Dark Blue bold DB.

[Forgotten Man]

Picked up a clean double breasted dark blue bold look suit yesterday! Didn't set me back much money at all, it is clean and BIG! I mean, this thing fits me like a post war suit should! It's dated 1951 and is a nice double breasted! Dark blue with a very subtle red windowpane pattern and a ultra subtle light blue four stripe in there.

The pants are very high waisted! The coat is typical post war length, may have it taken up just a hair, but will tailor the coat in just a tad.

I will post some photos very soon! It's a great drape!

 

[Widebrim]

Boy, glad to hear that, Rob! It sounds really solid! I'm a big fan of the Bold Look (despite what its critics say ), and have two suits and one sports coat in that style. Where did you pick it up? Post the pics when you can!

Lee

 

[Forgotten Man]

Yeah, I have a soft spot for the bold look of early post war years... the thing is I find them so comfortable! The pants always are super high and are generous in cut!

I found it in a place down in Orange County.

This will be my suit I'll be wearing for a bit, since I've become a little too BOLD for the other great suits I have. lol

 

[reetpleat]

Yeah, I have a soft spot for the bold look of early post war years... the thing is I find them so comfortable! The pants always are super high and are generous in cut!

I found it in a place down in Orange County.

This will be my suit I'll be wearing for a bit, since I've become a little too BOLD for the other great suits I have. lol

Yes, I would have thought you would lean more towards pre and pending war. But I am sure you will look great in it.

I think that the ones that got too big and baggy is what ruins the whole look i many people's minds. But I love it too.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Oh, I do lean more towards pre-WWII clothes but my scope of appreciation is pretty wide: 1920s to 1950s.

I do have a strong passion for the early 30s, that is my favorite period and into 1939 and 1940... But, I can't always find those clothes in my size... So, I enjoy a good post WWII suit so long it's double breasted and retains a standard cut and look of earlier years. After all, the real important thing is fit and the cloth used! They still made fantastic cloth in the 50s into the early 60s... but, for me the late 50s and into the 60s is just a little too skinny for my taste.

 

[reetpleat]

I was watching the Burns and Allen show a while back, and was amazed to notice that, while the suits were all cut nicely, they were all, on every single man, way baggy in what seemed to be at least a size too big.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Yes, very true! In the early 50s, the trend was to have clothing on the baggy side due to the war being over and fabric being in large abundance!

I know some people in my circle who don't understand the difference between early 40s and late 40s into early 50s... when I've worn proper fitting post war suits, they all say: Man, that suit is WAY big on you! I'd just reply that it's a post war "Bold" suit... they still suggest me see a tailor... the saps! lol

 

[reetpleat]

Yes, very true! In the early 50s, the trend was to have clothing on the baggy side due to the war being over and fabric being in large abundance!

I know some people in my circle who don't understand the difference between early 40s and late 40s into early 50s... when I've worn proper fitting post war suits, they all say: Man, that suit is WAY big on you! I'd just reply that it's a post war "Bold" suit... they still suggest me see a tailor... the saps! lol

Well, authenticity is one thing. But I think they all needed to see a tailor.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Well, authenticity is one thing. But I think they all needed to see a tailor.

lol

In some cases, some men took the bold look a little over board. But, that was the style. I'm a sucker for authenticity. It annoys me when I will wear a post war drape, some just don't understand what it is I'm wearing or they expect every vintage suit to look one way... which is missing the point I think.

 

[Widebrim]

lol

In some cases, some men took the bold look a little over board. But, that was the style. I'm a sucker for authenticity. It annoys me when I will wear a post war drape, some just don't understand what it is I'm wearing or they expect every vintage suit to look one way... which is missing the point I think.

True, many folk don't understand that the drape is supposed to be generous on a BL suit. I've got one early-40s suit; it's beautiful and looks good on me, but it has very little drape. My two BL suits, though, have an abundance of material and still look good. And, yes, some men went a bit overboard with the Bold Look, which in itself was a stepchild of the Zoot Suit.

 

[Widebrim]

I was watching the Burns and Allen show a while back, and was amazed to notice that, while the suits were all cut nicely, they were all, on every single man, way baggy in what seemed to be at least a size too big.

Yeah, that is a common thing you see in even mid-50s photos, movies, etc. The Mr. T look was already well established (at least among younger men), with narrower shoulders/lapels and less drape, but even then many suits remained baggy in appearance. By the late-50s, you see very little of this, culminating in the early-60s, when Minimilism meets the men's fashion world.

 

[Forgotten Man]

By the late-50s, you see very little of this, culminating in the early-60s, when Minimilism meets the men's fashion world.

Oh driver, is this stop 1955? Oh, that's where I get off... down the road is a little to "narrow" and "tight" for me. lol

I know, I know that style seems to be widely appreciated here but, you guys can have it.

Photos to come soon of my pre-stingy post war suit... I think I'll put it on tonight when I get home from work and I'll have Ashley take a photo or two.

Here is a Botany 500 suit ad from 1949; it's not like my suit other than the cut. It illustrates the length of coats of the "Bold Look" period. The hem on the coat to my suit goes beyond to where my hand comes to!

 

[mike]

I believe this is a bold look suit - high end custom made job dated 1949 and has a completely different cut than any of my earlier constructed suits. It's indeed a beauty but the way it lays takes some getting used to when you're used to an earlier style.

I look forward to see what you picked up! As far as the bold look goes, my favorite are the bowties!

 

[Forgotten Man]

:eusa_clap Nice suit!

Photos to come soon!

 

[Forgotten Man]

Man, I wore the suit last night but, forgot my camera on the way to a friend's birthday party... :eusa_doh:

I'll try and take a photo or two tonight, if not just of the fabric!

 

[Widebrim]

Oh driver, is this stop 1955? Oh, that's where I get off... down the road is a little to "narrow" and "tight" for me. lol
Here is a Botany 500 suit ad from 1949; it's not like my suit other than the cut. It illustrates the length of coats of the "Bold Look" period. The hem on the coat to my suit goes beyond to where my hand comes to!

Yeah, I'm sometimes tempted to get off at that stop, too...

Great Botany BL suit, and what a hem! And I bet it sold for about $30.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Seeing the ad is from 1949, I'd almost guess that Botany suit would sell for say, $50+ Seeing after the war there were many who had money and Botany wasn't a real bargan brand.

Today I'm wearing a dark red gab patch pocket leasure coat made by Botany, it's pretty nice!

 

[Widebrim]

Seeing the ad is from 1949, I'd almost guess that Botany suit would sell for say, $50+ Seeing after the war there were many who had money and Botany wasn't a real bargan brand.

Well, that'd be about $450 now, but it's possible...I've got a few Botany ties, and they look good, but they're all made out of wool, which doesn't always tie easily.

 

[thunderw21]

Several late war and just post-war (1944-1947) Botany ads I own have suits priced at $45. The price may have gone up slightly by 1949 so $50 sounds about right.

 

[Forgotten Man]

I was figuring around $45. to $50. Seeing at that time you would be buying a quality suit VS the cheap junk you'd get for $300+ today. Most spend thousands to come close to the quality of that era... and still the details and quality in fabric isn't quite the caliber of the earlier woolens.