Is there such a thing as a left-handed suit?

[skyvue]

I have a suit from, I think, the early 1950s. It's not made-to-measure, as it's a brand of that era with which I'm a little familiar, Style-Mart.

But it has two belt loops situated close to each other, the second of which one would assume is meant to restrain the loose end of one's belt after buckling it, but they both sit to the (wearer's) right of the fly, suggesting one is meant to put a belt on in a clockwise fashion, not the traditional counter-clockwise direction.

And the inside pocket in the jacket is over the right breast, not the left as usual.

So I don't what to think except that it's meant to be a suit for southpaws.

Was/is that common?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Very common - always on the right side of the midline. Something to do with controlling the buckle. Senator Jack can comment at great length on the topic.

bk

 

[skyvue]

See, I've had the suit for several years, and I've always assumed I was meant to put the buckle between those two loops (though that places it off-center, which is perhaps the intention), but it doesn't really work (the wife was adamant that it didn't when I donned the suit last night).

Then I noticed that the inside pocket was over the right breast, and it got me to wondering.

 

[GBR]

Surely the inside pocket is always be on the right hand side if there was only one?

 

[benstephens]

I can not comment for off the peg suits, but I have pictorial evidence of a suit made for a Major in early 1940 that is completely left handed, including the buttons on the opposite side.

It is not a reversed image either, as the next week, the magazine confirms that it is deffinately not a reversed image and the gentlemen has his suits made that way.

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[Orgetorix]

I've had a few suits with this extra loop. It provides a belt loop closer to the buckle, keeping the front of the belt from drooping down below the waistband of the trousers. Similar to the little prong loop that some trousers have, except that the prong loop also keeps the buckle from moving side-to-side as well as up or down.

 

[Matt Deckard]

It's pretty common back in the day to have a belt loop close to the fly as stated above, to keep the buckle from moving over or under the waistband. It's one thing we've been talking about here since 2003 and wish manufacturers would pay attention to.

There are even trousers made with a mini loop just for the belt buckle pin.

Having the breast pocket over the right chest is interesting but hey, the customer gets what the customer wants when it comes to bespoke.

I would say however that if he went as far as to reverse (which he didn't) the buttoning side of the jacket would give the jacket a feminine appearance.

And if you watch the big sleep... and the jacket I saw in person from that movie that Bogart wears, you'll see that the lapel hole is on the opposite side... Anyway

Four pockets on a jacket is more heard of than pocket over the right breast... you have some pics?

 

[Tomasso]

a suit made for a Major in early 1940 that is completely left handed, including the buttons on the opposite side.

Was the breast pocket (outer) reversed as well?

 

[Tomasso]

There are even trousers made with a mini loop just for the belt buckle pin.

the little prong loop that some trousers have, except that the prong loop also keeps the buckle from moving side-to-side as well as up or down.

For illustrative purposes:

 

[benstephens]

The suit does not have a breast pocket. It is a three piece single breasted lounge suit, with a double breasted waistcoat. It has a ticket pocket on the wearers left hand side.

Ben

 

[GBR]

Having the breast pocket over the right chest is interesting but hey, the customer gets what the customer wants when it comes to bespoke.

?

This is the inside pocket though - were US suits cut with only one in-breast pocket on the left normally?

 

[Matt Deckard]

Most vintage jackets I've seen and have, 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s tend to have one or 2 inside breast pockets.

If it has one it tends to be on the inside right. I think it's balance.

I misread above and thought you were talking about outer pockets.

The Euro ones I have seen are the same.

 

[Senator Jack]

Missing loops drive me crazy. Can't stand when you bring trousers in to be taken in or let out and the tailor fails to put the rear center loop back on. I can't seem to find another company that's adding the extra belt-loop in front. Here's the copy from my site.


The Rear Center Loop - One common problem with today's trousers is the lack of a loop at dead-center rear. Without it, a cinched belt will create an accordion effect pushing the waistband down into a 'V' which in turn exposes a bunched shirttail. To keep our clients sharp, Kingston '66 makes sure all our looped trousers leave the tailor with this feature.

The Extra Belt Loop - Kingston '66 may be the only company that currently produces trousers with a second loop at the front closure. This loop is needed to keep the belt in a tight horizontal line else the wearer will experience the same accordion problems found with the missing rear loop. It's this sort of attention to detail that makes Kingston '66 the perfect choice for discerning gentlemen.


How much does it cost to put on an extra loop? A nickel? Can't figure out why they went away. I'm trying to thing if I've ever seen them on the left. They always seem to be on the right.

Regards,

Jack

 

[anon`]

I've always assumed that those suits with only one interior breast pocket were constructed as such to save on something--time or cost--and that the pocket was placed on the right out of consideration for those of us who like to keep their checkbook on the interior pocket. Whenever I try to put my checkbook in the left pocket, it always seems to make the pocket square bulge out and look... not right.

 

[Tomasso]

The Extra Belt Loop - Kingston '66 may be the only company that currently produces trousers with a second loop at the front closure.

It's a standard feature on Oxxford trousers.

 

[Senator Jack]

Okay, the only affordable company.

 

[Tomasso]

Okay, the only affordable company.

Sorry to have mentioned it, I actually thought that it spoke well of your endeavor.:eusa_doh:

 

[Senator Jack]

Sorry about that, Tomasso. Too much drinking at the 20s picnic yesterday, added to which, I've grown accustomed to everyone taking the piss out of each other at the FL.