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Vests

zeus36

A-List Customer
Messages
392
Location
Ventura, California
Mycroft said:
I have a question aout vests, is there a practicle use for labels on a vest.

Just watch a few episodes of "The Wild Wild West" and see how useful the backs of those lapels can be. Jim West kept a lockpick in his jacket lapel on the matador jacket, but that could be duplicated on a vest lapel if you sewed on a piece of material.

Like maybe a handcuff key that you could pull out with your teeth....???

or a small pen, pipe tool, cigar cutter, wood matches, toothpicks, etc...
 

Badluck Brody

Practically Family
Messages
577
Location
Whitewater WI
When did vests start to fade out?

I was watching LA Confidential and I noticed that hat's weren't worn often and vests wern't really worn at all. I know it's a sore subject about when hats started to fall from favor. But when did the vest start to fade out??

Brody
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
I would say the postwar years. You start seeing fewer and fewer vests after the war. Part of the reason is that menswear in general was becoming more casual. I would bet that heating and air-conditioning also helped kill it off, along with the influx of the "continental" look.

Of course, in the 1970's the vest came back but in a very bad way.
 

The Wolf

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,153
Location
Santa Rosa, Calif
Where did they go

I'm amazed that I:
a) can hardly find a vest for sale
b) if I do it has non-functional pockets and
c) can't find a four-pocket vest for sale at all!

I personally like vests so you brought up a sore subject.
I promised I wouldn't cry. I'll be strong. I'll be strong. I'm sorry, I gotta go.

The Wolf
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
I just realized that low-rise pants also helped to eliminate the vest. Most suit companies (other than Ralph Lauren) realized that vests just don't work with low-rise pants.
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
That is really interesting about the hats. It is funny how in so many period films, directors will give up the pretense of historical accuracy for their "artistic vision" or to give stars more face time.

For instance, in most movies where the cast should be wearing helmets, you will see everybody wearing a helmet except the star. It is really sort of funny.
 

Renderking Fisk

Practically Family
Messages
742
Location
Front Desk at The Fedora Chronicles.
Mr. 'H' said:
In the extra material on the LA Confidential DVD, the director Curtis Hanson says that he did not want to make a film that was overpowered by hats. I think he wanted the drama/story to be easy to relate to, even if were set in any era (not just the early fifties).

I think he really made a big mistake by not having enough fedora's in that film. I think it's actually DISTRACTING not to have enough of them in a film of that period.


I personally really missed the hats in this film (and also no suspenders!). I prefered the imagery of the hats and suits in Mullholland Falls - but some might say that the clothes became more important than the story in this film.

What are my chances of seeing a review of that film and the threads for The FC?
 

Flitcraft

One Too Many
Messages
1,037
Demise of The Vest

Vests died out in WWII- 1942, to be exact. With war rationing, material for troop uniforms took precedence over civillian wear.
If you watch movies from the Thirties, Maltese Falcon , for instance, you see men wearing suits with vests. Spade's friend, the hotel detective, even wears a vest with a double-breasted suit.
In the post war years, with the advent of central heating, more casual lifestyles, etc., vests never really made much of a comeback. The exception was the European continent, particularly Great Britain.
If you remember back to Goldfinger, Sean Connery wears an odd vest with his dark suit when in London, and he wears a vested suit in Kentucky while a 'guest' of Mr. Goldfinger. Part of the reason for this was to establish Bond as a symbol of pre-war values, and his taste in clothing reflects this.
 

BD Jones

One of the Regulars
Messages
201
Location
Texas
Where can you find vests?

I've looked all over (both in retail stores and on the internet) and have not been able to find a good selection of good quality vests. Is there a place that anyone knows of where 1) the selection is fairly wide 2) the quality is fairly good? I'd like to start wearing vest in the fall, but can't seem to find a place to get them.
 

Badluck Brody

Practically Family
Messages
577
Location
Whitewater WI
Try these places also

River Junction Mercantile (They'll tailor em for you)

WIld West Mercantile

ALso check out various CW sutlers

Blockade Runner

Coon River

Upper MississippI Mercantile
 

The Mad Hatter

A-List Customer
Messages
321
I've gotten a new 3-button vest in "Gordon Red Ancient" from Burnetts-Struth.

gordon-red-ancient.jpg





I've also had MyCustomTailor.com do a camel colored tweed knockoff of my Canali blazer.

I am now having Bunetts-Struth do a Jabobite (yellowish) vest while MyCustomtailor.com is doing a dusty-red knockoff of the Canali.
 

jsecunda

New in Town
Messages
32
Source for vests/waistcoats?

Hi folks -
I like the look of a "dress" vest with no suitjacket. Plus, I can get away with it in my office, as well. It also accomodates pocket watches, another plus.
Do any of you know of a quality on-line supplier (need not be vintage)?
Thanks-
js
 

DanielJones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,042
Location
On the move again...
Harris Tweed Vests/Waistcoats... Help!!!

Well folks I've been having a heck of a time trying to find a variety of Harris Tweed vests. I had found the Harris Tweed Shop and they make a respectable vest but in only two models & limited tweeds. Then I had found a Japanese site (Rakuten), but much to my chagrin the site is in kanji and I can't read a lick of it. And no english version of the site to be had. They have a wonderful selection of Traditional Messenger Harris Tweed vests, but if I can't read the site it makes it a tad hard to shop.

So I am looking for some help from you folks in where to find some nice vests like they have on the Rakuten site.

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I take it there pricing is Yen but am not savvy on exchange rates to know what they would be in the US dollar. Who knew that something so common would be so darned hard to find on the net. Go Figure.

Well, I thank anybody that has any solid suggestions and leads to go on and for all of your help.:)

Cheers!

Dan
 

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