Show us your suits

Rooster · Aug 15, 2007

i may wish to maintain the rumpled linen look

If you ever need anything rumpled, I'm the man to talk to. I'm kind of a rumpled magnet.
Very nice effort on the suits Baron. I must say I'm now inspired to tackle a couple clean ups I've been putting off.
In fact, I need to badger my wife into taking some pictures of me in all the treasures I've found this summer.

J. M. Stovall · Aug 15, 2007

Baron Kurtz said:
And the one i'm most glad about . . . A suit i posted quite a while. I have about $60 US in dry cleaners bills already into this suit. None of them, not even the much vaunted "vintage specialists" here in London could clean it. No match for Oxy Clean. Now to join the ranks of my wearable summer suits! This one in a tropical weight wool. Not sure of date, but strikes me as early 1930s.bk

I'm confused (imagine that), but I thought you couldn't use Oxyclean on wool or silk because it attacks animal based proteins. Is that not true?

Baron Kurtz · Aug 15, 2007

As did I [huh] So the fabric of the wool suit above - and probably the PB suit, given the mohair - has probably been weakened.

The generic oxy-clean (mixture of sodium percarbonate and sodium crbonate, both very strong oxidising agents) i used has this one the side:

Do not use on garments with zip fasteners . . . Do not use on wool, wool blends, silk, leather, coated fabrics, or on dry clean only fabrics or non-water washable fabrics.

So long as you use cold enough water, i think it's okay for most fabrics, but i would recommend a stiff drink before putting your prized suit into it . . . like i did.

bk

herringbonekid · Aug 15, 2007

Baron Kurtz said:
This one in a tropical weight wool. Not sure of date, but strikes me as early 1930s.

looks early 30s to me too, though that jacket seems to be trying its hardest not to commit to any era (apart from the dead give away light brown buttons on a grey suit). are the trousers flat front ?

i take it the dark spot is completely gone from the palm beach suit ?

Baron Kurtz · Aug 15, 2007

not completely gone. Now a light orange/yellow spot hard to notice. I'm still workin' on it with super concentrated oxy-clean.

bk

Nonchalant · Aug 16, 2007

Baron Kurtz said:
As did I [huh] So the fabric of the wool suit above - and probably the PB suit, given the mohair - has probably been weakened.

The generic oxy-clean (mixture of sodium percarbonate and sodium crbonate, both very strong oxidising agents) i used has this one the side:

Do not use on garments with zip fasteners . . . Do not use on wool, wool blends, silk, leather, coated fabrics, or on dry clean only fabrics or non-water washable fabrics.

So long as you use cold enough water, i think it's okay for most fabrics, but i would recommend a stiff drink before putting your prized suit into it . . . like i did.

bk

I have a pair of suits that have sat around for about a year with dirt and stains so stubborn that no dry cleaners can seem to handle. I'm tired of looking at them, and smelling them. :eusa_doh: Originally the suits were high-end. Hmm... The progress you made with the grey suit is very encouraging.

Maybe I will give your method a shot. With my fingers crossed, of course, and my courage reinforced by that stiff drink you mentioned.

metropd · Aug 16, 2007

Baron Kurtz said:
Metropd, some info on that suit please. Why do the buttons shine so?

bk

Well let me tell you my secret Baron, they were originally bronze-golden colored with the same glean. With the grey chalkstripe I found myself confused. I kept buying and wearing bronze-golden
ties becuase if I wore another color the prenounced buttons clashed with the tie. So I grew tired of always wearing the same colored ties and switched to the same colored grey buttons as the chalkstripe grey.

Baron Kurtz · Aug 16, 2007

Nonchalant said:
I have a pair of suits that have sat around for about a year with dirt and stains so stubborn that no dry cleaners can seem to handle. I'm tired of looking at them, and smelling them. :eusa_doh: Originally the suits were high-end. Hmm... The progress you made with the grey suit is very encouraging.

Maybe I will give your method a shot. With my fingers crossed, of course, and my courage reinforced by that stiff drink you mentioned.

I would not use my method on a "normal" suit. I only did the summer suit because it's got very little construction. Not much interfacing to worry about. Same deal with the PB. "Normal" suits have so many things to worry about getting wet. Trousers of a "normal" suit would be okay, i think.

bk

Miss Sis · Aug 16, 2007

Nice work, Baron!

Oh, the joys of Borax and Oxy-Clean. Another convert! (Does a happy dance)

Nonchalant · Aug 16, 2007

Baron Kurtz said:
I would not use my method on a "normal" suit. I only did the summer suit because it's got very little construction. Not much interfacing to worry about.... Trousers of a "normal" suit would be okay, i think.

Point taken. Glad I didn't throw them into that huge vat of oxy-clean I had been preparing.

Of the two suits, the trousers are the major offenders, so perhaps I will just try your method there.

PADDY · Aug 18, 2007

Early 40's brown DB 3pc with blue window pane check (pics).

Absolute Mint condition, early 40's 3pc, db suit. Chicago sellers label on inside. Skeleton lining on jacket, full line on vest/waistcoat. Even vest belt hasn't been used/punctured by the belt pins.

PADDY · Aug 18, 2007

Early 40's DB suit (Pics 2).

Rooster · Aug 18, 2007

WOW! That's a SUPER find. I'll bet you're pleased with that one!

Baron Kurtz · Aug 18, 2007

Nice suit, again!

What's the copyright date on that label, Paddy? The coat label.

bk

Tomasso · Aug 18, 2007

Nice find, Paddy.

PADDY said:
My day will come, just have to be patient .

Just a few short weeks it turns out.

Jerekson · Aug 18, 2007

That DB is simply amazing.

PADDY · Aug 18, 2007

That's it (calling a halt).

I'm happy with the selection I have now (famous last words eh[huh] ). I was after a 'brown' and this one came along and had the red stripe and the blue window pane check which made it even more 'interesting' to the eye.

The photos (underpowered camera and photographer!) do 'not' do this suit justice. It just hasn't seen any use by the looks of things.

One other thing to note, nice watch pocket on the front of the pants, although I may just have the watch chain going across the top two breast pockets of the vest/waistcoat. Just looks sharper to my eye!!

Again, rushed the pics off (I've been out of circulaton for last 10 days), and really the suit ideally needs an iron run over it when I have a moment spare, but in fit it's 'like it was made for me!

' Lucky-Lucky guy (and much less than many modern suits).

Smithy · Aug 18, 2007

Paddy another great suit for your wardrobe. Excellent find and you wear it well!

Jovan · Aug 18, 2007

The sleeves are rather long, though I'd be on the fence of whether to shorten them or not!

Braces · Aug 18, 2007

Early 40's DB suit

Great suit Paddy. Are those leather braces, Sir?

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