Questions and Answers -- General Attire

[Undertow]

Does anyone have a source for ...Grosgrain FABRIC?
...not interested in ribbon, just looking for a bit of fabric for a waistcoat's lapels...

Just thought I would bump this question again, in case anyone has a lead. Thanks!

 

[Gin&Tonics]

I've seen a similar combination in semi-formal wear from the 20's and 30's; i.e. peak lapel, 1 button jacket with no vent, flat front trousers w/no cuff, low cut vest with 4-5 buttons and shawl lapels. Of course that was "informal" evening wear of the 20's, and "semi-formal" evening wear of the 30's, not business suiting.

I've been scanning quite a few Sears catalogs into my computer lately, so I'll have to see if I can find something like you've described. Unfortunately, I'm no expert in vintage suiting, but from what I have seen, the lapels of the waistcoat are not necessarily tied to the lapels of the jacket.

Thank you for this helpful answer! The catalog scans you mention would be fantastic if you can find them.

 

[Yeps]

I'm planning to have a suit made to measure for me by Maxwell's Clothiers out of Hong Kong. I was considering getting a 3 piece suit in navy with a pinstripe, 2 button with peak lapels and a center vent on the jacket, but with a shawl lapel on a 5 button vest. Would I be comitting a faux pas by having this design? I did manage to find a picture of a victorian tuxedo with just that same setup, but I wanted to get the views of some loungers on the subject.

Also, I am planning on having flat front trousers with it, so would it be more correct to go with cuffs on the trousers or no cuffs?

Thanks!

This looks pretty similar to what your saying, unless I am misunderstanding. I think it looks pretty good.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

This looks pretty similar to what your saying, unless I am misunderstanding. I think it looks pretty good.

I think those are in fact peaked lapels on the vest; you can just see the line where the collar meets the lapel, however your point is nonetheless well taken. In this case, since the jacket covers the peaks, the overall effect is very similar in appearance to a shawl lapel. I would be wanting a very similar design in my suit, except it would be flat front trousers, no pleats, and single breasted as opposed to double. Thank you for sharing this; this and other comments by my esteemed fellow loungers have convinced me to go ahead with my plan and order my suit Thanks all!

 

[Undertow]

Here's a pic I've lifted from the London Lounge. Alistair Sinclair, UK Air Minister in 1941. Notice the 6-button DB vest with what appears to be a shawl collar. In any case, the collar of the vest and jacket do not match. (I'm still looking through my scans, in the meantime. )

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Undertow - this is an excellent example! He even has a double breasted waistcoat with a single breasted jacket, which I also considered. Very nice!

Now I'm debating if I should take the 2 suits and 3 shirts deal for $1125 or just the 1 suit and 3 shirts for $595. Budget constraints probably mean it will be the latter ^.^ But one never knows...

 

[Undertow]

This is the only scan I could find right now. I'm still scanning and will post anything else I find.

Two things: First, most of the scans I do have are SB jackets with SB vest and the vests are cut high with no lapels. Second, look down at the bottom left - you'll see the semi-formal wear with opposite lapels. Keep in mind, that's not typical business suiting. Like I said, I'll keep looking!

*note: scan is Sears c.1930

 

[Undertow]

Okay, I lied. Here's one more. Sears, c.1928 - bottom, middle-right. Peak lapels jacket, DB vest appears to have shawl collar.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Okay, I lied. Here's one more. Sears, c.1928 - bottom, middle-right. Peak lapels jacket, DB vest appears to have shawl collar.

Outstanding! These scans are excellent, Undertow, thanks for sharing. I zoomed in and read the description, and indeed the waistcoat does have a shawl collar. Please feel free to post as many of these as you like (I know I'm not alone in enjoying them!).

I've decided I'm definitely going for the peak lapel single breasted jacket with a shawl collar on the vest. These scans are enticing me to consider a double breasted waistcoat, too, though not 100% decided on that. Maxwells does have double breasted waistcoat styles on their website, so I'm sure it's fine either way.

These pictures will no doubt prove indispensable when it comes time for me to order - I can send the gent in the upper left as an example of the lapel width I want. To give everyone an idea of what I'm going for, I've used a nifty little online tailoring site to design a basic mockup:

The lapel width and such is modern on this website, which I can't control, so imagine it with more classical lines and wider lapels, but the basic details are there. I would be going with a slight roped shoulder as shown. Also imagine the fabric as navy pinstripe instead of solid navy as shown. I'm opting for a straight cut across the bottom of the jacket, as I think this gives it a more victorian feel.

Vest with shawl lapels and 5 buttons. I may go with 4 pockets rather than two, but not decided yet.

Belt back on the vest.

And finally high waisted trousers, no belt loops, with buttons on the outside of the waistband for suspenders/braces.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

oivei! Call me the thread killer I guess Bump and suggest that this phenomenally useful thread receive sticky status like its hat forum brother thread.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Thanks for the scans undertow. I am looking forward to see the others.

@Gin&Tonics: Nevermind. I often had the same impression when I was the last poster somewhere. But some threads are just more busy than others.[huh]
I am still wondering why you asked for a victorian style which is harder to answer because many here concentrate on the 20s-40s or 50s. I also have some scans with waistcoats but none of them victorian. shawl collars are often worn with evening waistcoats but not so often on a high buttoned, single breasted day-waistcoat.

 

[Undertow]

Sorry for the delay fella's! I haven't been hooked to the internet with enough time to get these next two up. In these next two scans, we see the same theme repeated - SB peak lapel jackets, DB shawl lapel vests. I'm beginning to wonder if the SB vests were typically left without lapels, and the DB vests were typically cut with shawl lapels?

Anyway, first scan 1934 Sears, middle bottom, notice the contrasting color and belted front on this DB vest; second scan 1941 Sears, top left, both men in DB vests, one with 5 button V closure and the other contrasting colors with belted front. The description calls the contrasting vest a "reversible" vest made from flannel. I think it's interesting that these styles are 7 years apart yet don't look very different at all!

 

[Gin&Tonics]

am still wondering why you asked for a victorian style which is harder to answer because many here concentrate on the 20s-40s or 50s. I also have some scans with waistcoats but none of them victorian. shawl collars are often worn with evening waistcoats but not so often on a high buttoned, single breasted day-waistcoat.

I am primarily interested in the Victorian aesthetic, but the FL is such a treasure trove of knowledge regarding all things sartorial and no such forum exists specifically for Victorian attire, so I come here. It's not that I dislike the golden era style at all, just that I like the Victorian era more.

After all, we have to remember that the rules governing modern men's style are directly descended from the precepts of Beau Brummel as laid down in the very early 19th century. This thread in particular has been indispensible for me. Currently, I'm not trying to go "full Victorian" as I don't want to appear to be "in costume" but I do want to start to incorporate elements of Victorian style into my daily attire.

 

[The Good]

I think this is mostly a modern phenomenon of recent years, but what do you think about ties and sports jackets with uncreased chinos? Particularly slim fit but not tight are the type of pants I wear on a regular basis, more than jeans or slacks. I don't think it looks bad, given the context of how I wear it, intentionally somewhat casually while at university. It is more casual than creased chinos, but I would consider it at about the bare minimum of formality with which to get away with wearing a tie. I don't personally wear jeans and ties together.