The Vintage Tailoring Thread

[Nick D]

I've seen some pictures and videos of modern tailors sitting cross legged, though certainly not a whole workroom up on the bench!

 

[Tomasso]

At Oxxford mostly they sit in a chair with the goods in their lap or on a table/bench though some times they will stand over a work table. Oxxford says they've been doing it that way since they opened the shop in 1914.

 

[Fastuni]

Thanks for the 1939 Savile Row report, Barmey.

 

[Two Types]

Beautiful suit, lovely girl waiting for him - no wonder he looks pleased with himself.

P.S. In the first pic, when he is looking at fabric, he's got a fag hanging precariously from his mouth.

 

[Barmey]

Some Jazz suit drafts from the Progressive Tailor 1917 and 1920. Many thanks to buler.

 

[herringbonekid]

1946 Savile Row film:

[video=youtube_share;ZB6MAgnyWPg]http://youtu.be/ZB6MAgnyWPg[/video]

 

[cookie]

The benches must have been very utilitarian but they must have left a lot of crippled tailors.

 

[Fastuni]

Great film HBK. Thanks for linking.

Cookie, yes this was certainly a problem. (Also tailoring was often the trade deemed "good enough" for physically weak.)

Period trade publications and teaching material for tailors stress the importance of physical exercise and a generally healthy lifestyle, because of issues related to bad posture and breathing.

 

[Nick D]

Would anyone have a 1930s or '40s waistcoat draft? I have one for a double breasted vest, but not a single breasted, and I'd like to draft my own pattern.

 

[Qirrel]

This one has served me well. https://archive.org/stream/designingsackcoa00simo#page/n39/mode/2up

 

[Nick D]

Thank you! Some other interesting things in that book as well.

 

[buler]

Some issues of "The Monthly Record of Fashion" from the 1880's. Some great plates and also some patterns.



https://www.google.com/search?q=mens+spring+hat+fashioin&btnG=Search+Books&tbm=bks&tbo=1&gws_rd=ssl#q=editions:Yt-vXvLMj5EC&start=110&tbm=bks
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[herringbonekid]

on the dummy:

 

[Two Types]

That's looking good.

 

[Barmey]

on the dummy:

Nice shoulder!

 

[simonc]

Looking good kid.

 

[DamianM]

Some Jazz suit drafts from the Progressive Tailor 1917 and 1920. Many thanks to buler.
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These are not Jazz suit drafts but just the style of suits during this period
Jazz suits were very novel and rare even during the time.
Jazz suits are not about the cut but the ultra novelty of them, a lot of tuxedo details and more.
Its like calling all 40s suits- Zoot suits.

 

[Rabbit]

Damian, if Jazz suits are about certain details and not the cut, could you specify those details?

So far we have this thread, but I couldn't find anything about tuxedo details in there, only button stance, pocket positons and maybe a few specs of the cut.

The 1920 JAZZ SUIT


I wonder how the outfit on the left in this photo fits into the picture (re-posted from another thread), with the faced lapels and what looks like covered buttons:
Is it supposed to be a tuxedo?

 

[herringbonekid]

Rabbit,

the suit in that thread you linked to and the one below, have very novel features such as satin-bound edges, fancy buttons, spratt's head stitching at the rear waist, as well as the very high and close buttoning. it seems to be all these elements together that make them classic 'jazz' suits.

i disagree with Damian that the term is as clearly defined as he makes out though. for instance, in this Sear's 1923 catalogue, the 'jazz model' only has a link button closure (and five cuff buttons) to mark it as especially wild, although the very high waisted and long skirt appearance is a tad more exaggerated than anything else in the catalogue. in other words, it's a slightly more tame version for the mass market.

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you for the clarification, HBK. I guess what Damian meant by tuxedo details are the piped (satin/ grosgrain/ braid bound) edges of the lapels and pockets.

I can see that the one-button version, with a link button at that, would make a reasonable mass-market version.