The 1920 JAZZ SUIT

[mike]

In the 1924 Lon Chaney film Tell It to the Marines the character "Skeet" is wearing a jazz suit in the beginning of the film .

YES! I was meaning to post about William Haines' suit! It's amazing how this site has shed so much light on aspects of the films/culture we love!

Speaking of which, I just saw a short spotlight on King Vidor on TCM where they showed a clip from the 1929 film, Hallelujah. And I swear one of the guys in the baptist water dunking scene has a belted back jacket with center pleat running down the back and under the belt to the hem of the jacket that I couldn't help but think it sure looks like it would have been from several years later. :eusa_doh: I -think- I'm proud of myself for picking that detail up lol

 

[Feraud]

Here is a bad pic of the suit.

 

[J.J. Gittes]

This place makes jazz suits. It's second from the bottom. http://www.murrayonhawaii.com/nolan/index.html

 

[Feraud]

I would like to see a few photos of their Jazz suit.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I would like to see a few photos of their Jazz suit.

I call it the "J. Peterman Syndrome." Showing illustrations rather than photos is infuriating. Years ago, the Brooks Brothers catalogues did the same.

.

 

[Feraud]

And how I hate those Peterman illustrations!

 

[Chad Sanborn]

I actually liked the suit!
Though I am not crazy about the color scheme. Maybe in a dark navy or black.

I can see me wearing this to MC a burlesque gig.

 

[reetpleat]

I call it the "J. Peterman Syndrome." Showing illustrations rather than photos is infuriating. Years ago, the Brooks Brothers catalogues did the same.

.

But I would probably trust Brooks Brothers.

I would guess this company knows nothing about suit construction, and would guess their Jazz suit would be about as authentic and well constructed as their zoot suits. $500 seems like a lot for that.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

But I would probably trust Brooks Brothers.

You're right: their illustrations were far more accurate.


See some 1980s ones here: http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80112


.

 

[reetpleat]

You're right: their illustrations were far more accurate.


See some 1980s ones here: http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80112


.

That and I suppose you can count on certain level of quality.

What is it with these preppys and their go to hell pants.

As a matter of fact, why do they dress so badly. Aren't the the inheritors of custom tailoring and the ivy league look? I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[J.J. Gittes]

I just emailed the owner to ask if i could see some photos of the Jazz Suit. Hopefully I'll get a reply. I don't think it will be that bad, I mean with Zoot Suits, they're so overdone and stylized. We will see I guess..
EDIT: Email doesnt work......

 

[dhermann1]

1920's Jazz suit available

I could have dug through and found the original Jazz suit thread, but I thought I'd pop this to the front in case anyone wanted to go down and get this crazy suit.
The suit of which I speak is for sale at the liquidation sale of Odd's Costumers in New York. They're a costume shop for film and theater, driven out of business, apparently, by the bad economy.
They have tons of stuff, mostly mediocre. They have a lot of nice ladies apparel, vintage dresses, etc. Somebody that the tuxes went like a flash.
But in the back, against a wall, not with most of the other suits, was a genuine early 20's Jazz suit, as described in the thread, originally put up by Marc Chevalier, I think.
It's probably no larger than a 36. It's brown tweed (I think, nubbly brown wool, at any rate). It had two buttons on the from of the jacket about 2 inches apart, wide deep flaring sides, and strangely positioned slash pockets on the sides. Totally bizarre. If I had never seen the Jazz suit thread I would never have recognized it. It's a real find for anyone who might want it. No idea how much they want for it, but it's a liquidation sale, and nobody is likely to give it a second look, other than a Lounger. It's in slightly tatty shape, but not bad for a 90 years old suit.
Odd's is at 231 W 29th St, 3rd floor, in Manhattan.
Happy hunting.

 

[Feraud]

Stopped by Odd's today. Picked up a Dobbs Westward, Disney Fifteen that looks to be a peach color (or my eyes are shot), and a bunch of detachable collars. Not bad for 20 bucks.

 

[BellyTank]

Jazzy Jacket...

I just spotted a gem, among the '70s polyester and chunky checks.
A jacket with some crazy Jazz-era features, early '20s, I guess.
I suppose the lesser-trained eye would dump it in with the '70s uglies-
I guess that's what happened. I'll go back with some money.
Watch this space...


B
T

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Run B.T., run!

 

[BellyTank]

I'm confident it'll still be there, that and the '30s Tweed Sport Coat-
a turquoisey-grey with rust over-check.
I'll sleep, don't worry.


B
T

 

[BellyTank]

Nice

I got it AND the other vintage Tweed for some peanuts and change.
The one I was referring to as "Jazz" is not SO crazy Jazz but it does have some crazy, borderline ugly features, which I like. Jazz meets reality.
It is Swedish, after all. I'd say it's from around 1920 but we'll see what the experts think, when I put some photos up.
It has 4 patch pockets, skirt pockets with flaps, skewed, round bottomed breast pockets. Skinny-er peaked lapels, 3 button, high button stance(closely grouped buttons), high rear half belt, lo-o-o-ong centre vent.
It has no rear pleating, or action but it does have a Raglan effect
rear shoulder seam treatment and a centre back seam... nice Tweedy cloth
...and it almost fits me... couple of moth bites too- shame because it appears completely unworn. I got it for collecting's sake.

The English "30s" Tweed is magnificent but after some researching,
it could be as late as '50s, although classically styled.
It is from Sweden, with a "Tiger"(of Sweden)
label but also a "Cumbertex(Swedish textile company)made in England" label.
Curiouser...


Pictures will follow and in the Sport Coat thread.


B
T

 

[filfoster]

Jazzbo suit

Sorry, I'm just as glad history papered over this suit so quickly. But thank you Marc for the great photos and the equally fine 'script'! Great stuff. You have an ear for dialogue.

 

[B. Kleinsteuber]

I Like

I guess I am one of the few that like this style of suit. I wouldn't get it in any outragous colors though, just blue, black, brown or gray. The style is enough for me. lol

 

[Dayonfire]

Yes

I would totally wear this. Seems like a half-hearted throwback to the frock coats of the mid-19th century.

Michael

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the 20th century's shortest-lived suit style: the 1920-1921 "Jazz" suit.

Back in late 1919, as victorious U.S. soldiers were returning from Europe, some misguided suit manufacturers invented what was to be the least successful suit of modern times. The conversation must have gone something like this:




MANNY (AN N.Y.C. SUIT REP): Say, Jack! I have a swell idea for a suit!

JACK (HIS PARTNER): Talk to me.

MANNY: Well, all these doughboys are coming home from the Great War. They've spent some time in Paris, so they'll want to whoop it up some here. They'll need a fun suit for fun times. They'll need a Jazz suit.

JACK: A what?

MANNY: A Jazz suit! To dance to jazz tunes in! Them soldier boys are loaded with dough -- army pay -- and they'll be sliding right back into those industrial jobs left behind by their wives and sweethearts.

JACK: I'll say! What'll the suit look like?

MANNY: Well, the jacket'll have narrow shoulders and be suppressed in the waist, with a long flared bottom, and the pants legs will be nice and narrow. Just like the Army uniforms those doughboys have learned to love!

JACK: Er ...

MANNY: And it'll have buttons right in the middle of the jacket, and the sleeve cuffs will be fishtailed!

JACK: Um, Manny, I don't know if ...

MANNY: And we'll put a high price tag on it. America's the money king of the world now!

JACK: Hmmm ... but ...

MANNY: No, no buts! We're gonna take the menswear industry by storm with this one!






Alas, it was not to be. Doughboys were keen to get out of their tight-fitting uniforms: they didn't want some tight-fitting suits to take their place. It didn't help that in 1920, the U.S.A. plunged into a two-year long depression, caused by wartime overproduction. Who could afford a superfluous "fun" suit? Things being as they were, the Jazz suit barely survived 1920 and collapsed in 1921.

And here is what it looked like: