Palm Beach Suits 1930-40s

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A few of these sold on the "bay to various lucky individuals aka people that still wear size 38-40 suits - like I did when I was 23 not 53! Ain't life grand?

Anyway I love that era as would be bleedin' obvious from my postings. I though a few pix of some serious examples might be appropriate.

[[/IMG]
1940s Mark Twain Suit in Irish Linen

Here is a selection of suits and the various aspects of their construction:
Double breaster belt back


Single Breaster Suit

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Can't go wrong with beltbacks

 

[resortes805]

well. . .

More here:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=15178

 

[cookie]

Now you have the Right Gear for the Cruise - this is how you dress

From the 'London Lounge' Historical Series c 1937

From summer of 37’


This is your color representation for the first sketch. Shown here is an SB peak lapel 2 button flannel suit in medium weight light grey shade. Optimo crown Panama hat, reverse calf shoes, lightweight shirt in blue, dark blue colored foulard tie and a camel hair topcoat completes the outfit. Note the zero-break on pants. This illustration is in complete accordance with their recommended resort wear list. You may forgo the peak lapel and opt for the customary notch lapels. However, peak lapels are indeed a stylish detail.

Now you’re on the boat. The bon voyage boys have departed, you’re wondering where they hide the bar, and who is the lovely thing with all the orchids. You’re off—but first this is what you should be preparing to un-pack.

Sketch 2

For a short cruise (four days to a week), you’ll want a tweed sports jacket, a pair of grey, white or fawn flannel slacks, and a tweed cap. This is for wear abroad ship. In addition to the suit you’ve worn to the boat you might take a suit of Palm Beach cloth, or synthetic fabric* for ports of call in the tropics. Three shirts, a couple of sports shirts in lisle, cotton or wool, and a sleeveless or long-sleeved sweater for cool days on deck will prove adequate.

(• Nine times out of ten they refer to Rayon blends in combination with silk, cotton or linen. )
Here is a color representation of something that closely resemble the outfit described above in sketch 2.

This is from Early 36’.

This is a gabardine 2-button jacket (weight around 11-13 oz), which can be part of a suit or separate worn with white button-down shirt, red foulard tie, grey flannel pants, combination brown & white shoes, white pocket square, and an Optimo crown panama hat completes the outfit. Noteworthy articles here are the cut of the jacket along casual “soft” lines which co-ordinates well with the full cut of the pants. Observe the shoulder line and the lighter colored socks. On shoes, carefully note the elongating effect.


Three pairs of shoes will cover a multitude of activities—the shoes in which you came aboard; rubber or crepe-soled shoes in white buck, brown buck or combination saddle (you may substitute colored canvas if you like) to prevent you from falling on your face on slithery decks, and finally patent pumps or patent monk front shoes* for evening wear. You’ve taken your dinner jacket, and since formal wear abroad is on the informal side, this is a double breasted model, in mid-night blue.**

 

[cookie]

Palm Beach Suit brings USD300 on Ebay

A recent nice example with pedigree.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=130084096681&rd=1&rd=1



Thought I would save it for posterity here before the pix disappear from eBay. Click on for better view.

 

[PADDY]

Sweet Palm Beach.

Now, I do like that! what style!! But it would be the Devil to keep clean.

 

[LuckyKat]

Rare Palm Beach articles

I too share the love for a palm beach suit.
Pictures to follow...
In my collection I have a norfolk (belted) back summer linen suit made from "Lorraine Linen", probably from the late 30s/early 40s. (not Palm Beach, but an amazing summer linen)

A Palm Beach Army Air Corp officers summer uniform in khaki (early war).

A pair of SEA FOAM GREEN Palm Beach pants from the 40s! (amazing)

A Grey w/ Blue pin stripes Palm Beach suit coat from the 40s (odd color for Palm Beach)

I'm always looking for PALM BEACH ties if anyone wants to get rid of them!

 

[Fletch]

A Palm Beach Army Air Corp officers summer uniform in khaki (early war).

I'm assuming this is wool tropical or gab, and not any kind of linen!

 

[cookie]

Palm Beach Suits

That will be a gas Kat - looking forward to that with a few others of the usual suspects on the Lounge who love belt backs ... Sea Foam Green ...yikes I am hanging out to see those pants!

 

[Fletch]

1937

Interesting to note the prevalence of tweeds and flannels with whites - in summer. Presumably the quality folk were departing from northerly ports for still cooler climes.

The Palm Beach suit wasn't worn everywhere. It was very incorrect in the Northeast even in the hottest months, because it was associated with Southerners. The Midwest was more relaxed about this - my great uncle Virgil, a salesman, was fond of white suits, and my g/u Jack was married in one. In 1937. And I've got the pictures to prove it.

The dictum about nonbreak pant cuffs is pure practicality. They wouldn't drag on shoes and floors and get dingy. It was accepted to wear the coat sleeves a bit short too - after all, hand washing was common and so was shrinkage.

One of my earliest and best vintage scores was a PB DB suit (plain backed). I was 15 and weighed 135 soaking. 25 years and 50 lb later I wish it had grown with me. But suits don't do that, you see.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I'm assuming this is wool tropical or gab, and not any kind of linen!

I've found out that Palm Beach Cloth contained mohair and cotton, but no linen.

.

 

[Tomasso]

I've found out that Palm Beach Cloth contained mohair and cotton, but no linen.

.

Was all Palm Beach Cloth cotton/mohair? And, any idea what % the blend?

 

[LuckyKat]

The Palm Beach suit wasn't worn everywhere. It was very incorrect in the Northeast even in the hottest months, because it was associated with Southerners. The Midwest was more relaxed about this - my great uncle Virgil, a salesman, was fond of white suits, and my g/u Jack was married in one. In 1937. And I've got the pictures to prove it.

That sounds amazing...I'd love to see those wedding pictures!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Was all Palm Beach Cloth cotton/mohair? And, any idea what % the blend?

Yes, it was. The maker fooled around with the texture and weight, but never changed the fiber composition.

The blend's percentages were a "trade secret."

.

 

[LuckyKat]

The RARE PB pieces PICTURES!

Here they are check 'em out:
<br>
1) Palm Beach Army Air Corp officers uniform<br>

2)Palm Beach gray jacket w/ blue pin stripes<br>

3)Palm Beach seafoam green pants(I found out they're probably late 40s early 50s, but PB bahia weave nonetheless)<br>

 

[LuckyKat]

4) Genuine Lorraine, Lorraine Haspel norfolk back white summer suit <br>

<br>
It says Genuine Lorrain, SURF WHITE

5) I know its not PB, but it was an AMAZING find...$18 in a Hollywood vintage store. It's a charcoal black with white & red fleck window pain, with a norfolk back & pleated center back. It does have a lot of moth holes, but I'll wear it anyways!<br>

Sorry about the poor quality photos, the camera sucks.

 

[LuckyKat]

Here they are check 'em out:
<br>
1) Palm Beach Army Air Corp officers uniform<br>

 

[Fletch]

What swell finds. Did the uniform come to you with insignia or did you add it? What material is it?

What exactly is a Norfolk back? Does it mean the vertical straps or the extra seam under the shoulder, or both? Neither?

I have the idea that pleated and sport back jackets were more popular in California than in the rest of the country in the 30s. I know Esquire, which was very East Coast oriented then, generally did not show them.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Man, i've got that EXACT Lorraine jacket. They never seem to come with trousers, do they? I have some ads from Aparel Arts from the 30s which show that they made full suits - even with waistcoats! I also once passed on a 1938 dated PB navy officers jacket in a Goodwill (had one star on the arm above the yellow stripes (3 or 4) at the cuff - what rank is this?). Went back next day and, surprise, surprise she was gone.

Now, I do like that! what style!! But it would be the Devil to keep clean.

You'd think so, but it's surprisingly resilient stuff. Even the worst stains come out with persistent laundering. I have a palm beach suit that currently requires such laundering. Quite dingy, but will clean up nicely. here's my other one:

bk

 

[cookie]

PB Suits

Thanks that's a great suit. The six button look is what I really love with the 30s DB look. Of course chances of getting a PB in a larger size is needle in a haystack stuff.

Lucky Cat you promised the Sea Green duds???/