Info Needed: Trouser Pocket Styles - 1930's Suits

[Jucas]

Hi all,
Hoping someone with more knowledge than me could give a little elucidation on trouser pockets from the 30 - 40s era.

I have been looking at a lot of three piece suits from the 1930's, but one thing that is hard to get good pictures of are trousers.

I am wondering if anyone knows what types of trouser pockets were common for the era?
Both the side pockets, and back pockets of trouser.

Also were two pockets common in the back or just one?

I understand there was a lot of variation, but I am interested to know what was common, and how it was determined which pockets were chosen for the suit.

Did certain vest pockets determined the style of the pants pockets and vice-a-versa?

Does anyone have a reference guide for trouser style of the 30's they can point too?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

At one time it was uncommon to have any pockets at the back. They simply weren't needed because a man had enough pockets in his coat and waistcoat. In drafting manuals of the 1890s-1910s (specifically those of W.D.F. Vincent) you see suggestions of a single rear pocket, but most trousers were made up without them. This goes on through the 1920s and 1930s for trousers as part for a suit, with obvious variations from bespoke makers and various clothiers.

Front pockets in traditional trousers were always side (as in on-the-seam) pockets; especially English trousers. Slant pockets were mostly seen on sports trousers like cricket flannels and golfing breeches (though these too had side pockets early on).

In German suits you see the jetted front pockets more often, though I'm not certain about these on 1930s suits. The oldest pair of German trousers I have are late 40s and they are a variation of the side -in-seam pockets (they also have a single rear pocket).

Lastly it is not unusual to see western pockets (or frogmouth..) a sort of jeans-like pocket with a straight rather than a curve. They turn up on cycling breeches, golf breeches and some suits of the 30s period.

 

[Edward]

At one time it was uncommon to have any pockets at the back. They simply weren't needed because a man had enough pockets in his coat and waistcoat. In drafting manuals of the 1890s-1910s (specifically those of W.D.F. Vincent) you see suggestions of a single rear pocket, but most trousers were made up without them. This goes on through the 1920s and 1930s for trousers as part for a suit, with obvious variations from bespoke makers and various clothiers.

Makes sense. I never use the rear pockets on any trousers, myself - not even jeans.

 

[GBR]

By the forties, US trousers would have had two back pockets, British just one. However British would have had a cash pocket - similar to a watch pocket but bigger and with flap/button.