Role of Brown Suits in the Golden Age

[Richard Warren]

I wasn't much of a Reagan fan myself until some time after he was out of office and I grew up some, but I always was puzzled by the people who commented on his brown suit wearing as if it was unusual. In hindsight I realize it was just a bunch of boobs writing about things of which they had no real knowledge in order to try to belittle someone better than they were.

If you work in the City, follow the rules for those who work in the City. If you do not work in the City but the people who run the place act like they do, you may have gone to work for some pretentious jerks or insecure weasels.

My wife says I look good in brown.

 

[Dick Ireland]

The other day I found a great print (Laurence Fellows, I think) of a man in a two-piece, three-button brown suit, standing in an office leaning on a filing cabinet as if he was taking a breather at work. It was dated in 1934. As soon as I find it I'll post it here.

It sounds like wearing brown to work done in the Golden Age, but it was an American thing, and not done in all industries. I wonder what sectors of the white-collar world allowed it?

 

[Guttersnipe]

I don't really think brown suits were more or less acceptible in specific U.S. industries during the golden era per se. For example, at some U.S. firms (i.e., financial institutions, especially in New York), men wore morning dress well into the 1930s. Obviously, a lounge suit - brown or otherwise - wouldn't have been worn at such a company. If one worked at company where lounge suits were worn, brown was an acceptible option.

 

[in/y]

Considering the number of brown (or related) color vintage ties I've amassed over the years, brown suits couldn't have been all that rare.

 

[Blackthorn]

Considering the number of brown (or related) color vintage ties I've amassed over the years, brown suits couldn't have been all that rare.

That's a good point.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Yeah, brown suits were very common. The following are all current listings on eBay.

Here's a mid 40s brown suit

Here is another brown 40s suit

A very business like 40s two-piece

Another brown 40s suit

A brown 50s suit

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Funny, I've always liked the brown and green suits the best, and I live in Wisconsin lol

I've always attributed it to the fact you don't see them as often. I have two brown sport coats and they're my most frequently worn, because everybody wears gray, blue, and black all the time.

John Malloy's book "Dress For Success" killed brown suits because he wrote that brown and green suits tested poorly except for the American Mid-West. (Insert joke about us here).

Sounds like a more relaxed bank.

The one I go to, the men wear suits, though the jackets are typically hung up somewhere. The women all wear proper business attire, as well. It's funny, because this is a small town, and you know who the big depositors are. They're all, like you said, millionaire farmers in bibs and seed hats lol

Hi

Oddly enough, my son works at a large regional bank headquarters in Kansas. There appear to be SOME rules, but not any I think match yours. Junior wears khaki pants and a polo shirt with the bank name on it. The shirts are in either KU, K-State, or Wichita State colors. No he's NOT a teller. I may mention that he should start dressing a little better, but he's pretty good about trying to fit in correctly. I've walked around the place a few times, and I didn't see anyone in a suit. Oh, I had to add this. The boss's grand-daughter married the IT guy in my son's graduating class. Junior says he'll go nowhere though.

The class of '77 back in Central Illinois contains 3 bank presidents of the local banks (out of a class of say 70). I haven't seen Gary since high school, but the other two wear khaki's and a plaid dress shirt most days. Of course their clientele consists of Millionaire farmers wearing jeans or Bib overalls, a button up shirt and a seed corn hat. The bank Chairman that I know still wears a suit everyday, but he's 80 and still working.

Just my $0.02

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I don't wear vintage, just reproductions so my knowledge base is limited. Having said that, do we believe that Brown suits are more scarce because when we look at vintage pictures they're in black and white, so brown looks like dark gray?

Just a guess.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Yes, I do believe people tend to under estimate the range of the colors worn by men in the golden era. For example, the pale pink button down polo shirt has been a staple of Brooks Brothers since the 1930s. The suit/tie/shirt/shoes/hat color matching wheels in vintage Esquires/Apparel Arts are really striking.

The inside circle is the suit; the second ring is the shirt; the third ring is tie options.
(there is some seriously AWESOME pattern matching being suggested here)

 

[Guttersnipe]

Here is a combo from Apparel Arts that includes a brown suit:

Here are some more matching guides from Apparel Arts:

 

[Guttersnipe]

Finally, this one is awesome because it suggests matching a navy pinstripe with a lavender shirt, which really illustrates the different color matching aesthetics of the golden era:

 

[JonnyO]

Guttersnipe, great stuff! I just picked myself up a brown pinstripe 3 piece and have been scratching my head as to what to pair it with, thank you!

 

[Guttersnipe]

Brown suits go especially well with shirts in off-white/cream, ecru (aka, light yellow), and even very pale blues. Depending on the shade, white shirts can work too, but the darker the brown the less it works. As for ties, reds, browns, and oranges are sure fire good matches. For an especially golden era inspired combo, try a brown suit with a blue, a green, or even a black tie:

This is an especially cool combo. Not how the gray body of the shirt pulls the blue tie and brown suit together.

Again, this isn't a combo that a moden stylist/designer would usually use, but I think it looks really swell.

Every time I see black ties in these Fellows prints, I am amazed by how well they work in so many versatile outfits.

 

[JonnyO]

Guttersnipe, this stuff is great. Here is my suit, what would you recommend goes best with this color brown and pattern?

 

[Tomasso]

The suit/tie/shirt/shoes/hat color matching wheels in vintage Esquires/Apparel Arts
(there is some seriously AWESOME pattern matching being suggested here)

I'll say!

 

[Guttersnipe]

Guttersnipe, this stuff is great. Here is my suit, what would you recommend goes best with this color brown and pattern?

It looks more gray on my monitor, so it's tough to speak to color, but with regards to pattern, with a pinstripe pattern that tight, if you wear patterned shirt there are some guidelines which are crucial to follow. (1) with a striped shirt, go for wide, chunky stripes (like Bengal strips), or very widely spaced stripes. The same goes for the tie. (2) If you want to go for a contrasting pattern, a smaller check (like houndstooth or glen check would do well). Although, with a pattern that small, mixing three patterns (suit, tie, shirt) gets a little busy. I would recommend with either (1) a solid shirt with a very wide striped tie, or (2) very small patterned shirt (like a micro check) and a solid tie.

 

[JonnyO]

It looks more gray on my monitor, so it's tough to speak to color, but with regards to pattern, with a pinstripe pattern that tight, if you wear patterned shirt there are some guidelines which are crucial to follow. (1) with a striped shirt, go for wide, chunky stripes (like Bengal strips), or very widely spaced stripes. The same goes for the tie. (2) If you want to go for a contrasting pattern, a smaller check (like houndstooth or glen check would do well). Although, with a pattern that small, mixing three patterns (suit, tie, shirt) gets a little busy. I would recommend with either (1) a solid shirt with a very wide striped tie, or (2) very small patterned shirt (like a micro check) and a solid tie.

It is a very hard brown to capture, I would most likely go with a solid color shirt and striped tie. I'm new to this game so all of your help has been great. I will see if I can get a picture that shows the true color.

 

[fashion frank]

I only have one brown suit and although most mens clothing forums here on the internet will poowho brown I like this suit.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[splintercellsz]

I like that suit, Fashion Frank!

To my eyes, that photo makes it seem a tad more olive, meaning it could work in different areas. I like brown, and will wear it wherever!

 

[fashion frank]

I like that suit, Fashion Frank!

To my eyes, that photo makes it seem a tad more olive, meaning it could work in different areas. I like brown, and will wear it wherever!

It's funny you say that as I have an olive green suit with fedora to match and that is also another one of my favorite suits.

Looks like great minds think alike !

All the Best ,Fashion Frank