Reverse Pleats?

[Chad Sanborn]

My vintage tux has 'reverse pleats'. The pleats opening faces the button fly. Is this the same thing as an 'english pleat'? Why make the pleats face inward?

Chad

 

[Matt Deckard]

Actually my friend those are inverse pleats... somewhat more common in the golden era than the reverse pleats which face away from the fly.

The inverse pleats from my experience hold the crease better than the outside facing reverse pleats. One caviat... modern menswear makers make the thighs too fitted for the inverse pleats to lay correctly so they tend to make you look puffy. If they are made correctly they should look closer to this.

Inverse pleats

 

[Wild Root]

Good observation Matt however, in the 30?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s to the 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s, reverse pleats were common seeing that I have mostly reverse pleats on my pants in my own collection. The ?¢‚Ǩ?ìinverse?¢‚Ǩ? pleats I like best! I have a few pairs of them and a few of them belong to suits. They drape good, they are way easer to iron and press then the reverse pleats. The inverse pleat was more so common in the late 30?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s and into the early 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s. They continued to be made into the 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s but, the reverse pleat was the dominator in the late 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s into the 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s.

Inverse pleats are alreet!

=WR=

 

[Matt Deckard]

Good observation Matt however, in the 30?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s to the 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s, reverse pleats were common seeing that I have mostly reverse pleats on my pants in my own collection. The ?¢‚Ǩ?ìinverse?¢‚Ǩ? pleats I like best! I have a few pairs of them and a few of them belong to suits. They drape good, they are way easer to iron and press then the reverse pleats. The inverse pleat was more so common in the late 30?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s and into the early 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s. They continued to be made into the 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s but, the reverse pleat was the dominator in the late 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s into the 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s.

Inverse pleats are alreet!

=WR=

Word!

 

[Wild Root]

And how!

=WR=

 

[MrBern]

for pleats sake

Oh is that why?....I always wondered why today's pleated pants often look puffy. It totally ruins the line of an outfit.
Y'know, I've only seen two examples or wartime trousers that have pleats. Basically its a civilian ski pant design. I'll have to check which way they face.

 

[Wild Root]

Ski pants have little straps at the bottom of the leg.

From the years of 1943 to 1945 most pants didn't have pleats due to rationing of fabrics and textiles.

Most pants from the 30's I find have no pleats and are just plane front. Now, this isn't a sign that they didn't have pleats, it's just most of the great pleated styles were worn out before today. I have a pair of ivory flannel trousers that have an NRA tag in them wich points to them being from the years of 1933-1935. NRA stands for National Recovery Act. These pants have pleats! Not only do they have pleats, they're reverse pleats!

=WR=

 

[MrBern]

Yes, not only do they have pleats & stirrups, but a zippered fly, zipped pockets, & a 3 button waistband. Quite different from the usual WWII military pant. I'll checck which way the pleats wander.

I was watching TheBigSleep last nite. Back then, guys were so slim, no wonder they looked so good in their suits. Bogart even mentions that the guy who is shadowing him was about 115lb. Now thats one small wiseguy.

 

[Wild Root]

Ah, you do own ski pants! Ever see the 1941 film "Sun valley Serenade" with Glenn Miller's band, John Payne and Sonia Henie? There's some skiing in that film and well, they wear those kind of ski pants! They were also made just prior to the fabric rationing years.

Guys were thin back then? Well, we must remember that Hollywood only made stars out of those who fit the mold of what they thought was fashionable. There were a lot more slim men back then yes, but not every one had a perfect 31" waist and 115lbs.

=WR=

 

[BellyTank]

I had a pair of the US Army Ski Pants- really nicely styled and detailed indeed.
Picked them up for peanuts in a rag shop in London and eBayed them for some good money- they were a s44 waist, which is not so common to find.

B
T