Show us your suits

[Wild Root]

You prefer single breasted? Yeah, I think I remember that. I also recall that I mentioned that you shouldn't knock them till you try them! Now you have quite a few! And you also like them.

My self, I like both. Not one more then the other however, I do find double breasted suits me fine! There is nothing more 1930's or 40's looking then a fine double breasted! Such nice wide lapels and the button stance of them just shout golden era.

I don't find that DB's are easier to find! Not at all! Over here, most people find that DB's are more desirable then single breasted. In fact it was real funny; I was at Church once and wore a 1940's single breasted suit. A guy I know said to me: Finally, you wear a modern suit! Much to his dismay, I informed him of his ignorance and told him that it was a 1940's suit! I mentioned to him that the single breasted style is older then dirt. He was unhappy about it. I loved shutting him down!

=WR=

Here is one of my favorite DB's! A dark brown early 40's job!

 

[herringbonekid]

nice whistle and flute 'Root.

Havershaw, is your wife a vintage wearer too ?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

O darn! I have a HsM Jacket that is a dead ringer for it. Even has 2 buttons on the cuff. Say- I've always wondered what was up with that. How come Brooks Bros. and HSM use two button cuffs?

Cuff buttons, unless they're working (surgeon), i've always considered an unnecessary frippery. 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 are normally used and the number used is down to the personal choice of each tailor / company / customer. I have a two cuff button Saks 5th Ave. sport coat, and a four cuff button Saks 5th Ave. overcoat (both vintage). Go figure. There may have been some etiquette about how many buttons went on an overcoat, how many went on a jacket. Or maybe one button style is tailor made, another is off the rack?

If the cuffs are working (surgeon), it would seem to me that it doesn't matter how many buttons you have. What matters is how far the placket extends up the arm to make the cuff functional. One button or four will hold the placket closed as well as each other. Maybe tailors / seamstresses can expand on this point? Again, this would be down to the preference of the tailor (or the demands of the customer - see The Roaring Twenties (i think) where Cagney's sidekick demands 7 (seven) buttons on the cuffs, to the shock of his tailor). I once commanded my tailor to put five (5) working buttons on my cuffs in part in homage to that movie. Also, Tony Blair has been seen with 5 cuff buttons - during his trendy phase, until he got laughed at in parliament a bit too much.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

p.s. Wild Root, those are some d*mn fine shoes. I love the colour variation. The suit and hat are okay too, i guess

bk

 

[Mr. Rover]

I think 4 would be best for surgeon cuffs, and it would keep it closed along the forearm, otherwise it would open up like the gauntlet of a shirt.

 

[Wild Root]

nice whistle and flute 'Root.

??? I'm not sure I understand[huh] Over here, it could be taken WAY out of context.

p.s. Wild Root, those are some d*mn fine shoes. I love the color variation. The suit and hat are okay too, i guess

bk

The shoes? Those trashed old things? Man, I found those in a small thrift shop in Northern Manitoba for a Looney! Found two other pairs that belonged to the same guy one of which is WAY cooler! Talking leather and mesh combination! And, a plain pair of leather dress shoes. All a Looney a throw!

The hat is a mid 1930?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Dobbs 5th Ave. THE SOFTEST FELT HAT I OWN!!!
You can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t really see it but, there is a red stripe in that suit!

I think 4 would be best for surgeon cuffs, and it would keep it closed along the forearm, otherwise it would open up like the gauntlet of a shirt.

The functioning cuff buttons on suit coat which are called ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSurgeon cuffs?¢‚Ǩ? mean that the surgeon can unbutton the cuff to roll them up. Then again, why would a Surgeon wear a suit jacket to perform Surgery?

As to the numbers of buttons on coats cuffs, I have another suit coat dated 1941 that has only two buttons. The one that Matt Deckard got from me is near mint condition! There aren?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t any signs of any buttons being removed and the sleeves I can tell were never altered.

I believe that it was up to the individual on how many buttons he wanted or, it was a trade mark of an individual tailor. So many different things it could be but, we?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll never know for sure because we are just a little late to have been there.

=WR=

 

[herringbonekid]

'whistle and flute': rhyming slang: suit.

can also be shortened to just "whistle" to confuse still further.

 

[Wild Root]

Ummmmm, ok, that's interesting. Some English expressions are truly unique. Any background on that slang? How it came about?

Always love to learn more from other cultures a crossed the "Pond".

=WR=

 

[herringbonekid]

it was developed by 'cockneys' or Londoners, and like most slang was almost certainly a way for the criminal classes to talk about 'dodgy' goings-on without being understood...by anyone. (ain't you seen 'my fair lady' or somefink ?)

"Got to my mickey, found me way up the apples, put on me whistle and the bloody dog went. It was me trouble telling me to fetch the teapots."

which really means...

"Got to my house (mickey mouse), found my way up the stairs (apples and pears), put on my suit (whistle and flute) when the phone (dog and bone) rang. It was my wife (trouble and strife) telling me to get the kids (teapot lids)."

of course no-one really talks like that but its nice to imagine they do.

 

[Wild Root]

HAhaha, that's swell! I wish I could talk like that! English slang! Oh boy, it's different then what was used as slang here in the States in the 30's and 40's.

Good to know friend!

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

??? I'm not sure I understand[huh] Over here, it could be taken WAY out of context.
=WR=

Cockney rhyming slang. Whistle and Flute = Suit. Apples and Pears = stairs. Trouble and Strife = Wife. etc etc etc

The functioning cuff buttons on suit coat which are called ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSurgeon cuffs?¢‚Ǩ? mean that the surgeon can unbutton the cuff to roll them up. Then again, why would a Surgeon wear a suit jacket to perform Surgery?

Because he was in the British Army and, good Lord sir, are you suggesting a British officer would remove his jacket?

bk

 

[Wild Root]

Well, since it's British then, yes, that makes sense It simply wouldn't be proper to run around sewing up soldiers with out a coat on I suppose.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Tony Blair has been seen with 5 cuff buttons - during his trendy phase, until he got laughed at in parliament a bit too much.

Prince Charles has also been seen in double-breasted jackets with 5 cuff buttons. A few years ago (and maybe today as well), Ralph Lauren's "Purple Label" had suit jackets with 5 button cuffs.


Incidentally, men who like to wear their money on their sleeve do the following:

-- They have their shirt cuff monogrammed.

-- They leave the bottom buttonhole unbuttoned on their expensive, usually hand-tailored "surgeon's cuffs", so that everyone can see that the cuff buttons are workable.

 

[shamus]

Incidentally, men who like to wear their money on their sleeve do the following:

-- They have their shirt cuff monogrammed.

-- They leave the bottom buttonhole unbuttoned on their expensive, usually hand-tailored "surgeon's cuffs", so that everyone can see that the cuff buttons are workable.

The also wear a wrist watch in the that's worth more than a new car.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Right! And some wear that wristwatch over their shirt cuff! (Sort of a Mafia thing, that.)

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Right! And some wear that wristwatch over their shirt cuff! (Sort of a Mafia thing, that.)

I love that look. Gianni Agnelli, i believe. It'll never take off, but it's so functional. Why not on the outside of the jacket? That would be great.

bk

 

[Wild Root]

Ummmmmm, no.

=WR=

 

[Mr. Rover]

As to the numbers of buttons on coats cuffs, I have another suit coat dated 1941 that has only two buttons. The one that Matt Deckard got from me is near mint condition! There aren?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t any signs of any buttons being removed and the sleeves I can tell were never altered.

Yes'r. Just expressing my opinion about surgeon cuffs.
How many jackets of yours have fake button-holes next to the non-functioning buttons to imitate real button holes?

ray

 

[Wild Root]

I have a few coats with the stitches to give the look of button holes.

My self, I couldn't care less if there are button holes on my coat sleeve. I'd never use them seeing I'm not one to roll up suit coat sleeves. I mean, if I found a suit with real button holes on the sleeves I'd buy it if it were my size but, not going to have any custom suits made with them. It's a neat feature but, I could very easily live life without working button holes on the sleeves.

Let?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s see some suits.

=WR=

 

[Matt Deckard]

Sleave buttons ay? Generally in the earlier day's you'd see 2 spaced a bit apart, or three or four close or touching. Rarely at all (even on the custom suits in the 30's and 40's) would you see them functional. I'll start a new thread on this subject.