GABARDINE SHIRTS

[Kahuna]

It's funny this topic should come up. Just yesterday I downloaded a picture off ebay and was preparing to ask whether there were any modern makers of this style of shirt. This has been my favorite style of shirt for as long as I can remember but my wife and I clothe ourselves mainly through thrift stores and only once have I been able to score one. The gab shirt on CadZoots may well be "worth it" when it come to attention to detail & fit but keep in mind these shirts were once mass produced at much more reasonable prices. We sponsor kids through Children International and I have a hard time justifying buying a shirt for $150 when I could have sponsored 6 kids for the same amount. I've talked to others who really like this style of shirt. I guess I'll just have to wait for them to come back into style so they filter back into the thrift stores.

 

[resortes805]

Online you can find. . .

Cad Zoots
www.cadzoots.com

Swanky's Vintage
(they are not displayed on their website, but they do make them, you probably would have to email or call them.)
www.swankysvintage.com

Repro Vintage Clothing
http://www.reprovintageclothing.com/

Geronimo's in the UK also makes them, but their website is down.

DL Cerney in New York is also a good shop, but they have no web presence.

Wow, that post is 5 years old.

Since then a handful of other companies have begun to reproduce these shirts:

Magnoli:

Ol' Woogies:

Dry Bones from Japan (which has been reproducing vintage fashions for a LONG time): http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/speedway-shop/cabinet/00537785/ds-1791-1.jpg

Tarantula:

Acme Retro:

Juke Jive:

... and others.

 

[kools]

Of those three, Ol Woogies looks the most convincing. Have you seen one?

I was wearing one of my cadzoots yesterday; I have come to really like. You wouldn't confuse it for any of my vintage ones, but might be "nicer" in construction.

 

[YETI]

To justify the pricing, back in those days labor was dirt cheap and technology expensive. Today it's the other way around. Anyways, as far as repro gab shirts go, I'd say D.L. Cerney stays truest to form and quality. I found one at a Salvation Army a couple of years ago and it even had the selvage behind the placket.

 

[Dapper Dave]

If you look at the famious 1940s photo's of Bugsy Siegel he is wearing a gab shirt. There is one photo where he is standing, and does not have a tie. Its a loope collar gab shirt that he has buttoned. The most famous one is where he is smoking the cigar and has a tie on. In both photo's its the same shirt. Also there is a photo of his friend allen smiley wearing a large collar gab shirt in a suit Johnny Stompanato style.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Not to be too much of a wet blanket but in my opinion, right now, there really isn't anyone that I know of making really first rate reproductions gabardine shirts - or any of the classic 50's gab leisurewear, for that matter!

The main problem is always the fabric. The clothes used by most all reproduction companies just aren't right. To get that classic 40's - 50's gab drape you really need a rayon or rayon blend cloth; nothing else is quite like it. The trouble is polyester has replaced rayon as the cheap synthetic to use in blends and rayon gabs are very hard to find/expensive. Most of the repop lines I've run across are either made from wool/polyester blends, which look dead wrong, or use 100% wool, which is more accurate, but still doesn't have the same look (unless it's a VERY expensive high end fabric).

Old Gold and Geronimo used to make very good reproductions, but both are alas no more. Dry Bones comes very close, but is very pricey and has a rather small selection. The King also comes very close, but again is rather expensive (which begs the question, why not buy an original for cheaper?). Some of Swanky's offerings, especially his newer ones, are pretty good, too. I know when I finally saw Cadzoots shirts in person for the first time I was really disappointed.

 

[flat-top]

I'll echo a few others, and say that DL Cerny shirts are pretty amazing. I have a couple and you really almost can't tell them apart from originals. When Geronimo was around, ALL of their stuff was top notch. They used the correct material; their gabardine felt like gabardine. Cadzoots shirts are ok, but like Kools said, they won't pass for vintage. If you just want the style, they'll work.
With the 40's-50's vintage market being so rough right now, you could certainly score some originalshirts for a fraction of the price from when this thread was first started!

 

[Dapper Dave]

I picked one up the other day for $20. It was a yellow loop collar with the flap pockets. It was also NOS so its still new. I sould get it back from the cleaners today. Oh yeah and Swankys vintage is not online anymore. He now sells his clothing on ebay or at showes. He will be at Viva this year.

 

[kools]

NOS for $20, I'll take 5 or 10, please.

 

[repeatclicks]

Ill agree with the above and say it has everything to do with the fabric, and of course the cut. Cad Zoots and many other modern reproductions are a massive disappointment, so I don't buy them. All of mine are original vintage pieces, nothing else comes remotely close.

Ol Woogies just started doing his version late last year and are most likely limited editon so you won't see them around forever.

The most I have paid for a plain gab shirt was $50. I've gotten very lucky over the past couple years and managed to find them in the rare colours, quite a few of them deadstock. I'm a small guy though so that helps!

 

[Dapper Dave]

I just picked up a heavy Gabadine shirt for $15 at a vintage sale. Its a late 1940s style tan shirt with the flap pockets and the long pointed loope collar. These are getting harder to find especally the late 40s styles.

 

[kools]

I have been keeping my eye open for a while...looking closely for a late '40s style shirt in a white, cream or tan. I'm having a tough time finding anything...1) my size 2)in the colors I want. I already have enough other colors & my light neutrals get the most wear 3)decent condition. I would prefer vintage, but I'm feeling compelled to buy another cadzoots or try ol' woogies if I can't find a decent vintage shirt that meets my criteria.

Mister Dapper...you seem to be doing well for yourself in the shirt department lately.

Does anyone have an ol'woogies shirt?

 

[Dapper Dave]

I started my Vintage collection with these types of shirts. When I was stationed in on the east coast I would find them in Vintage Shops. Some in really good condition. Rusty zipper.com has some for a decent price. I always love wearing these 40s sport shirts. Real comfortable and classy.

 

[Guttersnipe]

. . . Does anyone have an ol'woogies shirt?

The gab shirts Ol'Woogies are doing look REALLY good. The fabric they are using is tencel, which similar to vintage rayon, is made from wood pulp. The gabardines woven from tencel that I've seen, above and beyond, have definitely come the closest to replicating the vintage feel of old cloth.

I too would be very interested in hearing back what people think of these. I'd have ordered some already except I'm no that into the color offerings currently on the site.

 

[djgo-cat-go]

The gab shirts Ol'Woogies are doing look REALLY good. The fabric they are using is tencel, which similar to vintage rayon, is made from wood pulp. The gabardines woven from tencel that I've seen, above and beyond, have definitely come the closest to replicating the vintage feel of old cloth.

I too would be very interested in hearing back what people think of these. I'd have ordered some already except I'm no that into the color offerings currently on the site.

I agree about the colours they offer: light yellow and light blue... just don't make the shirts very versatile. I would like to see more natural colours..

 

[Guttersnipe]

I agree about the colours they offer: light yellow and light blue... just don't make the shirts very versatile. I would like to see more natural colours..

They do offer neutrals like white and sand/beige in both there 40's and 50's cut, but yeah, I know what you mean. How about burgundy, black, medium blues or both styles in red?

 

[flat-top]

http://www.mybabyjo.com/Leading-Man-Pink-w-Pink-Stitch-Leading-Man-Pink-w-Pink-Stitch.htm