GASP! HOLY GRAIL of 40s Suits: Dated SB Peaked Lapel Action Belt Back Pinstripe Suit!

[pdxvintagette]

AND IT ENDS TOMORROW, 2/10 at 4PM Pacific Time, sharp on the dot!

This is hands-down the best vintage suit I have ever laid eyes. Or likely, ever will, in my career. There's almost no special feature it doesn't have.
OKAY! The auction link is: THE SUIT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR

Here's a few photos to whet your appetite! I would really love to see this go to a Lounger. Also, it is navy, not black. A really rich, very blue navy.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Wonderful! What size is it? Chest circumference of jacket? Jacket length? Waist circumference of pants? Inseam of pants? Thanks!

 

[pdxvintagette]

It's a 42R - ish.

Here's the measurements from the listing - oh, and I did mention that it is practically perfect?

Jacket: Chest (measured inside): 44"; Waist: 40"; Shoulder-to-shoulder: 19; Shoulder-to-cuff: 24 1/2"; Length: 28 1/2" (from nape of neck) 30" (from top of collar)

Pants: Waist:32 1/2"; Inseam: 29 1/2"; Outseam: 41 1/2"; Cuff: 17"; Thigh 28" Rise: 12"

There is an allowance of 3 1/4" of fabric at the back of the waistband, of which 2 1/2" could be used to alter the pant size. There is 1" of fabric at the cuff of which approximately 3/4" could be used to alter the pant length.

 

[Tomasso]

I would call it a 40.

Yep, and probably closer to a Short.



Here's a good primer on measuring a jacket.

 

[reetpleat]

Still a beautiful suit. The difference in price between 40 and 42 is big, but it still should fetch a great price.

 

[anon`]

Good God!

Things like this make me stop and ask... why the hell am I not independently wealthy?!

(Then it occurs to me that it's probably because of things like this.)

 

[pdxvintagette]

Here's a good primer on measuring a jacket.

Ouch. My estimate might be off slightly, but my measurements are good, even conservative, and I'm quite sure I know how to take them properly. I was taught to measure across from the inside because it is slightly more conservative. I've always had really good feedback from my ebay suit sales for accuracy. Ask Anon! He's bought from me before - I'm not some silly girl throwing up inaccurate vintage listings, I promise.

*Edited to add: however, I did miss 1/2" in the pants inseam measurement. The inseam is 30" - just barely, but there. If the cuff were sacrificed, they could be taken out to NEARLY 32", allowing for a minimal hemline.

 

[scotrace]

Quite a garment. Amazing combination.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Now is a tough time to sell vintage suits on eBay ... which is why I'm holding back on selling 'em. Winning bid prices have dropped by at least a third, and some sellers have reacted by not offering suits until the market improves ... or by setting high reserves / opening bid prices / Buy-It-Now prices.


HOWEVER ...

Pdxvintagette's suit is so extraordinary, it will fetch a tidy sum -- even in today's market. As well it should: this piece is rare, rare, rare. The combination of single-breasted + peak lapels + belted back with inverse box pleat + pinstripes is virtually unheard of. The Holy Grail indeed! :eusa_clap


I wish Pdxvintagette the very best, and reckon that her auction's winner will have large pockets and a Japanese address.

 

[pdxvintagette]

Aww, thank you Marc! I certainly hope so - I admit that I spent as much as many good suits are ending for right now in order to acquire it. But, excluding my very temporary ownership, the next buyer will be only the second owner of the piece - it stayed in one family, stored in the same 1930's wardrobe for its entire existence. I wanted to share more provenance in the auction, but it got too wordy. The owner's son said that his father had it made to celebrate a big promotion at work. It is dated 10/7/1941, and as my bf pointed out, how many times do you think he got to wear it before he went to war?

 

[Tomasso]

Ouch. I'm not some silly girl throwing up inaccurate vintage listings, I promise.

I assure you that I was harboring no such thoughts when I posted the primer. I just happen to think that it's valuable tool that could be of benefit to those of any level of experience. Good luck with the auction.

 

[Guttersnipe]

You guys are so lucky this suit doesn't fit me...

....I mean really, com'on, if your girlfriend finds a suit this awesome, it ought to fit you right? The vintage gods can indeed be cruel, this puppy is heart breakingly close to my size!

But seriously, some of these estimates on size are a little off base.

The formula some people use that takes the chest circumference and subtracts 4" to determine the size only really holds true if you want a more modern fit.

Also, as someone with a 30" inseam and a 24 1/2" sleeve, I'll tell you, I've never bought a suit labeled a short (I'm not short...I swear)

 

[Feraud]

That is a beautiful suit. Good luck on the auction!

 

[mike]

I'd love to see a close up of the pleats below the back belt!

I always viewed pin/chalk stripes as a more business look while the belted back as more casual, very cool mix here indeed!

The origins of the business in the front, party in the back concept!? haha

 

[mike]

And it's interesting to note how low the sleeves extend compared to the bottom of the jacket. I think that there was significantly less of a rule about where the bottom of a jacket is supposed to hang compared to your hands.

 

[scotrace]

For petesake, LINK THE AUCTION.

 

[anon`]

For petesake, LINK THE AUCTION.

Yes, please!

And FWIW, does anyone here actually go by stated size on an auction? I use measurements exclusively and--to date--have had excellent results. In fact, I'm wearing an eBay impulse buy today that required nothing more than a bit of lengthening in the trousers. At any rate, I can indeed vouch for the accuracy of Pdxvintagette's measurements as brought up. Whether you call it a 42 or a 32, short or otherwise... a 19" shoulder is a 19" shoulder, and so forth.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I spent years selling vintage suits in San Francisco to some of the most hardcore vintage enthusiasts in the world.

I wish that the most hardcore vintage enthusiasts in the world would join this forum and start posting. (And if they're already posting on other fora, I'd sure like to know where.)

Seriously...it's frustrating.

.

 

[reetpleat]

What size is your manequin? It looks like a good fit.

 

[pdxvintagette]

What size is your manequin? It looks like a good fit.

Good question. I can't really button 38's on him. Or, I can, but with strain on the button holes. Both 40s and 42's look made-to-fit on him, but I feel that if he were a real person with arms, the 40's wouldn't have full range of movement - the shoulders usually line up EXACTLY with the end of available material. And he has this ridiculous muscle-man neck that requires a 17" collar on the shirt, so I have to use a way-too-big shirt that looks all sloppy and wrinkled. Pair that with the fact that I am no good at tying ties...

But hey, he was $5 at Goodwill....