Sefton
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,132
- Location
- Somewhere among the owls in Maryland
The 1950s Suit; What makes it different?
Many of us here at the Lounge seem to have a great passion for men’s suits from the 1930s and 1940s. I count myself among those who really love that look of those eras. They seem to have had style to spare in those decades-wonderful patterns, the tapered waist on jackets, the peaked lapels and belted backs. High prices are often paid for a suit in good condition from back then. Suits from those decades are likely the most sought after among collectors and wearers of vintage, but what about the suits of the 1950s?
It was while watching "The White Sheik" by Fellini that I began to think of this. I love movies from the 1950s, especially foreign films. I find myself often watching Italian and French films from that era. Comedies, drama, noir, Italian Neo-Realist and French New Wave. In many of these films I am taken by the beauty of the suits and how they change throughout the decade of the 1950s. My basic question is what exactly makes a ‘50s suit a 50s suit?
I’ve noticed that the wider lapels of the late 1940s carry over to the early ‘50s. Trousers are still high waisted and fully cut-wide legged with deep pleats and cuffed ends. As the decade nears it’s end the suits change in some obvious and other perhaps not so obvious ways. The jackets become more close fitting and so do the trousers. I see less cuffs on trouser ends and the lapels become much thinner leading to the 60s love of the super thin lapels and pegged leg look.
What is the evolution of the ‘50s suit and what are the differences between those made in America and the British variety? What about the Italian and French design? Which designers can be credited with these changes? Would anyone be interested in posting some photos of ‘50s suits from their own collection or perhaps examples from films or magazines?
I’ve found some answers to these questions in various threads. I think it might be useful if we could give the ‘50s suit it’s own area. Collect the information for easy reference in one spot. It doesn’t have to be this particular thread, I just wanted to put the idea out to see what people think of it. Thanks for reading this. Best regards, Sefton.
Many of us here at the Lounge seem to have a great passion for men’s suits from the 1930s and 1940s. I count myself among those who really love that look of those eras. They seem to have had style to spare in those decades-wonderful patterns, the tapered waist on jackets, the peaked lapels and belted backs. High prices are often paid for a suit in good condition from back then. Suits from those decades are likely the most sought after among collectors and wearers of vintage, but what about the suits of the 1950s?
It was while watching "The White Sheik" by Fellini that I began to think of this. I love movies from the 1950s, especially foreign films. I find myself often watching Italian and French films from that era. Comedies, drama, noir, Italian Neo-Realist and French New Wave. In many of these films I am taken by the beauty of the suits and how they change throughout the decade of the 1950s. My basic question is what exactly makes a ‘50s suit a 50s suit?
I’ve noticed that the wider lapels of the late 1940s carry over to the early ‘50s. Trousers are still high waisted and fully cut-wide legged with deep pleats and cuffed ends. As the decade nears it’s end the suits change in some obvious and other perhaps not so obvious ways. The jackets become more close fitting and so do the trousers. I see less cuffs on trouser ends and the lapels become much thinner leading to the 60s love of the super thin lapels and pegged leg look.
What is the evolution of the ‘50s suit and what are the differences between those made in America and the British variety? What about the Italian and French design? Which designers can be credited with these changes? Would anyone be interested in posting some photos of ‘50s suits from their own collection or perhaps examples from films or magazines?
I’ve found some answers to these questions in various threads. I think it might be useful if we could give the ‘50s suit it’s own area. Collect the information for easy reference in one spot. It doesn’t have to be this particular thread, I just wanted to put the idea out to see what people think of it. Thanks for reading this. Best regards, Sefton.
