1920s suits

Fastuni · Sep 16, 2014

Two Types said:
Gents, what's your thinking on this jacket: 1920s? it has a heavily slanted breast pocket and a natural shoulder with a sloping seam:

Silly me... I would put it at early 30's actually.

Ca. 1928-1933. Very conservative for sure... certainly meant for a stroller.
The lack of front darts was well into the 30's usual to accomodate larger bellies.

The button stance, lapels and overall cut are for me not particularly evoking the early 20's or teens, but very much for early 30's.

TT, it might be good to know whether there is any waist surpression.

Steeply angled chest pockets were not unusual during the 30's in French tailoring. Here a French (Tahitian) summer jacket - clearly 30's.

Guttersnipe · Sep 16, 2014

Fastuni said:
Silly me... I would put it at early 30's actually.

Ca. 1928-1933. Very conservative for sure... certainly meant for a stroller.
The lack of front darts was well into the 30's usual to accommodate larger bellies.

With those slopped shoulder seams, I'd think it's a good decade earlier than that. Is this not the case with European coats?

Fastuni · Sep 16, 2014

Sloped shoulder seams were common in European tailoring until the late 30's.
They gradually got straighter, but the use of sloped seams also depended on the individual tailor.
My earliest jackets with straight shoulder seams are ca. 1936-38. All of my early 1930's jackets have very sloped seams.

Nick D · Sep 16, 2014

I would have said early '30s.

DamianM · Sep 16, 2014

Late 20s- early 30s sounds about right

Two Types · Sep 16, 2014

Minimal waist suppression: made for a larger man but not one with a prominent belly. I have minimal knowledge of French tailoring and, as is always the case with clothes made by tailors for the more mature men, it's hard to date.

It's interesting to know that French tailors continued with sloping breast pockets for longer than in other areas.

Guttersnipe · Sep 16, 2014

Fastuni said:
Sloped shoulder seams were common in European tailoring until the late 30's.
They gradually got straighter, but the use of sloped seams also depended on the individual tailor.
My earliest jackets with straight shoulder seams are ca. 1936-38. All of my early 1930's jackets have very sloped seams.

Interesting. Most American suits that I see from the '30s have straight shoulder seams like the ones below:

Fastuni · Sep 17, 2014

My certainly mid-30's American sport-suit has still rather sloped shoulder seams - not as extreme as in earlier years, but clearly not straight.

Guttersnipe · Sep 17, 2014

But compare that to these patterns from 1898.

Fastuni · Sep 17, 2014

Great plate showing the different angles of shoulder seams that existed at that time, from little to very steep slope.
The first one is pretty much the same as on most of my 30's suits.

Guttersnipe · Sep 17, 2014

I actually just asked the Leon Trotsky of the Fedora Lounge about this. He says a Russian born, Jewish-American tailor named Louis Roth (of Lewis Roth & Co, Los Angeles, CA) is credited with introducing the forward slope shoulder seam to the U.S. ready-to-wear market in 1931, and that it was quickly adopted by American RTW suit manufactures.

Fastuni · Sep 17, 2014

Interesting.
I'd have to check German tailoring publications on this change.
I think the straight seam became prevalent when broad, straight (instead of hollow) shoulders became the fashion in the second half of the 30's.
Patterns were also simplified at that time - cleaner lines and less shape-ironing.

Claudio · Sep 17, 2014

my 1 pence worth: late teens that jacket (teens instantly came to my mind before reading the post)

Gin&Tonics · Sep 17, 2014

Fastuni said:

I would LOVE a suit like this. The summer is a time of suffering for me, as I have no suits that wear cool enough to put on in the sweltering heat. I would definitely need a very airy linen, seersucker or perhaps a super breathable lightweight wool. You simply don't find suits like that here because I guess nobody wears suits in the summer? It's terrible. The cool weather is finally returning!

huzzah!

Boinciel · Sep 18, 2014

What's the stitching on the undercollar like?

Two Types · Sep 18, 2014

I'll have to check that.

Nick D · Sep 19, 2014

herringbonekid · Sep 19, 2014

good finds Nick. i don't think i've seen that triangular pocket flap used on a suit before.

Dane Holder · Sep 19, 2014

I used to have a Palm Beach suit very similar to this one

Nick D · Sep 20, 2014

Thanks, HBK. He certainly looks pleased. I'm not a big fan of flaps on breast pockets, but they work well here.

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