Tropical Kit

[renor27]

Steve

Hi
Here are a few pictures for the 1920's catologs that that I have collected, hope this helps let me know if you are looking for some thing in perticluare. the last one is more mid 1930s but gives some ideas on collars.
Wish was coming out your way would keep that tailor of yours busy.
David

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii297/renor27s/
http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii297/renor27s/?action=view&current=pg49.jpg

 

[stevechasmar]

scans

David,

Thanks for those great scans! I have a little book around here somewhere called Angkor: Heart of an Asian Empire, and in it are reproduced some ads from a French magazine that is contemporaneous with your scans. They show men in tropical fashions of the day. I will try to find the book and scan the page. This is something I had totally forgotten that I even had until I saw your scans. Typically though, my apartment seems to have swallowed the book -- at least I can't seem to find it at the moment...

By the way, speaking of books on esoteric subjects, my first photograph-driven book has come out and is now on Amazon.com. It's called "The Art of Opium Antiques" and features photos and illustrations of my 1000+ piece collection of antique Chinese and Vietnamese opium-smoking paraphernalia, as well as old historical photos of opium smokers (on the cover is a rare snapshot from 1930s Indochina of a Frenchman in a smoking jacket indulging in the narcotic). The book took me five years to research and write, and I must say I am very proud of it!

All best,
Steven

 

[cookie]

Amazon Reviews

David,

Thanks for those great scans! I have a little book around here somewhere called Angkor: Heart of an Asian Empire, and in it are reproduced some ads from a French magazine that is contemporaneous with your scans. They show men in tropical fashions of the day. I will try to find the book and scan the page. This is something I had totally forgotten that I even had until I saw your scans. Typically though, my apartment seems to have swallowed the book -- at least I can't seem to find it at the moment...

By the way, speaking of books on esoteric subjects, my first photograph-driven book has come out and is now on Amazon.com. It's called "The Art of Opium Antiques" and features photos and illustrations of my 1000+ piece collection of antique Chinese and Vietnamese opium-smoking paraphernalia, as well as old historical photos of opium smokers (on the cover is a rare snapshot from 1930s Indochina of a Frenchman in a smoking jacket indulging in the narcotic). The book took me five years to research and write, and I must say I am very proud of it!

All best,
Steven

Having seen opium smoking/dens in a few films (Last Emperor comes to mind) and recently in a Poirot episode I have always been intrigued with the way it was conducted in a stylish sort of way - for a deadly pursuit. Your Amazon reviews are a wonderful tribute and the book is obviously going to be a fantastic resource for Orientalia enthusiasts.:eusa_clap

 

[stevechasmar]

Outlaw Chic

Cookie, thank you for the kind words. I have posted here a close-up of the snapshot of the Frenchman in Indochina that appears on the cover of my book.

As one Amazon reviewer remarked, "Getting addicted back then was no doubt as painful and ruinous as it is today, but they sure knew how to do it in style!"

 

[RBH]

Wow great thread !
And great photos... Im gonna have to visit more places than the hat section.
Boy I have been missing out.:eusa_doh:

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[Mojave Jack]

Steve, congrats on the publishing of your book! And on the successful completion of your suit. Both look fantastic!

Your next book will have to be on tropical clothing and accoutrements. You are in an excellent position for that, and I'd really be curious to find out what works and what doesn't. I'm all about what's practical in my environment, but always with at least a nod to the vintage age. I'm sure a lot of folks are the same way, and your experiences would be invaluable!

 

[stevechasmar]

Hi Jack,

That's actually a very good idea. The art of dressing stylishly but with comfort in the tropics has been completely lost -- at least here in Southeast Asia. That rigid dress code to which Westerners held themselves while in their Asian colonies was, I suspect, what kept such fashion sense alive. With the independence of Europe's Asian colonies after World War II the old standard began to slip, and by the 1970s had completely vanished. Nowadays, expatriate Westerners in Southeast Asia more often than not dress like they are at the beach -- no matter that they may be in Bangkok, city of ten million plus people!

I'm certainly not calling for a return of the racially superior attitudes that fueled the dress codes of old -- looking sharp in the tropics should be fun. While I admit I do not wear my newly-tailored linen suit on a daily basis, I have found a great brand of shirts that fits the climate.

If you've ever watched Showtime's Dexter which is set in Miami, you'll have noticed a Spanish character named Batista who is partial to wearing Cubavera shirts, especially a line that blends the Cuban guayabera and the American bowling shirt from the 1950s. Unfortunately most of Cubavera's models seem to be a polyester and rayon blend (what were they thinking?) but there are a small number of designs that are 55% linen and 45% rayon -- and they are much, much cooler than cotton.

But back to the colonial-era attire, it would be an interesting subject for a book. Not only rediscovering the details of the attire of that period, but all the odd accouterments as well -- everything from hip flasks to swagger sticks (for thrashing the punkah wallah...haha, just kidding).

Get a copy of George Orwell's Burmese Days if you can find it. Orwell does a fantastic job of describing how the colonials dressed in British Burma in the 1920s, and how their attire and the lack of electricity made them suffer greatly!

 

[dpyper]

I love the tropical look, British had a widespread empire taking in large parts of Africa, India and Asia so seeing what would have been fashionable and prictical in thease areas is interesting for both sexes.