The Return of The Three Piece Suit

[Sefton]

Thanks. As soon as I get it and have pics I'll post them in the "show us your suits" thread.

 

[carter]

I like both these classic looks.

These are both nice presentations. Note some differences in the two suits.

High roll on jacket with wider notched lapels. Patch pocket on left chest.
High gorge on the vest. 7/6 buttoning.

Mid-roll on jacket with narrower notched lapels.Inset pocket on left chest.
Lower gorge on the vest. 5/4 buttoning.

 

[Mocheman]

I've been able to pick up two 3 piece suits at Burlington Coat Factory. One a brown pin stripe Nautica and the other a gray pin stripe of a brand I had never heard of before. Both suit vests cover the belt line unlike the photos above.

Since I live in South Florida I wanted the ability to still feel like I was wearing a suit without my jacket on. So 3 piece suits for a reasonable price are out there. I actually picked both suits up in the summer before the "3 piece suit is back" stuff started up.

Then a few months ago my mom said she was watching Regis and he declared that the 3 piece suit was back. Go figure.

 

[Jovan]

Another one of Jimmy Stewart's

Farley Granger's is quite similarly cut.

Those are some of the most well made and proportioned peaks I've seen. I only wish there were better pictures online. If anyone has some, please humour us.

 

[mike]

Farley Granger's is quite similarly cut.

Those are some of the most well made and proportioned peaks I've seen. I only wish there were better pictures online. If anyone has some, please humour us.

Good reference! Hitchcock's Rope featured some wonderful suits!

 

[mike]

you want more, you got more!

really the whole cast is sporting terrific suits, and I think the color process on the film seems to give everything an otherworldly life to it.

 

[mike]

another line regarding "Rope"

Do any of those suits though scream post-war '47/'48? (the year the film was produced/released) I wouldn't think so and yet there they are.

 

[vintage68]

True story: About four years ago I went shopping for some new suits. Of course I wanted vested suits, but none were available. I was told that aside from being "out of style" that they were considered "old fashioned". Anyway, I happened to be in the store when a representative from Zegna was present, and he said that he would be happy to make vests from the suits I was having tailored at the time since they were all Ermenegildo Zegna suits.

Long story short, I had three vests made to match the three suits I was buying, paying a hefty fee for the custom work.

About two years later I have started seeing a lot more vested suits being made: Ralph Lauren for one example, and I believe I saw Brooks Bro's also offering them, or maybe it was J.Press...?

In any case, I was at the gym recently and caught a video of Justin Timberlake, and he was wearing a badly fitting three piece!! As in the previous "modern" interpretations the vest sat above the belt. Vulgar swine.

So yes, the three piece is making a fashion comeback, though that may not be necessarily a good thing!

Style is forever.

 

[Jovan]

Do any of those suits though scream post-war '47/'48? (the year the film was produced/released) I wouldn't think so and yet there they are.

Indeed! I'm going to be rather unpopular here, but I don't like most late '40s suits. These are definitely a lot better.

 

[carter]

Thanks for the photos !

I have never seen Rope but, after seeing these photos, I am definitely putting it on my must see list.

 

[Alan Eardley]

I'm not aware that the 3-piece suit has ever been 'away'!

Alan

 

[mike]

I have never seen Rope but, after seeing these photos, I am definitely putting it on my must see list.

this'll be on TCM next week, Tuesday March 18th!

 

[Mr. Rover]

Always been a staple in my closet, too

Had this one made in Shanghai last year- I have since had the right buttoniere removed and had all the buttons replaced.

And the infamous black suit

 

[Matt Deckard]

And the infamous black suit

I feel like I'm evil just by looking at myself in it.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Beautifully shot film, but the men's costumes seemed inaccurate to me- tie knots too large, suits a bit too loose. Wong Lee Hom's three-piece looks pretty typical for current Shanghainese 3-pieces, like mine. Women's costumes also seemed to lean more towards pre-war in terms, despite the film taking place in the early 40s.

 

[FStephenMasek]

Let's hope the three piece replaces the silly suits with too many buttons in front which have been pushed by the stores these past several years.

 

[Edward]

Waistcoat length seems to be a common "problem" now. I have several waistcoats (want more!) that were purchased to wear as separates with suits or blazer and trousers. All but one are too short to cover the belt of my modern cut suits. (a particular shame as I do have one modern suit which is a beautifully made Remus Umo, a brand produced by a Northern Ireland company. I'd adore to see what they could do working to a 30s/40s pattern). Interstingly, the one that is the right length for a modern waist placement is a Next branded one that would have been sold originally as part of a mix and match range (trousers, jackets and waistcoats selling as individual units so you can pick the ones that fit and put a suit together that way). That's the one I am wearing in the photos from the London dinner in January.

It seems to me that many of the waistcoats produced now are still based around classic proporiotns, the design not having been altered to suit a lower waist. I wonder if this is due to the waistcoat's latter day dalliance as casual wear, away from suits, where it has commonly been worn open (and therefore the length issue much less obvious). If it has simply been appropriated back into off the peg, fashion formal without a change....

I agree that the modern look is sloppy, and of course completely denies a significant part of the original purpose of the waistcoat which was to cover the waistband region. Still, at least it is a start. Seems to me that we're more likely to see a variation in length of the aistcoat from season to season and range to range than the return of it at all seemed at one point.

 

[Feraud]

The three piece is filtering down to the mainstream. JCrew is showcasing three piece suits with four pocket vests.

 

[Atomic Glee]

I loves me the three piece. Shame I only have the one - for now.

 

[Jovan]

The three piece is filtering down to the mainstream. JCrew is showcasing three piece suits with four pocket vests.

For better or worse, yes.

I think they'll get the hang of it eventually. The waistcoat is the right cut and length, the trousers just need a much higher rise to compensate.