Help me date this Gieves DB shawl collar jacket, plz.

[Warbaby]

Found this in the thrift store today. High armholes, functional cuff buttonholes, nicely tapered in at the waist, and fits me perfectly. Alas, no trous, but for $5.99 I can't complain. Any thoughts on the age?

 

[Orgetorix]

'80s or '90s, probably.

 

[AntonAAK]

Pre-merger...

But Gieves Ltd merged with Hawkes & Co in 1974 to become Gieves and Hawkes so the label would suggest that the jacket is older than that.

 

[cookie]

50s-early 60s

 

[Tomasso]

. Alas, no trous, but for $5.99 I can't complain.

How do you intend on wearing it? Unlike orphaned suit coats, which can often be worn successfully as a sport coat/blazer, orphaned DJ coats seem unwearable..

 

[Qirrel]

How do you intend on wearing it? Unlike orphaned suit coats, which can often be worn successfully as a sport coat/blazer, orphaned DJ coats seem unwearable..

I don't see the problem? There is no reason not to wear it as intended.

 

[Tomasso]

I don't see the problem? There is no reason not to wear it as intended.

But he doesn't have the matching trousers and he'll never find any to truly match. Nothing worse than a mismatched dinner suit.

 

[Warbaby]

How do you intend on wearing it? Unlike orphaned suit coats, which can often be worn successfully as a sport coat/blazer, orphaned DJ coats seem unwearable..

The thrift stores around here often have formal attire - I think that I'll eventually find trous to match well enough that any differences wouldn't show unless the two pieces were examined closely in bright light. As long as the Style Police don't show up with spotlights and magnifying glasses, I should be ok.

 

[Creeping Past]

As long as the Style Police don't show up with spotlights and magnifying glasses, I should be ok.

...and as long as you don't post pics on FL...:eusa_doh:

 

[tonyb]

I think I hear sirens.

 

[tonyb]

FWIW, I have several orphaned suit jackets I'm happy to wear with whatever pair of pants I feel like wearing. I could see wearing a shawl collared dinner jacket with a pair of blue jeans, even. Depends on the jacket and jeans, of course, but it could look good.

 

[Qirrel]

Were talking minimal differences here. In comparable darkness (you wouldn't wear a dj in broad daylight, would you?). As long as the trousers you decide to use are black and barathea, none would notice unless they decided to brighten up the dining room with a hefty industrial lamp. Heck, I even got away with wearing a midnight blue tailcoat with black trousers. Assassinate me if you can.

 

[Chasseur]

You could always do that dark dinner jacket with white trouser look that was in Esquire back in the 1930s.

 

[thunderw21]

Smoking jacket...

 

[Tomasso]

Heck, I even got away with wearing a midnight blue tailcoat with black trousers.

Just because nobody was rude enough to mention it doesn't mean you got away with it. I just don't see the point of assembling a hodgepodge rig when there is no scarcity of matching rigs out there. I'd try the Chasseur/Esquire look before going with a jumble.

 

[Warbaby]

You could always do that dark dinner jacket with white trouser look that was in Esquire back in the 1930s.

Umm...I like that. I've always considered shawl collars somewhat less formal than peaked lapels, so it might work just fine. Besides, one of the few advantages of being older is that you can get away with a bit more eccentricity in your attire. I'll give it a try and post pix for opinions.

 

[Warbaby]

Smoking jacket...

Y'know, I was looking at it today and thought the same thing. I think it's the combination of the DB shawl collar and those woven fabric buttons that suggest smoking jacket.

 

[Richard Warren]

I cannot help you on the date but can congratulate you on quite a score.

 

[GBR]

The thrift stores around here often have formal attire - I think that I'll eventually find trous to match well enough that any differences wouldn't show unless the two pieces were examined closely in bright light. As long as the Style Police don't show up with spotlights and magnifying glasses, I should be ok.

I doubt - they will always orphan and foster trousers visible in most lighting conditions.

 

[GBR]

Smoking jacket...

No covered button not unusual with a decent evening dress. Gieves is/was a decent house.