1930s French "Personality" shirt - 19" collar!!

[Baron Kurtz]

I asked the seller, and the collar measures 19 inches from button to buttonhole around the inside. A massive vintage shirt. So rare.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390453719349&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

 

[Baron Kurtz]

 

[Rudie]

Crazy. It's as long as trousers with a long inseam and high rise. Even longer than the Jantzen shirt. The fabric is great, too.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

yeah, I was hoping the collar would be 15!

 

[Two Types]

And I was hoping the collar would be 17 and a half. I can't believe how big the collar is.

Mind you, it's so long, I could wear it as a nightshirt.

 

[Rudie]

Well, if the collar was 15.5 and full sleeve length was 38 ...

 

[Two Types]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELEGANT-A...UK_Men_s_Vintage_Clothing&hash=item5ae8daf0e7

Another pink shirt from the same source.

 

[herringbonekid]

Mind you, it's so long, I could wear it as a nightshirt.

i think it is a nightshirt going by the length of the tails.

 

[herringbonekid]

edit: having looked at the second shirt i'm not so sure. that one also has incredibly long tails.

i did know someone (Max from the shop Cenci) who reckoned that European shirts where cut so long so that they could double as nightshirts.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Mate, these things are LOONNGG - I have another French one that's this long, and in amazing fabric. Look at the collars - never have I seen nightshirts with that kind of collar - always with little tab spread collars, if any.

bk

 

[Rudie]

Mate, these things are LOONNGG

bk

Can't wear skinny hipster jeans with these.

 

[herringbonekid]

Baron, you don't buy the doubling as nightshirt theory then ? (i take no responsibility for starting it)

if not, why the extreme length ? all it will do is bunch up around your nethers.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Man I would like to see a picture of RC. He must have been huge.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I came up with some wacko theory that the tails were so long to enable new collars and cuffs to be cut when the first ones wore out. :eusa_clap[huh]

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The pink one is measured 18", so around about a 17.5" collar size, TwoTypes!!

 

[Two Types]

Cheers. I didn't check the measurements after reading the initial reference to a 19 inch collar. I'll have to have a proper look ...
... I might be getting myself a new nightshirt (or shirt with spare fabric for a replacement collar)!

 

[Ben Stephens]

I dont buy that either Baron. Why not just sell it with extra fabric if that was the case, or, an extra set of tails and cuffs. I have read that soldiers in WW1 used to pull the back of the shirt to the front and pin it to stop it moving and becoming untucked.

Apparently Amelia Earhart added tail length to womans shirts in her line of clothes, as she was annoyed that mens shirts would stay tucked in all day, and the first time a women moved her shirt would untuck.

However, with high rise trousers and extra long shirts, is that not belt and braces?

 

[Ben Stephens]

(Just to say, I have only read the Amelia tory in Blog, and have not seen a first hand quote from her)

 

[Two Types]

In World War 2 British soldiers cut the tails from their collarless shirts to make collars and ties when going on leave (in an attempt to look as smart as American soldiers on leave).

 

[Qirrel]

Can attest to the fact that longer shirts stay tucked in and look better than short ones. But 44"? I have made a few shirts from old patterns myself, and they recommended about 30" as a good length even for larger sizes.