Vintage DB notched-lapel suit spotted

[Bruce Wayne]

I watched the beginning of The Roaring 20's with James Cagney & Humphrey Bogart last night & during the scene where several people are near a taxi one of the characters (Cagney?) was wearing a double-breasted suit with what was clearly notched lapels.

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[Richard Warren]

My thought is that sometimes people try to impose an order on history that just did not exist. Notched lapel double breasteds were big in the 80's too. Is that now vintage?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Notched lapel double breasteds were big in the 80's too. Is that now vintage?

Most people around these parts do not consider the 80's vintage in any way shape or form. Besides, this thread is more about 30's & 40's double breasted suits. And not the ones that were altered in the 80's.

 

[metropd]

I have a picture of a family member in the 1920's wearing a notched lapel DB suit as well. Also there were many Semi-Peak lapels in the 1920's, I have one myself.

 

[Dr Doran]

Fascinating. I always thought that would look horrible. Does it look OK?

I'm worried because of the following problem, which I partially explained on another thread.

My wife's aunt (speaks almost no English) took a 1.5 year tailoring course and made a suit-jacket for me.

Two problems:

1.) the pocket-square (breast) pocket is on the RIGHT side.

2.) It's a DB notch lapel.

Not sure what to do. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think it looked fine. but what do I know? [huh]

 

[tonyb]

Fascinating. I always thought that would look horrible. Does it look OK?

I'm worried because of the following problem, which I partially explained on another thread.

My wife's aunt (speaks almost no English) took a 1.5 year tailoring course and made a suit-jacket for me.

Two problems:

1.) the pocket-square (breast) pocket is on the RIGHT side.

2.) It's a DB notch lapel.

Not sure what to do. Thoughts, anyone?

Wow. How's the overall quality and fit and all?

I certainly don't know the particulars of your situation, but I can imagine that if I were in a similar spot, I'd wear the jacket, at least when in the presence of the aunt who made it.

It ain't world peace, but it could promote familial harmony.

 

[Dr Doran]

Wow. How's the overall quality and fit and all?

I certainly don't know the particulars of your situation, but I can imagine that if I were in a similar spot, I'd wear the jacket, at least when in the presence of the aunt who made it.

It ain't world peace, but it could promote familial harmony.

Good advice.

It's 100% wool, beautiful dark reddish brown in color.

When I first tried it on last summer (it was unfinished) it was about a 47L.

I wear a 42L - 43L.

She said "so you can wear sweater under."

I said "it is almost never cold where I live, and if it is cold, I wear a large overcoat OVER the suit-jacket."

Hopefully over the past 6 months she has made it less huge.

I will surely wear it around her.

 

[Wash In Lux]

Ha. Too funny. Haven't seen it in probably 15 years but, I also watched The Roaring 20's night before last and definitely noticed that suit as it's out of the ordinary. In fact, when I read the title of this thread, the movie immediately came to mind.
As far as the aesthetic, I don't dig it. It just looks odd to me.
Good movie though.

 

[resortes805]

Notch lapel double breasted suits existed during the golden age, but certainly were not the norm. It's doubtful that you can find one today and a reproduction better be damn good so as not to give off the '80's vibe. Here's a good reproduction:

 

[thunderw21]

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy!

They have such nice suits.

 

[Dr Doran]

Notch lapel double breasted suits existed during the golden age, but certainly were not the norm. It's doubtful that you can find one today and a reproduction better be damn good so as not to give off the '80's vibe. Here's a good reproduction:

OK. OK. That's not too bad.

 

[tonyb]

Can't say that I'm all that fond of notch-lapel double-breasted jackets (I just dig peak lapels anyway, even on single-breasted jackets), but I wonder if the general aversion (too strong a word, maybe?) might be due more to the conspicuous break from convention than any inherent violation of aesthetic sensibilities. Even people who pay little if any attention to such matters may well find something odd in it, even if they don't have the vocabulary to say why.

But "odd" isn't synonymous with "wrong." Not quite, anyway. And sometimes it's intriguing.

 

[Dr Doran]

Can't say that I'm all that fond of notch-lapel double-breasted jackets (I just dig peak lapels anyway, even on single-breasted jackets), but I wonder if the general aversion (too strong a word, maybe?) might be due more to the conspicuous break from convention than any inherent violation of aesthetic sensibilities. Even people who pay little if any attention to such matters may well find something odd in it, even if they don't have the vocabulary to say why.

But "odd" isn't synonymous with "wrong." Not quite, anyway. And sometimes it's intriguing.

I don't think there are such things as inherent violations of aesthetics. As much as we all try to say there are! lol lol

So I agree with you entirely.

 

[tonyb]

I don't think there are such things as inherent violations of aesthetics. As much as we all try to say there are! lol lol

So I agree with you entirely.

You mean this stuff isn't divinely prescribed? Are you actually saying that, when you get right down to it, it's all just a matter of opinion? Are you going so far as to suggest that when you strip away all the appeals to "authority," what you are left with is no more than personal preference?

Oh, the humanity!

 

[MisterGrey]

The disparity comes from association. Double breasted jackets are slightly more conservative and "dressier" than single-breasted, hence the peak lapel, which is traditionally more formal than the notch lapel. The way I understand it is that the notch lapel requires less fabric and less tailoring, hence its status as "less formal." So you've got a traditionally more "elegant" style of jacket with a traditionally more "casual" lapel.

If it was around in the Golden Era, technically, it's period correct; it just sends a certain vibe of unconventionality and perhaps a bit of rakishness. The pocket on the opposite side isn't something I've ever come across, though my knowledge of vintage clothing is rather sparse compared to many others here. Seek their advice on that aspect. IMO it'd look a little odd, but taken within the context of the notch lapel paired with the DB, it could complete a "look" of the fusion of elegance and eccentricity (if it's something you're comfortable conveying). There's another thread here about jackets tailored with button holes on the opposite lapel, so there's certainly some precedent for unconventional tailoring in that time period.

Most importantly, above all, though, consider:

1) Is it well made-- is it comfortable, and will it stand up to whatever wear-and-tear you plan on putting it through?

2) Do you like the way it looks?

If the answer is "yes" to both, I'd say pair it with whatever it goes well with and have at it. An unconventionally made yet nice looking and well constructed jacket is better than none at all. Someone also cared enough to put the work into it for you, and that trumps a lot of other things. IMO, I'd love to have someone who knew how to make jackets make some for me, even if they were NLDB.

 

[Dr Doran]

Well-written and well-thought-out, Mister Grey. To answer your points:

Yes, I am extremely comfortable exuding an air of elegance mixed with eccentricity.

It is probably well-made.

I am not sure how it looks now. I will see it again in a week or two when we visit them. Rumoredly, it is finished. Along with a pair of trousers she has made for me.

And yes, I should be more grateful that she made it: it's an odd, interesting suit-jacket, and who knows? It might be a big hit amongst the vintage folk in Portland, Oregon, which is where I am going immediately after I get ahold of it (she lives in Eugene, Oregon).

 

[Guttersnipe]

I wasn't convinced about notch lapel DB's at first

I don't know if guys saw this thread:
http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=45457

I definitely agree with Marc Chevalier's assessment about that particular suit being an 80's alteration (the lapel shape is what really convinces me of that) and the thing is rather atrocious. But the picture of that reproduction that Resortes posted kinda sold me on the whole concept of DB notch lapels.

Yes, they buck the norm, yes, the proportions have to be spot-on or they look awkward. But if well executed - like that gray gab number - they're pretty cool!

I think the mindset you have to get into in, order to embrace eccentric suits like these, is that their oddness was intended. The re-pop that was posted has a lot of "sporty" features - expandable patch pockets, for example - which are typically seen on belt-backs (and I'd wager the gray gab suit pictured probably has a fancy back as well). It's not "trying" to be a an alternative to peaked lapel suits, it was intended to be its own thing entirely.

All in all, I think another item has be added to my vintage wish list...

 

[Dr Doran]

OK, then I'm starting to feel better about my wife's Aunt's creation now, because it's an ultra-action-back beltback -- which she had to figure out how to make from photos.

So that's how I'll "sell" the jacket she made me (No, I don't mean literally -- I mean that's how I'll talk about it). I'll say

"it's not trying to be a DB peak lapel. It's an eccentric and intentionally whimsical creation of an eastern European tailor who deliberately (always say it's deliberate, that makes it better -- trust me) put the breast pocket on the right side and decided to do a notch lapel DB with belt-back just to throw the overly rigid for a loop and to delight the real connoisseurs."

Wow, now I'm starting to even believe it myself. DELIBERATE, dammit. DELIBERATE.

I wonder if julie pdx will believe me?

 

[thunderw21]

We must see your aunt's jacket from every possible angle. It sounds more interesting with each post.