incorporates features of British and American tailoring. It's quite the little beast.


bk

 

[mike]

I've just recently picked up a suit made in 1940 by an Irish tailor for a Japanese customer which freely, almost with gay abandon, incorporates features of British and American tailoring. It's quite the little beast.

This is, without a doubt, my favourite jacket cut of all time.

bk

And pictures are being posted where?!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Show us your suits. Where else?

Just out of it's box, so pics may take a wee whiley. It's great. In an almost identical fabric to a suit i sold a long time ago because it didn't fit me. Seems to have been almost unworn . . . made for Japanese customer, in California (I forgot to state that it was made in San Jose), in 1940. Hmmmm, wonder why he didn't get to wear it much?

bk

 

[GBR]

No i had understood you to mean about 10/11" above the bottom of the jecket - you do see some modern suits with it as low as 6/7".

I am researching a slightly later period for an English suit. I have had some considerable help here and other research suggests the following

There should only be one inside breast pocket in the jacket on the right. You could have a ticket pocket on the inside left - fairly high up though for both. Much higher than a modern suit.

The watch pocket on the right of the trousers should be roughly 5+ inches wide and must be with a flap. It would be for cash not a watch.

Button fly and cut high

None of these are negotiable!

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Only really because i've never seen a golden era British suit that is cut like that. The example we're discussing is almost the quintessential American 1930s suit. The SB 2 button with those lapels - lots of curve, relatively low fastening - and those natural shoulders (British shoulders of the mid 30s tended to be squarer, more padded) is the über-American cut of the 1930s. No-one else seems to have been doing anything quite like it.

This is, without a doubt, my favourite jacket cut of all time.

It's beautiful. The lapels are really large and high at the upper end, maybe even on the verge for my taste, but the proportions are right.

With the buttons where they are, I suppose it looks best either open or with both buttons fastened; somehow I see flaring mid-19c skirts when only the upper one is buttoned.

 

[Lawman]

Where can we find Wooster's wares?

 

[Orgetorix]

Where can we find Wooster's wares?

On ebay, occasionally, seller name mr.wooster.

 

[Annixter]

I'm dusting off this thread because it's the closest I can find to my questions. I am on the verge of purchasing a British tuxedo (as in white-tie) with a dated label of January 1939. It is a gorgeous piece made of fine wool. I believe the lining is cotton sateen. My question for you WWII era British suit aficionados regards their material quality. Knowing that Britain entered the war in late 1939, I'm curious if I should be concerned about the tuxedo's material quality due to potential early rationing (if such a thing affected the market that early in the war). Of note, all the buttons are vintage resin (I'm assuming original) instead of fabric-covered metal. In short, while I see no issues with the visible quality, would it be wiser as far as the hidden material quality goes to look for a tuxedo older than 1939? Also, were resin buttons common on late-30's British tuxedos as opposed to fabric-covered buttons? While my answer seems self evident in that the tuxedo looks to be very nice quality, I'd rather get some other opinions before spending the money.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

There were no fabric restrictions in early 1939, so far as I'm aware.

There was, of course, a range of fabric qualities based on the price of the garment and quality of tailor. Just as Savile Row was producing white tie attire, so was the Houndsditch Warehouse Co. Ltd.

Impossible to know until you get it, but no reason to worry beyond the standard worries of sight unseen garments.

bk

 

[Qirrel]

I don't think you have to worry. Even if there were restrictions (in production of the cloth) at the time, I think it is probable that the suit would have been made from wool produced before the restrictions applied. I can't remember where, but I did read that the Savile row houses had stocks of pre war cloth that they used to make suits during the war and in the years after. I also don't think resin buttons were uncommonly used. I have had two British dinner jackets, both pre war, and they both had polished resin buttons. (And if it is of any significance, most of the Norwegian dinner jackets and tailcoats I find do not have fabric covered buttons.

 

[Annixter]

Much appreciated insight gents.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I've heard that in the late forties - early fifties "genuine prewar" material was something to be sought out in England.

When wartime restrictions came in I don't know but I understand there was strict rationing of material and all tailors and manufacturers were limited to "austerity" designs meant to conserve cloth. I don't know what the restrictions were but I think the "austerity" suits were obvious at a glance.

 

[Two Types]

"I don't know what the restrictions were but I think the "austerity" suits were obvious at a glance."

That is the theory, but in practice there could be variations. For example: due to fabric restrictions, suits were supposed to be made without turn ups. However, that was simply avoided but ordering trousers that were too long - thus leaving excess fabric with which to create a turn up. Hey presto - restrictions (and austere unifromity) avoided.

 

[herringbonekid]

there is some discussion of austerity regulations in this thread starting about here:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ng-the-codes&p=1358842&viewfull=1#post1358842