Show us your British suits

[yorkshirechap]

Thanks HBK and I think that your suit is great. I've been buying older suits for about a year now having experienced two new suits bought from M & S but made in China.
I found a couple of 1980's suits made for a fabric buyer in Yorkshire, they fitted perfectly so the M & S rags went to the charity shop! The main criteria I have when looking is 'made in England' though I include all of the UK and made of wool, the above example excepted!
I have a mixture of bespoke and factory made and have them adjusted if required to fit.

How is it possible to post photos directly into a post without using flickr or other suchlike? Do I have to make a certain number of postings perhaps.

 

[avedwards]

this is my favourite British made suit. i estimate the date at mid 30s but it could be later or even slightly earlier.
this suit has no whistles and bells. it is a stripped down, lean piece of man armour.
the finish is tough and workmanlike, almost brutal, not very precise, which is how i like suits to be made. i'm not really interested in delicate hand stitching and the like.
i'm much more interested in the way British mass produced suits were constructed than bespoke suits.
many British vintage suits have cuffs finished in this quirky manner.

That's a very nice suit indeed. I particularly like the fabric with it's hybrid colour and slight herringbone weave.

I have two suits with a similar sleeve cuff treatment - one Australian late 30s/early 40s and one British or German from the 1970s. I wonder why that treatment was used. Was it simply a cost cutting measure as it looks better than a "tube" cuff but is less expensive to make and easier to alter than having a "realistic" cuff.

 

[herringbonekid]

I wonder why that treatment was used. Was it simply a cost cutting measure as it looks better than a "tube" cuff but is less expensive to make and easier to alter than having a "realistic" cuff.

if mass produced suits (trousers and arms) weren't hemmed and could be altered in-store, this type of cuff would make sense. it doesn't have a finished bottom edge so is easier to extend or shorten. i've seen it on a couple of American 30s jackets too.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I traded a suit with Ben a while back, which has this feature.

Lovely buttons, Hezza. Horn, or horn effect? I grabbed a tweed jacket today (1940s) with simply amazing buttons. I'll get photos and post them here. They seem to be varnished wood, or some very, very good wood effect hard plastic. really great buttons.

I'll do a similar dissection of my favourite suit soon. It's currently waiting with Miss Sis for me to gather it back into the fold after washing. Light brown, West end tailored and 1935 dated, made for a Diplomat. I fear that Ben is going to simply gather it into his wardrobe, he likes it so much …

bk

 

[herringbonekid]

Horn, or horn effect?

i would guess they're real horn, but i'm not sure i could tell the difference between real and good fakes. any tips ?

 

[avedwards]

i would guess they're real horn, but i'm not sure i could tell the difference between real and good fakes. any tips ?

According to one vintage shop owner in Lincoln the noise it makes when you tap it against your teeth is different with real and fake horn. Real horn makes a more definied "clack" noise.

 

[PADDY]

"Bite it..! You "have to BITE IT..!"

 

[Baron Kurtz]

A strange fish. The label states that the suit was made in England, but sold in Bermuda. The cut has nothing British about it, particularly in the trousers (pics to come). This is essentially a 1930s American linen suit, but made in England.

 

[yorkshirechap]

Here are a couple of British suits that I have acquired over the last year, also a very strange horn button.

The first is 1963 probably bespoke by a tailor in Bristol. The second picture shows a very large pocket, normally seen in tweed jackets and known as a poachers pocket so strange to see it on a business suit, any ideas why?

The next suit is by Jackson Tailors, they were bought out by Burtons in the 70's I think.
It has a narrow lapel so I think perhaps 1960's, would be grateful for your thoughts.
It is three piece and the waistcoat is double breasted and the jacket has one button fastening and a quilted lining.

The last is a Daks suit, factory made but fully lined so I think again from the 1960's or early 70's before big lapels.

The horn buttons I mentioned, the jacket has no indication of origin but I think Italian, the buttons look like they have been cut off and drilled, nothing more!

Thank you for bearing with me, I've now discovered Photobucket!

 

[avedwards]

Here are a couple of British suits that I have acquired over the last year, also a very strange horn button.

The first is 1963 probably bespoke by a tailor in Bristol. The second picture shows a very large pocket, normally seen in tweed jackets and known as a poachers pocket so strange to see it on a business suit, any ideas why?

If it was tailor made the customer probably requested it. Could have been for storing gloves, glasses or some other bulky item the wearer liked to keep with him.

The next suit is by Jackson Tailors, they were bought out by Burtons in the 70's I think.
It has a narrow lapel so I think perhaps 1960's, would be grateful for your thoughts.
It is three piece and the waistcoat is double breasted and the jacket has one button fastening and a quilted lining.

Jackson were taken over in the 50s I think but the style looks 60s so I suppose it could have been made by Burton using the Jackson name. I really like the quilted lining on that one - if I ever get rich enough to afford several bespoke suits I may try to get the detail on one! It's interesting that it has linked button closure usually only seen on morning coats and dinner jackets.

 

[Chasseur]

Two of my nicest British suits, I've posted some photos of these before, but thought I could take some more detailed photos for this thread.

1955 Anderson and Shepard 3 piece in Lovat Blue tweed. Three button jacket, nice sharp points on the waitcoat. Trousers with a single, shallow forward pleat, button fly, and buckle waist adjusters.

The label was cut away on this bold look look/wide boy styled suit. Wonderful heavy blue fabric and the pattern is small squares with yellow/orange, and other colors.

Heavy quilted front like on some of my morning coats:

Can anyone identify this label? Looks like W Evan and Sons to me, but not sure.

This one has wonderful trousers...

 

[herringbonekid]

The next suit is by Jackson Tailors, they were bought out by Burtons in the 70's I think.

Jackson the Tailor began in 1900 with Moses Jacobson, a Russian emigre who set up in Clayton Street, Newcastle (where i was born btw). they were bought by Burtons in 1953. by that point they had 70 stores nationwide and were managed by Lionel Jacobson, Moses' son who, after the merger, became managing director of Jacksons AND Burtons apparently !

although they have a long history i've only ever seen suits post '58 by them, and there seems to be more of their vintage suits in the north east, probably because Geordie men preferred to buy from a real north east company.

 

[herringbonekid]

Chasseur, as i mentioned on page 16 Anderson & Sheppard are supposedly the only Saville Row tailor to match their jacket pocket jettings to the pattern on the front. can you confirm if this is the case on your fine A&S example ?

here's Thomas Mahon explaining it with pictures: http://www.englishcut.com/2005/09/17/how-to-recognise-anderson-sheppard-check-the-pockets/

they also reputedly didn't match windowpane sleeves to the body: http://www.englishcut.com/2011/07/29/go-west-young-man/

... although they obviously do now:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I sold one to Volatile a while ago that was probably from the late 40s. Nice external braces buttons. The jacket was a 4x1 DB. I'll try to find some pictures …

although they have a long history i've only ever seen suits post '58 by them, and there seems to be more of their vintage suits in the north east, probably because Geordie men preferred to buy from a real north east company.

 

[Chasseur]

Herringbone Kid,

Thank you for that piece of information, I missed it earlier. I took a look and the jettings do match the pattern so back in 1955 it seems A&S was matching the jettings. Moreover, I compared with my other suit jackets that that is not the case with any of the rest. I always learn something on the Lounge! (however, normally with damage to my pocketbook!)

 

[herringbonekid]

I took a look and the jettings do match the pattern so back in 1955 it seems A&S was matching the jettings. Moreover, I compared with my other suit jackets that that is not the case with any of the rest.

trouble is i think it's more myth than fact. i've since found another suit (a DB 40s) with matched jettings, and an American 40s one. obviously any number of tailors could have easily copied this Anderson and Sheppard trait if they wished. there's so much myth and misinformation around tailoring. makes for good stories though.

 

[avedwards]

Jackson the Tailor began in 1900 with Moses Jacobson, a Russian emigre who set up in Clayton Street, Newcastle (where i was born btw). they were bought by Burtons in 1953. by that point they had 70 stores nationwide and were managed by Lionel Jacobson, Moses' son who, after the merger, became managing director of Jacksons AND Burtons apparently !

although they have a long history i've only ever seen suits post '58 by them, and there seems to be more of their vintage suits in the north east, probably because Geordie men preferred to buy from a real north east company.

The suit in my avatar is by Jackson (bought in Nottingham so the location fits with what you said) and it looks earlier than '58. I've also seen an excellenty made 40s dinner jacket by Jackson (again in a Nottingham vintage shop).

 

[yorkshirechap]

Thanks for all the info and I hope you enjoyed seeing them, it is amazing how many different features come to light all the time. I have a couple of buttons to replace on the Jackson suit but they are are quite dished and I think are going to be difficult to match.

I'll put some more suits on soon.

I love that Anderson and Sheppard Chassuer!

Also just checked the jettings on a number of my suits bespoke and ready made, none match.

 

[avedwards]

I'm surprised that matched jettings seems to be such a rare feature. I would have expected more bespoke tailors to offer them as it's a really neat looking detail and I can't imagine it's that difficult for a good tailor to make.

 

[Lexybeast]

Great A&S Chassuer, where did you find it?