Show us your British suits

[esteban68]

I've picked up two British suits recently both locally made in Sheffield both in 1970, now I know they are not golden era but they are interesting non the less and can show what to look out for;
first is a Barney Goodman, his suits were known for their strong shoulders, this on is in a beautiful striped worsted cloth...sadly trousers are too small at a roughly 34" waist though the jacket is a perfect 42",

lapels are narrow and not in the usual 70's style, trousers are straight with no hint of a flare, twin rear vents and heavily sloping pockets are obvious, build quality is A1 obviously built as a work suit as all pocket edges are heavily reinforced.

I'll post the other tomorrow if time allows.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Really nice esteban68 - a suit to wear anytime, anywhere. Nice to see the ticket pocket. I think it always adds a bit of curiosity to a suit. It's the kind of classic stuff I like too and very often wear.

 

[esteban68]

the cloth is wonderful Eddie, here's a front and back view of trouser/waistband;

I only wish it fit, the trousers have been taken in at some point and then let out again to their maximum of around 34-35".

Here's the other suit, it's in what appears to be a 'Fresco' type fabric, hopefully I may be able to obtain some to make up a waistcoat as I suspecxt it was woven in Huddersfield and the mill is still working I am told!

It's fairly high waisted ie what yuou'd expect for it's age, no rear pocket, button fly, front pleats and a fob pockets..it fits great just needing sleeves and trousers up a touch and the very slight flare ( bootcut in todays terminology) bringing in.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Very nice again esteban. Nice colour, sort of indigo. Always good to have the button fly and change pocket too. Hope the fabric hunt for the waistcoat goes well!

 

[esteban68]

I've had this a while but can now get into it ok, it's an all wool worsted from the early 1970's, yes it needs a few things doing like shortening sleeves and legs, removing the very slight flare or letting out ther trouser all the way up, rear vents shutting as I hate twin rear vents as it makes my backside look even bigger and buttons changing.... it didn't cost much a fiver if I remember correctly and it's as new.
Colour is a taupe/greyish pink base colour with blue and reddish over checks....apologies for crap picture, thoughts?

 

[herringbonekid]

thoughts?

skip the 70s.

 

[Patrick Hall]

I think the jacket could use some waist suppression. The lapels could stand some work. The seat of the trousers seems really low, compared to the length of the jacket. I don't know, there is some '70's-does-20's/30's stuff that's passable. But frankly, I'm not sure any amount of alteration will be able to get the disco funk out of that suit. Sorry Esteban.

 

[esteban68]

No guys thanks for comments as I say it was cheap as chips, I may sell it on or make trousers into breeks for our local tweed run!

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Hello folks!

This is my late 1950s 3-piece John Collier suit, with Milium lining. At least, I think it's 1950s - the style would suggest so, with 11" bottoms on the trousers, high-rise and a risen-up rear (I assume at one point with a split-seam waistband, but it has been adjusted before I got it, and that has been lost) but the lapels on the jacket are a bit narrower and the button-stance is fairly low. I reckon it's an odd colour for the type of suit, but I like it a lot all the same. Wore it with a William Hunt shirt, Tootal 'Black Quality' tie, Dunn & Co felt hat, and my Grandad's brogues that he gave to me a while ago.




Thanks for looking!

 

[Metatron]

I like the unpretentious wearability of British suits from that era.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

True that. Not a spec wrong with them.

 

[Two Types]

The 'John Collier' name was first used, I believe, in 1958. So late fifties early sixties would be my guess - which is exactly the period I always associate with Milium lining.

 

[esteban68]

It's a good look Eddie....I recently saw a 1920's / 1930's British three piece absolute convinced it was of that era everything was right only to find a date label for the early 1960's!!!! I may buy it yet but it's striped which is not really my thing and it has a couple of tiny moth nips...if it were early I'd be all over it....Hmm!

 

[esteban68]

The Millium label was virtually unchanged throughout its life I believe, I seem to recall millium coming into use in the late 50's?

 

[Rabbit]

Here's a Milium ad from Sep 1952, and another from Sep 1963. What exactly was this metal coating, does anyone know? And what's the base fabric?

Edit:
Found a couple more, from Mar and Nov 1951, with some info on the construction. Not sure if there were several varieties?

 

[Two Types]

It's funny how they advertise it as being lightweight. The coat I have is anything but lightweight, it's bloody heavy.

 

[esteban68]

I'va a Milium lined coat from the 60's? and the bottom edge of the lining is purposely left open the 'metal fabric' appears to be aluminiium IIRC?

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

TT - I wonder if the 'lightweight' could refer to them being less bulky, because I agree - that suit is damned heavy!

Esteban68 - that suit sounds good. Go for it!

Rabbit - I don't know much about Milium at all. It isn't obvious what it is from looking at the exterior. Esteban68 perhaps you could photograph that lining inside your overcoat.

 

[Rabbit]

Well, I was just curious because I had never even heard of Milium, or any other liner with a metal coating. Going by the ads it seems that there were several different constructions - a Milium plus foam insulated lining is mentioned in additon to regular Milium, and quilted liners are mentioned (the suits don't have a quilted liner, do they?). The base material mentioned has a satin weave (I never tire to point out that satin is a weave, not a material ), but there's no specification of the fabric itself.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

I didn't know that about satin! Interesting. Yes Milium is relatively common in winter suits and overcoats really. For me the label just adds a bit of colour to the inside of your suit as far as I'm concerned. There is no obvious structure underneath the lining as I say (ie it isn't like a chicken wire mesh under there ;p) so I assume it must be pretty fine.