Suit identification

[PhilR]

Hey Guys,

A friend just picked up this thrift store find and would like to know if anyone here could provide insight into its history. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[Patrick Hall]

Can't tell you anything about the maker or the haberdasher where it was sold, but I'd say this suit is from the late 60's-early 70's, given the style of the front trouser pockets, the hacking pockets on the coat and the pagoda shoulders. The only uncharacteristic detail is the lapels, which are conservative for a suit with an otherwise rather fashion forward presentation. One would expect broad lapels with some serious belly. I wonder whether they were recut at some point during the suit's life. Do the pants flare out at the knees? Seeing the trouser closure and the coat lining would help for dating purposes, as well as any union/care/fabric composition tags at the neck or in one of the interior pockets.

 

[MondoFW]

I was thinking around the same time. The suit also has that shiny finish that polyester or sharkskin suits have, so that's why I was thinking around this period.

 

[Canadian]

I agree with my learned colleagues. I would be curious to find out, is the primary makeup of the suit is polyester. I have a lot of suits (or had, I've slowly phased out some items) and even formal wear which is polyester and it has that particular look. Just the way the fabric looks leads me to think that the suit is 70s - early 90s. It is definitely a classic style (the 3-pc is timeless IMO) but it's not a historical find, unless one is seeking examples.

The notch lapel and the relatively normal waistline lead me to think this would have been something my father would have worn. He wore suits to work from about 1969 forward, the nature of the suit leads me to think, 1969 - maybe 1980.

C.