Show us their suits

[Qirrel]

Curious. Although I have seen examples of square/heavily built up shoulders from around 1900, they were not as severe as this. However, the sleeve has a distinct 1900s look to it. The jacket also doesn't fit him all that well, which suggests it was not made for him. Still I'm not quite convinced it is an original.

 

[Metatron]

Here's a thought: Maybe it's a 1930s jacket altered into an approximation of a 1900s one?

I do remember reading somewhere, perhaps here, that the concept of seriously and thoroughly replicating the clothes from the era in a historical drama is relatively modern.

 

[1920sman]

1920s look

Prefer this look myself. I have never liked the heavy and wide shoulders of later eras. Thanks for all these wonderful images. Just wish I knew where to get a narrow soft shouldered jacket made that actually fits like they used to back in the 1920s. I couldn't say now how many times I have tried to suggest this style to tailors who argue that no such thing ever existed, or that it is simply a modern cut with less padding. The photos say it all. But why can't I find a tailor who understands?

I've also noticed some (not all) of the shoulder seams from the early and mid 1920s don't lie along the top of the shoulder, but start at the neck where one might expect them to and then slope off the shoulder down the back joining the sleeve seam a couple of inches off the top of the shoulder. I'll try and find an image. But maybe others know what this is.

 

[herringbonekid]

Just wish I knew where to get a narrow soft shouldered jacket made that actually fits like they used to back in the 1920s. I couldn't say now how many times I have tried to suggest this style to tailors who argue that no such thing ever existed, or that it is simply a modern cut with less padding.

if you can afford it you might want to go to Italy. loads of tailors there favour neat, unpadded shoulders.

I've also noticed some (not all) of the shoulder seams from the early and mid 1920s don't lie along the top of the shoulder, but start at the neck where one might expect them to and then slope off the shoulder down the back joining the sleeve seam a couple of inches off the top of the shoulder. I'll try and find an image. But maybe others know what this is.

the dropped shoulder seam is basically a hang over from the Victorian era, and fizzled out by the mid 20s in the US, and the mid 30s in the UK. i've heard a couple of different arguments for why the switch was made to the straight shoulder seam.

 

[Chasseur]

Have not watched the whole movie(it is on youtube), but it is set in 1900s London.
The outfit looks distinctly 1930s, though the jacket has four buttons.
I highly doubt it is period correct.
Is there a possibility that this jacket was custom made to look 1900s, but with the tailoring of the day dictating that nothing less than huge shoulders would do?

That is likely, I see things like that all the time in these films.

One that really sticks with me are the suits in "Experiment Perilous" which takes place in the early 1900s. The men's suits have the lapels, high button stances, etc. that look appropriate to the era but they are have that early "Bold Look" with high padded shoulders etc. Makes them look very odd a sorta of a oxymoronic boxy Edwardian.

 

[Metatron]

Very weird. I wonder if it's in order to be 'hip' while also being vaguely historical.

 

[herringbonekid]

the 1900 trend for short-ish jackets with very curved cutaway:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Herring,

Do you have the drafting instructions that go with these patterns? or are the numbers on the patterns inches?

 

[herringbonekid]

Baron, no but i assume they're inches (what else could 29.5 back be ?) ... dead easy !

 

[esteban68]

HBK great pictures, I love old cycling/cyclist pics, I am pretty sure the curved cutaway is to allow freedom of leg movement when "on the rivet"......nice patterns too!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

As I thought. The 3-button tennis, cricket and boating blazer is awesome. I'm just starting the jacket of a 3-piece cotton suit (the cotton I sent the link to) for tropical climes (trousers and waistcoat done), and I think this is the one! Its a toss-up between that and the 4-button "Blazer Dia. 31" below it.

Baron, no but i assume they're inches (what else could 29.5 back be ?) ... dead easy !

 

[herringbonekid]

...I am pretty sure the curved cutaway is to allow freedom of leg movement when "on the rivet".....

i'm not convinced the cutaway is to do with cycling. you'll notice the lounge pattern above also has the same shape, as do cricket, tennis and boating.
in fact, cycling is the only thing that ISN'T mentioned.

 

[herringbonekid]

The 3-button tennis, cricket and boating blazer is awesome.

let's go all 1905 ! to hell with the boring old 20s-30s-40s !!!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Agreed. Just a standard "sporting" jacket, without any specific sport in mind.

i'm not convinced the cutaway is to do with cycling. you'll notice the lounge pattern above also has the same shape, as do cricket, tennis and boating.
in fact, cycling is the only thing that ISN'T mentioned.

 

[Qirrel]

Herring,

Do you have the drafting instructions that go with these patterns? or are the numbers on the patterns inches?

I have the draft if you want it. The numbers on the diagrams are in inches for a size 36" (measured over the vest), so you could copy the pattern to another size with graduated tapes.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

36 over the vest sounds just about right! A little long though, for my taste, but that shouldn't be difficult to modify.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Hi Quirrel,

That would be awesome. There are a few bits and pieces on the patterns (D? +V?) that I'm not quite certain about. Is there a sleeve draft that goes with these? From where do they originate?

I have the draft if you want it. The numbers on the diagrams are in inches for a size 36" (measured over the vest), so you could copy the pattern to another size with graduated tapes.

 

[Qirrel]

Here is a link to a pdf containing the system http://www.costumes.org/history/victorian/CPG/9/pdf/09_00_vol9.pdf. I believe this edition is from some time between 1898 and 1912. The system given there requires a lot of ironwork and isn't really suitable for lightweight materials, cottons, linens etc. Here is a pattern from another book in the same series, for a cotton jacket:

 

[herringbonekid]

Gianni Agnelli (later the head of Fiat), late 30s -early 40s:

 

[Two Types]

Much less flashy than Gianni. Wedding photos March 1957, your average British working class family:

half of these suits probably came from the Kays catalogue!