Horizontal pants pockets: do they ruin a 30s style suit?

[Fletch]

I recently picked up a beautiful and rare custom suit off eBay for $30. Made in 1984 for a San Francisco executive and philanthropist, it bears the label The Tailored Man, Union Square. The style and color are hard-to-find enough: a classic 3-button with a 6-button vest in a fine, three-season black/white weave that appears light grey in color.

The whole thing fits me admirably, and the silhouette is very reminiscent of conservative 1930s suits of the pre-drape shape style - narrowish natural shoulders, close-placed vest buttons, high rise trousers, full straight legs - except for one detail. It has horizontal front trouser pockets, the kind you see on riding breeches or 60s-style pipecleaner pants, with a slight notch at the side seam for easier access.

Is there any precedent for this style trou pocket in the 30s? Or even the 20s? Or have I blown $30 on a classic suit with a major, glaring flaw?

(Pix to come shortly.)

 

[Dinerman]

Don't sweat the details. Nobody except people here are going to notice or care.

 

[Fletch]

True, yes, but I'm people here, and I wanna wear the dang thing and not feel like a ring-tailed monkey doing it.

I have a dim recollection of Marc Chevalier posting catalog pictures of a similar pair of trou ca. 1930, and have written him hoping to check into it.

The style is known sometimes as the cross pocket, sometimes as the Western pocket.

 

[jmacak]

Hi

I agree with Dinerman. I thrifted a very nice grey flannel suit with the same kind of pockets (I almost passed on it because of the pockets.) Mine came from a Seattle philanthropist, hmmm.

You know, I would have been kicking myself now if I didn't get it--the suit has grown on me and the pockets are no problem at all.

cheers

joe in cool, rainy seattle

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Think of it this way. Not everyone here wears vintage clothing, so wearing something with an unheard of detail wouldn't be wrong at all. And I agree with Dinerman too.

 

[benstephens]

I have two suits with these details. One i from the 1920s/30s and the other was tailor made in 1945.

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[Alan Eardley]

I don't know about the US, but such pockets are sometimes found in pre-war formal trousers (pants) in the UK. They probably originated in riding breeches and moleskins, but were apparently specified in bespoke slacks and suits by men who liked them. IMO they work well with a high waistband and 'cut a dash'. I like 'em.

Alan

 

[herringbonekid]

that is basically a common 1900s - teens pocket, and it was self-consciously revived in the 60s among groovy set.

 

[Feraud]

I notice these on quite a few tweed suits.
Not a problem in my book.

 

[Jovan]

Even if it didn't exist back then, why does it matter? Frog pockets aren't my cup of tea, but if you aren't worried about them beyond period correctness, just wear the gosh darned thing I say. Honestly, unless we all wore underwear and socks that were ALL VINTAGE we won't ever be completely period correct.