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The Thread to Display Your 1930s Suits

Mathematicus

A-List Customer
Messages
379
Location
Coventry, UK
This is an American three-piece suit made by Utah Woolen Mills in 1938. There is a label inside the inner pocket indicating the tailoring date. The outside label says "Jack Frost" which I believe to be a brand or a type of cloth.
It's single breasted, two button, in a medium weight blue fabric with a reddish very fine stripe. It has all the features of a true Hollywood drape suit: extended shoulders with wadding and shirring, suppressed waist, full chest, very wide (flat front) trousers.
Sorry for the low-quality photos (the full shot is really awful), I don't have a camera and I was alone when I took them!
2hs53tf.jpg

ixqeu1.jpg

5yyhs1.png
 

Patrick Hall

Practically Family
Messages
541
Location
Houston, TX
Welcome to the Lounge Mathematicus. Great suit. Looks like it has those classic Golden Era proportions, and it seems to fit you well. Would love to see a better shot of the fabric.
 

Mathematicus

A-List Customer
Messages
379
Location
Coventry, UK
Welcome to the Lounge Mathematicus. Great suit. Looks like it has those classic Golden Era proportions, and it seems to fit you well. Would love to see a better shot of the fabric.
Thank you, Patrick Hall! Here are three more shots; it's really hard to capture the real colour.
Detail of sleeve head with shirring (sort of "manica camicia" in fact):
33tmszk.jpg

Detail of lapel buttonhole:
sdl9o9.jpg

Another shot of the fabric:
2l8jifs.jpg

The last two pics show the closest colour to the reality, even if the underlying stripe doesn't appear so much.
It fits very well; the jacket is really soft and comfortable. The only minor fault is that pants and waistcoat are a bit tight on me, but that can be solved with some tailoring.
 
Last edited:

Patrick Hall

Practically Family
Messages
541
Location
Houston, TX
Thanks for the better photos. That windowpane is lovely and subtle. There was a conversation, in this thread I believe, awhile back about the "spalla camicia" and whether these thirties suits with some shirring at the shoulder qualify. There were diagrams of the different constructions included. You should flip back through the thread and give it a look!
 

Dostioffsky

One of the Regulars
Messages
213
Location
the Netherlands
A little while ago I posted about this and another suit being sold really cheaply in the Vintage Finds section and as promised, here's some pictures of the suit I bought. It arrived in a plastic envelope not much bigger than 20 x 30 centimeters but thankfully that didn't harm it. In fact, the suit's in a much better condition than I was expecting from the seller's photos and description. The fit is pretty much perfect too! (I do still have to give the right lapel some ironing)

-

All that said, I am not sure if the suit is from the 1930's or really the late 20's. From what I have seen in photos and catalogs, the cut is very typically American.

Oh, and please ignore the dog hairs, those end up everywhere this time of year.

IMG_9568%20copy_zpsqonqjl2a.jpg


IMG_9588%20copy_zpsunm8fkpz.jpg


IMG_9626%20copy_zpsvf7zwngh.jpg


IMG_9657_zpsfzudbidb.jpg


It seems almost a carbon copy of this suit that Harold Lloyd is wearing. Even the fabric looks the same.

11535501_1.jpeg
 

Dostioffsky

One of the Regulars
Messages
213
Location
the Netherlands
Thanks all!

Brendanm, those were among my first vintage items and still my favourites!

Hbk, no labels at all. It has 'Hansen Art' written (by hand) inside the trousers. I presume that's the name of the original owner.
 

Metatron

One Too Many
Messages
1,536
Location
United Kingdom
very nice!! versatile too, looks casual with that tie and shirt, but you could wear it to a formal event with a white shirt and regular tie.
 

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