Scored Deadstock Dress Shirts 1936-38

[Wash In Lux]

It's pretty hard these days to find actual vintage dress shirts to wear with suits. I've got a few that I managed to find in the last 15 years but, they've seen better days. I scored these the other day. They all have the 1936 union label putting them between '36 and '38. They look cool in the pics but, they're unbelievable up close and personal, especially the "Buckingham". Can't wait for an occasion to pull a 30's suit out of my closet and pair it with one of these. I'm thinking maybe they're Penney's? Penney's was always "Town" everything.

http://img211.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dsc04517s.jpg

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Penney's in-house brand was Towncraft. But great finds!

 

[thunderw21]

That first one is fantastic.

Took the liberty of posting the pic here, hope you don't mind.

 

[Wash In Lux]

No, don't mind at all. Thanks.

Penney's had many different "Town" variations. Off the top of my head, two that come to mind are "Town Clad" and "Town Topic".

 

[Marc Chevalier]

These are WONDERFUL and RARE, RARE, RARE! The Japanese would pay a lot of money for them.


I think the quality is too high for J.C. Penney, even back then. Look at the number of stitches per inch along the collar's edge and the chest placket. (See photo below.) Really tight!


May I ask what neck and sleeve size(s) they are?

.

 

[Wash In Lux]

Thanks Marc. The quality does seem very good although, shirts from Woolworth's back then were probably nicer than most of Nordstrom today.
I really am very pleased with these as the 30's is my favorite style decade, particularly '36-'38. Always hated wearing a new(er) dress shirt with a vintage suit. As for the sizes, (2) are 14.5 - 33 and (1) is 14.5 - 32. I'm closer to a 32 but, I wasn't about to pass on the others just 'cause they were 33's! I'm lucky, I'm the average height for the 1930's and even at 40 years old, I still wear a 14.5.
I'm gonna have to dig out my catalogs and see if I can find anything that says "Town Club".

 

[filfoster]

The Arrow Shirt Man

You are very lucky. Those who wear more generous sizes are doomed to envy. There were not many 16/35 guys in the '30's.

 

[Widebrim]

That first one is fantastic.

Took the liberty of posting the pic here, hope you don't mind.

Beautiful.:eusa_clap Do you mind telling how much you paid for them, and where you found them?

 

[cptjeff]

Thanks Marc. The quality does seem very good although, shirts from Woolworth's back then were probably nicer than most of Nordstrom today.
I really am very pleased with these as the 30's is my favorite style decade, particularly '36-'38. Always hated wearing a new(er) dress shirt with a vintage suit. As for the sizes, (2) are 14.5 - 33 and (1) is 14.5 - 32. I'm closer to a 32 but, I wasn't about to pass on the others just 'cause they were 33's! I'm lucky, I'm the average height for the 1930's and even at 40 years old, I still wear a 14.5.
I'm gonna have to dig out my catalogs and see if I can find anything that says "Town Club".

As another guy that size, I would beg, but I have too much dignity for that.

Nice finds. Love the pattern on the first one, I would love to see dress shirts with coloring like that today. And the fabric on the second one is amazing. Great looking texture, and I would think it would be really comfortable and cool against the skin as well.

 

[Wash In Lux]

As another guy that size, I would beg, but I have too much dignity for that.

Nice finds. Love the pattern on the first one, I would love to see dress shirts with coloring like that today. And the fabric on the second one is amazing. Great looking texture, and I would think it would be really comfortable and cool against the skin as well.

Well then, I must tell you, look on ebay because there are some your size! That's where I got 'em. I rarely "look" anymore as I do a lot more selling than buying.
1. I don't have the money.
2. I got no more room!
I think that day I happened to be checking other listings/categories to see where I'd try and list some of my own stuff and there they were. Couldn't believe it. You just don't see 30's dress shirts too often.

Widebrim, I paid $48 each for two of them and $60 for the Buckingham.