Deadstock 1940's Towncraft DB Suit - 46 Extra Long

[HardBoiledMarlowe]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-1940s-Towncraft-Clothes-Pin-Stripe-DB-Gangster-Suit-Deadstock-extra-pants-/121030894525?pt=Vintage_Men_s_Clothing&hash=item1c2e00e3bd

 

[Rudie]

Wow. This should go quickly and fetch a good price. It's for a huge guy.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

W00T! I just won the auction . Now comes the terrible decision...Do I take it to the tailor, have it fitted, and wear it or try to preserve it as a collectible. Since it is nearly impossible to find vintage suits in my huge size it will probably be the former. Any opinions?

 

[Matt Crunk]

Congratulations. I'm envious. It's not often you find true vintage in the larger sizes, especially still with tags. What a find! If I had seen this auction sooner you would have been bidding against me for it. I'm a 48R, but a 46 is close enough to gamble on a fit. I would absolutely wear it.

 

[AntonAAK]

W00T! I just won the auction . Now comes the terrible decision...Do I take it to the tailor, have it fitted, and wear it or try to preserve it as a collectible. Since it is nearly impossible to find vintage suits in my huge size it will probably be the former. Any opinions?

Clothes are for wearing. Wear and enjoy.

Congratulations.
Anton

 

[Mario]

Clothes are for wearing. Wear and enjoy.

Amen!

 

[Guttersnipe]

Yes, I always get a kick out of vintage dealers trying to get astronomical premiums for deadstock items. As a friend/vintage dealer says, "right, it'll be deadstock for all of five minutes until I clip the tags and try it on!" (Imagine that with a lovely midlands British accent).

Wear that suit with pride a us a decent hanger!

 

[HardBoiledMarlowe]

W00T! I just won the auction . Now comes the terrible decision...Do I take it to the tailor, have it fitted, and wear it or try to preserve it as a collectible. Since it is nearly impossible to find vintage suits in my huge size it will probably be the former. Any opinions?

Congratulations! I thought about bidding but I think the jacket would be too long. If it were mine, I'd wear it and hang on to the tags and brochure. Enjoy!

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

Thanks for the support everyone! I don't see how I could not wear this suit. We will see how close the fit is once I get it. I'll ask my taylor to save as much of the material as possible during the fitting and preserve the labels as well. I'll be sure to post pictures once it's ready to wear.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

Gorramit! I got the suit, but the jacket was too tight in the shoulders for me to wear.

I was tempted to hang onto it as a "If I loose 10 lbs it might fit" suit, but that never works. It is on it's way back to the seller who was gracious enough to accept a return. Keep an eye out for a new auction f the other bidder doesn't take the "Second Chance" offer.

 

[kyboots]

Since when is a 46L "Huge"? In basketball country it is normal size. --John

 

[Rudie]

Not in the 40s. People back then were rather underfed on average. Plus, they weren't sitting all day munching junk food. More physical activity, less food and healthier food. I bet the percentage of obese people was much, much lower in the 40s than now.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Not in the 40s. People back then were rather underfed on average. Plus, they weren't sitting all day munching junk food. More physical activity, less food and healthier food. I bet the percentage of obese people was much, much lower in the 40s than now.

Rudie, I would say that, in the U.S., it wasn't so much an issue of folks being underfed or eating healthier foods so much as it was an issue of folks eating smaller portions. Take for example the quintessential American beverage, Coca Cola. Until the 1950s, Coke bottles were usually 6.5 ounces (~190 ml), which translates to ~80 calories; today the average American Coke bottle is 20 ounces (~590 ml), which translates to ~240 calories (while Coca Cola brought out the bigger "King Size" and "Family Size" bottles in the 50s, as the names imply, they were intended to share, not for a single person to consume in one sitting . . . ).

 

[BigFitz]

Gorramit! I got the suit, but the jacket was too tight in the shoulders for me to wear.

I was tempted to hang onto it as a "If I loose 10 lbs it might fit" suit, but that never works. It is on it's way back to the seller who was gracious enough to accept a return. Keep an eye out for a new auction f the other bidder doesn't take the "Second Chance" offer.

Sorry to hear it was too tight.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I could see from the measurements it could be tight in the shoulders. The cut of the suit makes a difference. Just like todays suits one manufactors cut is different from anothers.