Show us your suits

[Shangas]

DocMustang, that watch is beautiful. Can we see more photos of it?

 

[alanfgag]

Alan, that suit is tremendous. It's a perfect fit and style for you. Great color, finish, drape. And from the '30s at that!! Just wonderful - thanks for sharing that with us!

Fascinating, it does not look 1930's; perhaps an earlier suit (1910s-1920s?) that someone continued to wear into the '30s?

Thanks very much! The quality of the wool is wonderful and the lustre and finish has held up very well. My wife is a costume designer and she is pretty confident that it is 1930's vintage... I'm sorry not to have a better picture to show the styling. Next time out!

 

[Tomasso]

My wife is a costume designer and she is pretty confident that it is 1930's vintage...

The lapels look kinda skimpy for 30's. Maybe someone trimmed them down to 50's/60's width before you got hold of it. Nevertheless it's a nice suit.

 

[Salieri]

Here's the same suit made up as a makeshift 3-piece with herringbone waistcoat, which I think workd pretty well. The colour hasn't really come out very well; it's much bluer in reality.

 

[DocMustang]

DocMustang, that watch is beautiful. Can we see more photos of it?

Sure, I wrote a thread about it that got merged into the "pocketwatches" Uberthread.

Photos and Story of the watch

Feel free to follow the chain of posts about the watch. You will also get to see a close up of the watch fob as well. (Also a really cool artifiact of my family)
The Fob belonged to my grandmother's, grandmother's brother. He was born in 1866, became a Freemason in 1905. When I was raised my grandmother gave me the watch Fob as well as the chain it is attached to.

 

[djd]

I do love those peak lapels. Very nice

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I do love those peak lapels. Very nice

:arated:

...and the fitted waist. Beautiful silhouette!

 

[MattStat]

Love both the suits, especially the linen, a particular weakness of mine.

How often do you troll the thrift shops in able to score such finds?

 

[DocMustang]

Love both the suits, especially the linen, a particular weakness of mine.

How often do you troll the thrift shops in able to score such finds?

Unfortunately not as often as I would like, about once a month or so. The first suit, the blue one was a thrift shop find. The second, the linen suit was a Calvin Klein from Men's Wearhouse, so it was not a true vintage, I did have my tailor modify the trousers a bit for me though. I bought the largest on the rack and had him convert them from flat front to pleated and to cuff the trousers. Calvin Klein tends to cut their suits to fit stick figures rather than actual humans. The rise is a bit low on the trouser together with the vest, there can occasionally be a small gap between vest and trouser. I dare not leave the bottom button undone.

Maybe If I troll the thrifts more often I can get my wife to let me buy more suits...

 

[MattStat]

I got caught with my pants down while walking across the Manhattan Bridge.

A guy, who I later learned was Blake Ribbey http://captureflow.com, on a bike came riding up to me, whipped out an enormous camera and asked could he take my Polaroid. Yes, Polaroid. He said he buys the film from somewhere overseas. He snapped two photos and sent me this one (the original is just as blurry as this). He invited me to stop by his studio and be put on video. I told him I don't do nudity.

The suit is linen, from, God help us, Ravis Tailor, from their mid-range. The sleeves were an inch too long, as are the pants. I could never, despite a dozen emails, get them to admit a mistake. I had the coat sleeves adjusted, but not yet the pants, which I can actually hike up with the suspenders. Tie is thrift store fine, shoes ancient Allen Edmonds. The hat is from Panama Direct, the $98 version, the cheapest, but fits my distorted long-oval skull perfectly.

 

[DocMustang]

I got caught with my pants down while walking across the Manhattan Bridge.


The suit is linen, from, God help us, Ravis Tailor, from their mid-range. The sleeves were an inch too long, as are the pants. I could never, despite a dozen emails, get them to admit a mistake. I had the coat sleeves adjusted, but not yet the pants, which I can actually hike up with the suspenders. Tie is thrift store fine, shoes ancient Allen Edmonds. The hat is from Panama Direct, the $98 version, the cheapest, but fits my distorted long-oval skull perfectly.

That is a really good look. The linen has aquired the perfect patina of wrinkles.

 

[Tomasso]

When I was a kid there were no fences on the bridges. Lots of jumpers but no fences.....

 

[Salieri]

This is one of my absolute favourite things. Late 30s/Early 40s Montague Burton Oceanic Serge black lounge/stroller. The trousers aren't perfect. I have a couple of better pairs of morning dress trousers in terms of cloth, but these ones (CC41, probably originally from a striped suit) are a better cut to balance the fairly bold shoulder shape.

This shows the herringbone weave of the cloth somewhat better (link because it's a huge photo) http://andrewsandpygott.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/oceanic-serge-jacket.jpg

EDIT: PS. Should probably include one with a hat, though I look a tad rumpled in this one. The bowler has quite an unusually wide brim and high crown, resulting in me looking quite small in it:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yes, I do like the Oceanic Serge. Very nice cloth. Have you held their Laird Scotch Tweed? Very interesting stuff, too.

bk

 

[Salieri]

I've seen a Laird Tweed overcoat, but not any of their standard suiting weights. The oceanic is pretty thick but actually breathes really well, so doesn't get too hot even in sunny weather. Of course the main benefit of the oceanic over their ordinary range of non-branded cloths is not the cloth itself, but the navy and gold label. I'm literally in love with pre-50s Burton. It's devastating how many vintage Burton garments have had their labels removed... :cry:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I agree. That "Oxford Street; Princes Street" label is one of the greats of label design. For those who don't know it:

bk

 

[Tomasso]

For those who don't know

Please elaborate, as my ignorance precedes me...............

 

[Salieri]

Please elaborate, as my ignorance precedes me...............

A brief and slightly vague overview of Monatgue Burton logos over the years:

http://andrewsandpygott.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/dating-montague-burton-clothing/

 

[birkie]

Nice Etsy Find - No clue as to age

Hi, all

I'm new here (though have been reading various threads on and off for years). Recently, I've been inspired to search for three piece suits. Last week, I found a beautiful suit on Etsy for $35 with some unusual (to me) details. I have no clue as to age, and would very much appreciate some educated guesses. My un-educated guess would be 70s?

Here are some pics + details

Material: Wool, medium/heavy. Way too hot for summer, seems nice for winter and cooler spring/fall days. No labels indicating fabric composition or origin, but burning a few fibers definitely pointed to pure wool.

Tags: Just what's shown in pictures. No union labels

Very decent fit right off the bat:


Vest has four pockets. Trousers rise to natural waist, and are cuffed at the bottom (not visible in pic). No pleats:


Inside the jackat (it's fully lined). This is the only brand/manufacturer label. No union labels anywhere. I've never seen the under-arm detail before! Is that supposed to serve some function, or is is purely decorative?


Other side of jacket interior. There are three pockets: A tiny, long and narrow (for a pen?) pocket near the top, followed by a standard sized pocket with containing a hidden triangular flap of fabric with a button hole. There's a corresponding button underneath the flap - don't know if it's for securing the contents of the pocket, or for a pocket watch. Third pocket down low. Has a care label (dry clean only, no petroleum or coin operated machines):

 

[Qirrel]

You have got yourself a nice suit there. Sleeve lining is hand stitched, buttonholes look like they are too. Those pieces of cloth in the armpit are supposed to absorb your sweat. A real bargain, I reckon.