Show off the sports coats.

[Awesomest Guy]

Original buttons are lost: what do you think of these?

I like the way the white-mottled-black buttons match the base pattern. I've got a full suit in that salt-pepper fabric, and I'm fairly sure the buttons are a bit like that.

 

[Benproof]

Darker! More brown semi-translucent horn like the darkest aspects of these buttons! The white of the buttons don't complement the jacket without becoming invisible.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Thank's for the comments, gents!

 

[Rabbit]

mid 40s (US) twill "fender" tweed sportsjacket and Danish C.D. trews

 

[Mathematicus]

Nice sports coat, Rabbit; that colour is very versatile.
I still look forward to see you wearing that beautiful peak lapel herringbone jacket we discussed about time ago!

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

Excellent ensemble (great poker face too). It has the authentic look too; a quick run through the GIMP and you get this...could just as well be 1946:

 

[Metatron]

That outfit is on point Rabbit, just my style.
Could we see a closeup of the 'fender' tweed?
I really love those Danish trousers, the quality and cut are superb.
I had a pair, but I sold them to Fastuni, as I didn't have enough length for a turn up, and didn't at the time want a plain hemmed pair of flannels. I am still on the lookout for a longer pair!

 

[Rabbit]

I don't have closeups of my own, but here are the original pics by Dinerman:

The jacket does have the typical mid to late 40s generous cut. I have a few other American jackets from that timeframe that are actually labeled size 37 (my exact size) which gives me a good point of reference for that drape-inspired fit of these jackets. This "fender" tweed fits just like the size 37 labeled ones.

Those Danish trousers are really nice. They're the first pair of them that I bought. I tried getting another pair TWICE and failed. The first try (same seller, same size ordered) turned out to be a size 32 instead of 30. The second try (different seller) had apparently been stored in a cellar (not too surprising, given that these are NOS military items) and reeked of mold smell, but no visible mold colonies. The cleaning didn't help, so off into the trash they went. I had already added cuffs before the cleaning, mistaking the smell for general storage odour; it turned out the smell was mold after all, set deep into the fabric, apparently.
So, it's still that one nice pair. I always had my reservations about NOS stuff, but this number really took the biscuit.

 

[Rabbit]

Nice sports coat, Rabbit; that colour is very versatile.
I still look forward to see you wearing that beautiful peak lapel herringbone jacket we discussed about time ago!

I think you mean the early 30s British tweed sportscoat in brown herringbone with red over-stripes. I'll take some pics soon.

 

[Metatron]

I don't have closeups of my own, but here are the original pics by Dinerman:
The jacket does have the typical mid to late 40s generous cut. I have a few other American jackets from that timeframe that are actually labeled size 37 (my exact size) which gives me a good point of reference for that drape-inspired fit of these jackets. This "fender" tweed fits just like the size 37 labeled ones.

I remember seeing that jacket on ebay. You mentioned the generous fit- how much ease is there in the chest?
It looks fine on you. Not exaggeratedly drapey.
I have a 41 inch chest, and own two 40s-50s jackets labelled 38, and I find they fit me well.
I don't know that it is typical of the period, but I imagine they would look very baggy on a 38 inch chest.

On the colour combination-I am just starting to rediscover the appeal of a darker grey with medium brown.
For a while I had the misconception that dark grey never looks good with brown.
Then I saw a guy on a train wearing charcoal jeans with a brown tweed jacket, and I thought 'that looks good'

 

[Rabbit]

Grey with brown works pretty well, and in several shades, too. It's something that just either works or it doesn't, I can't think of any valid rules for grey & brown. However I would say that dark grey isn't the easiest to wear with browns. Mid to lighter mid grey tends to be more versatile with earthtones. For this tan jacket (it looks just tan from a distance), it's perfect though.
I recently noticed Astaire wearing an almost identical combination as the above fender tweed and darker grey trousers in one of his 50s movies (can't remember which). He wore a yellow shirt with it, the rest was the same (even with brown suede shoes).

The mid/late 40s cut fits with 5" ease in the chest on me (or sometimes down to 4", since it's not all about the chest, but the cut as a whole). The shoulders are about 18" instead of the "normal" 17" shoulders on mid 30s cuts, or 16-16.5" on slightly earlier cuts. This particular jacket is fairly well fitted in the waist. The chest on American mid 30s cuts ideally fits me about 3-4" over the chest. Some British 30s jackets can have an intentionally trim fit, more like 2-3" ease instead of 3-4" on a slight frame like mine. The situation seems to be a little different with guys who are more massive.

Trying to get a closeup out of that fit pic:

 

[Metatron]

3-4 inches is ideal I find, but as you say, it is not all about the chest.
I have a jacket with 5 inches of ease in the chest, but it tapers to a slim waist. As advertised here:


Then my jackets that are labelled '38' measure 22 inches pit to pit, giving me 3 inches of ease, they fit pretty well. But on a size 38... I guess it would start to look a bit like this:

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, 6" of ease would be quite roomy. It's the standard for vintage overcoats and Mackinaws, but for a tailored jacket it would fit excessively loose. I'd put a proper late 40s/ early 50s bold look fit at more like 5" of ease.

 

[Michael A]

That is a really good look Rabbit. Very nice indeed.

Michael

 

[Awesomest Guy]

mid 40s (US) twill "fender" tweed sportsjacket and Danish C.D. trews

Overall, an excellent ensemble. Very "soft", as in having a rougher, non-shiny texture. The suede loafers are a nice touch. I like the way the cream in the tie picks up the jacket. Speaking of which, does it have a fancy back? I'm guessing no, but one never can be sure.

 

[Rabbit]

Plain back.

 

[Awesomest Guy]

Plain back.

Thought so. I've noticed that after the 30s, belted-backs dramatically dropped in popularity, which was a real shame, as they work well with a casual jacket IMO. Still, its a wonderful jacket in its own right. I think I saw one in a similar shade in an op-shop out in the blue mountains, but passed it up for a trench coat.

 

[Mathematicus]

I remember too the eBay auction for that jacket! The weave makes the look from distance so nice.

About ease in chest, I think shoulder width have a strong point in the overall appearance of the jacket. Sometimes you find those two different looks in the same period. I have a couple of suits from mid 1950s (one is dated 1955). Both of them has a 41' chest but one has built up 18' shoulders, while the other one has softer wadding on a 16.5' width. Both have a fitted waist (the bold-look one more than the other, actually) but they are two completeley different coats.

 

[Rabbit]

early 30s German peak lapel jacket, charocal with stripes, and 1941 French vaugan trousers

 

[Fastuni]

Interesting combination... somewhat formal like a Stresemann (Stroller), while also workmanish.