The Thread to Display Your 1940s Suits

[Rabbit]

Monochrome usually doesn't work for me either. This happended to be the day for monochrome. It's nice for a change, but you have to see such a combination in person to see if it works. Texture is more important to me than pattern and color, so it all depends on harmonizing texture first and foremost.

Stay tuned, there is an interesting suit coming up next week when I get it back from my tailor. It's an unlabeled solid black DB that looks like it came out of the Romanian photo collection. No idea of its provenance, though.

 

[Two Types]

I look forward to seeing that suit. I like solid black suits. I've been offered the chance to get a 1930s 3 piece black suit from the Netherlands, i'm just hoping it's my size.

 

[esteban68]

Thinking on black suits TT, I wonder how easy it would be to remove braid and crosgrain lapels and add pocket flaps to make a usable every day suit from a Tuxedo? as these are pretty plentiful and never seem to fetch that much? Hmm!

 

[Fastuni]

Removing braid is no problem... unflapped piped pockets are fine for normal suits.
Leaves the lapels... on many tuxedos there is no normal suit fabric beneath the silk/grosgrain lapels. Finding matching fabric is almost impossible.

Anyway, black suits are not that rare either IMO (depends on size and place as always), so I wouldn't bother with altering a tuxedo.
Beside that the trousers will be uncuffed unless they are long enough.

 

[esteban68]

The trousers are always long enough for my stumpy legs Fastuni!

As to black suits they're not so common over here neither are 3 piece suits at all to be honest at least not in 42" short with a 36" waist!

 

[Boinciel]

Almost impossible, but not impossible impossible if you're talking specifically tuxedos. If you had a large enough selection of orphan jackets/pants to look through there would likely be something in there that would be passable for facing/pocket flap fabric. I've been on the lookout for local tuxedos to try and convert but haven't found any in my size in common weaves (though I have seen identical fabrics on occasion; they are out there!). If you found the right donor jacket, it might even be possible to salvage enough fabric from the back panels to make a matching waistcoat after the lapel facings have been taken care of.

 

[Two Types]

Given the ubiquity of vintage dinner suits and the fact that they seldom get worn in daylight (meaning little fading) I can imagine it might be possible to find the perfect match. I will have to try to remember that.

 

[Two Types]

The alternative would be to buy a dinner suit then take it to pieces and reverse the front panels. Then you just have to worry about the breast pocket being on the wrong side. This was a common solution on worn out suits - just have a look at the Romanian suits thread, there are loads of examples of this.

 

[Dinerman]

Stafford Club

 

[Orgetorix]

1945-dated suit made by a local tailor here in Louisville. Needs a couple tweaks and a couple holes repaired, but other than that it's just about spot on.

 

[Patrick Hall]

Lovely suit! Subtle pinstripes are great. Looks like the collar could use some attention too - but that might just be the way the jacket is sitting in that photo.

 

[Two Types]

Lovely suit. I don't normally like two button suits, but that has a really nice button stance. Nice find.

 

[Orgetorix]

Lovely suit! Subtle pinstripes are great. Looks like the collar could use some attention too - but that might just be the way the jacket is sitting in that photo.

Yes, the collar could stand to be raised a bit. The shoulders are just at the borderline of fitting/being too small, but I think it'll work once I have some alterations made.

 

[Patrick Hall]

This is a bit of a holy grail suit for me. It's an early 40's three piece suit and is flawless, nary a moth hole nor snag to be found of any sort. The color is a deep emerald green with silvery and red striping. The rayon that lines the jacket and backs the vest is a similar emerald shade. Really struggled to get the color to come out in these photos. Over the moon with this find.

 

[Mathematicus]

It's really beautiful, Patrick Hall. Love especially that rich colour!

 

[Papperskatt]

I can see why you love it, it's a really beautiful suit. Congratulations on your grail, Pat!

 

[herringbonekid]

very nice suit. (looks petrol blue / teal on my screen). :eusa_clap

 

[Patrick Hall]

Thanks guys. HBK, petrol blue/teal is close - though IRL it's maybe a hair's breadth greener. But man, it's fun to wear. The color really stands out in a room, in the subtlest of ways.

 

[Two Types]

Great stripes. quiet, but distinctive.

 

[cookie]

Probably his first civvie suit after years of uniforms.