April, 1948: Meet THE BOLD LOOK

[resortes805]

One of the best dressed gangsters, Benny Siegel (center). He looks more like a businessman here.

Bugsy's gorge is a little high and his slacks are a little too thin for a proper bold look.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Question: Why does the word "the" always appear red on this thread?

You came to the thread through searching a term, as suggested by your answer of yesterday, when the post before it is two months old.

You included the word The in the search terms - rather uselessly so, given the forum software's limits - clicked the link to this thread, and the other word(s) after the The are somewhere else on the page or a page before.

It's probably too late now, but you could have seen something like "&highlite=the+" in the URL.

 

[Rittmeister]

I agree. This has got to be a 40s pre-bold-look suit. But the fit is great and he does not have the stereotypical gangster look.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Other than the eyes, which mark him out as someone with potential for extreme viciousness. Did he ever blink?

bk

 

[scotrace]

/\
/\
/\ I am now ashamed of my lazy response.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Good-looking scary man.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

(Question: Why does the word "the" always appear red on this thread?)

I'd suspect that you did a search to find this message, and that search included the word "the" in it. It highlights any of the search terms in red and I believe bold. If you type in "Cat in the hat" it highlights any of those four words, not the entire sentence, title or phrase you enter into the search box.

 

[resortes805]

A bold look take on the single breasted peak lapel.

 

[Rittmeister]

I just watched Design for Scandal from 1941. Walter Pidgeon seems to have the beginnings of the Bold Look already. There is one scene in which the characters are wearing three styles at the same time. Pidgeon is wearing a 6-button long roll lapel suit with only the bottom button closed, Edward Arnold is in a traditional db common is the 30s and early 40s, and his attorney, Thurston Hall, is wearing a three-piece suit with a wing collar. From movies I have seen, it looks like the fuller jackets and spread collars of the Bold Look were beginning to be worn during WWII. Perhaps men who were not in uniform were already moving to a looser, non-uniform-cut style. Any thoughts from others?

 

[Widebrim]

!Orale!

A bold look take on the single breasted peak lapel.

Fiirme tie, Resortes, and cool jacket! And the color combination actually works.

 

[resortes805]

Thanks! I was posting pics for ebay and I usually model the clothes that fit me. I had just snapped some pics for an outfit with a brown color scheme, and when I got to this jacket, I did'nt feel like changing my shirt. To my surprise, the brown and gray worked well together!

 

[Talbot]

805, I'm not sure what firme means, but if its good, you got it in spades.

(no disrespect BTW, us Aussies are a bit isolated )

Swinging outfit, solid and ready! Takes a toe hold and cuts from the heel.

You have inspired me to start wearing my vintage neckties to the office again.

Dig that narrow belt in your earlier pic

 

[Rittmeister]

Baron, your comment about the eyes is very interesting. I just watched Nocturne with George Raft. He also never blinks - and he and Siegel were friends. I think it comes from living around the underworld environment.

 

[Fletch]

If you shift your gaze frequently, you can go quite a while without blinking (assuming you don't wear contacts). This must be why we think of underworld types as "shifty-eyed."

 

[resortes805]

805, I'm not sure what firme means, but if its good, you got it in spades.

Firme literally means "firm", but in pachuco slang it means "terrific" or as hepkats say "real gone!"

 

[Talbot]

Thanks

 

[David Conwill]

Is this the Bold Look?

I can't see this fellows lapels, and I don't know the date of the ad. Is this part of the Bold Look, do you think, or something later? It's the look I've got, but I don't really know how to describe it - I was beginning to think I was a trad, but all my jackets have darts.

Edit: Answered my own question, I just found this advertisement on eBay dated September 10, 1945. So I guess it could be the Bold Look before it was codified by Esquire.

-Dave

 

[thunderw21]

Here's an ad from another thread that shows the Bold Look well.

Low button stance and low gorge along with a wide-striped tie.

1946, exact date unknown.

Note the "new, refreshing" part, perhaps indicating the 'new, refreshing' Bold Look.

 

[Nick Charles]

David where is that ad from?? Its great anychance of emailing it larger to me??

 

[David Conwill]

David where is that ad from?? Its great anychance of emailing it larger to me??

http://www.plan59.com/av/av228.htm

I stole it from Plan 59, they sometimes have larger-resolution images available, but it's a magazine ad, so it's only going to be so large.

Print versions are frequently available on eBay - the advertisement is for the Stetson Playboy.

-Dave