Vintage suits, what to look for

[Rooster]

You folks are such a wealth of knowledge, instead of making all the new guy blunders I thought I might seek some guidence from the experts.
How exactly does one tell how old a suit is? Lapel style/width? Cut? Labels?
I'm starting to catch on to some of this, but I still feel kind of lost.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

You folks are such a wealth of knowledge, instead of making all the new guy blunders I thought I might seek some guidence from the experts.
How exactly does one tell how old a suit is? Lapel style/width? Cut? Labels?
I'm starting to catch on to some of this, but I still feel kind of lost.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Too bad our FAQ section doesn't have answers to your excellent questions. Therefore, you'll have go into the "Suits" section and look through every one of its 15 pages. As you do so, focus on those threads that have the word "vintage" in their titles. Happy reading!


The journey starts here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5


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[Baron Kurtz]

Unfortunately it's all about getting out there and handling the garments. It's a steep-ish learning curve, but it's not rocket science. If you can find a useful vintage store with knowledgeable employees that's a plus.

When i was training new people in my lab, i came across so many situations where the only answer was "you just need to learn" "it's hard to explain" and other such irritating answers. Unfortunately this is one of those questions. It's almost impossible to give the classic "five tips for finding god vintage".

Now, that being said, i gained the vast majority of my knowledge before joining the FLounge (i had a wonderful vintage shop during undergraduate - not that i could afford anything - where i learned about British gear from a crazily excentric old chap who's now dead, God bless 'im. Most of this extrapolated to American gear when i went to the USA for postgraduate study). I know for sure that there are a number of FLoungers who had minimal vintage knowledge before posting here who now have respectable vintage suit collections. Hopefully they can guide you towards the "five tips"-type advice.

good luck.

bk

 

[Marc Chevalier]

One thing's for sure, Rooster ... no single thread can answer your questions well. It's just too big and detailed a subject.

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[Nonchalant]

Nothing like a visual education to teach you what to look for, Rooster. Here's some threads that helped me.


MANY '30s IMAGES: Suits & More !!!
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10602

MORE '30s IMAGES: Suits & More !!!
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10662&highlight=esquire

1930s menswear IN COLOR: suits, shirts, sweaters, pajamas, etc.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=4723

The 1950s Suit
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=12407

Hideki Okisaka: Master '30s tailor!
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=6256

Show us your Suits
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=53

Show us your suits the Second
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=5034

Show Us Your Suits III
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10087

 

[Marc Chevalier]

You're a better man than I am, Nonchalant! :eusa_clap

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[Nonchalant]

Hey now... You started most of those threads, so give yourself some credit!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

But I wasn't considerate enough to gather them together in this thread.

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[Nonchalant]

Here's another must see, outside of the Lounge...

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypl...d=newest+styles+for+men&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

 

[Rooster]

Nothing like a visual education to teach you what to look for, Rooster. Here's some threads that helped me.


MANY '30s IMAGES: Suits & More !!!
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10602

MORE '30s IMAGES: Suits & More !!!
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10662&highlight=esquire

1930s menswear IN COLOR: suits, shirts, sweaters, pajamas, etc.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=4723

The 1950s Suit
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=12407

Hideki Okisaka: Master '30s tailor!
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=6256

Show us your Suits
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=53

Show us your suits the Second
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=5034

Show Us Your Suits III
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10087

YOU DA MAN!:eusa_clap
Thanks one and all for your help.

 

[slicedbread]

http://cgi.ebay.com/1940s-Double-Br...092363942QQcategoryZ52394QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

look for one of those...I was watching it and everything and simply forgot to put a bid on it...Wow, am I dissappointed that I didnt.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Don't feel so bad ... the description says moth holes and thinning. Sounds like an expensive 'bargain.'

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