Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Is there no love for the two piece single breasted vintage 30s 40s suit?

reetpleat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,681
Location
Seattle
Can they get a little love please? I am talking about single breasted pin stripe type or other typical vintage fabrics, with two or three buttons.

I don't own any, and never seem to get much for them on ebay. I can understand why. Double breasted two piece are very vintage and cool. Three piece wiht two or three buttons, looks really cool. But for some reason, I can't seem to get excited about two piece single breasted. Maybe it is because they look too much like modern, and don't give that distinct vintage look. Maybe they just seem too common.

So, how do you gents feel. Do you like and wear the two piece single breasted 30s 40s? Or do you hold out for the db and 3 piece?
 

Marcus

A-List Customer
Messages
411
Location
Fallbrook, CA...Near Camp Pendleton
reetpleat said:
Can they get a little love please? I am talking about single breasted pin stripe type or other typical vintage fabrics, with two or three buttons.

I don't own any, and never seem to get much for them on ebay. I can understand why. Double breasted two piece are very vintage and cool. Three piece wiht two or three buttons, looks really cool. But for some reason, I can't seem to get excited about two piece single breasted. Maybe it is because they look too much like modern, and don't give that distinct vintage look. Maybe they just seem too common.

So, how do you gents feel. Do you like and wear the two piece single breasted 30s 40s? Or do you hold out for the db and 3 piece?

I think I just bought a SB suit from you yesterday. I have several DB's and was looking for an SB specifically. Lo and behold...there was a nice looking pinstripe for a great price.
 

reetpleat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,681
Location
Seattle
Marcus said:
I think I just bought a SB suit from you yesterday. I have several DB's and was looking for an SB specifically. Lo and behold...there was a nice looking pinstripe for a great price.

Wow. how cool is that. I posted a I have been thinking about this for a while and especially after posting that suit. Perhaps I priced it low, but they just don't seem to bring much. Not that I am saying there is anything wrong with them. They just don't seem as desirable. Be sure to see the message i sent you concerning a near match vest and jacket.
 

Marcus

A-List Customer
Messages
411
Location
Fallbrook, CA...Near Camp Pendleton
reetpleat said:
Wow. how cool is that. I posted a I have been thinking about this for a while and especially after posting that suit. Perhaps I priced it low, but they just don't seem to bring much. Not that I am saying there is anything wrong with them. They just don't seem as desirable. Be sure to see the message i sent you concerning a near match vest and jacket.


I did, shoot me the photos! I'm interested.


Reetpleet should have mentioned that it's the notch lapel 2-pc. suits that get no love. Vintage single-breasted suits with peak lapels are still selling like hotcakes.


That's for sure. If I can find a SB with peaked lapels I will be most satisfied.
 

Forgotten Man

One Too Many
Messages
1,944
Location
City Dump 32 E. River Sutton Place.
Sure there’s love, I have an early one that’s navy blue and 30s. Flat front trousers, notched lapels, two button and flap pockets… your basic business suit of the 30s.

Some people look at them and don’t see the vintage cut of them and always fall back on the double breasted look as being the only style that existed then… truth is, there were many single breasted looks… most of which we have today were three pieces but, there were plenty of two pieces made. Especially here in CA!

Here’s a photo of me in the dark two button basic 30s business suit… funny thing, most snap shots from the early 30s seem to be of men wearing suits like this!

l_cb757b3099bbca202f8501506c37a4fa.jpg


l_966f7d707f834dc081cf19fcbf242c6a.jpg


How's that for love? I wear that suit often... It is super clean and came with two pairs of pants!
 

mike

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,000
Location
HOME - NYC
If we all ring in and agree that single breasted, notched lapeled, 2-piece suits are perfect for understated, vintage looks or every-man wear, will this drive the price up so that we can no longer afford such items? :eusa_doh: :p

Rob - looking great! What's the hat?
 

Forgotten Man

One Too Many
Messages
1,944
Location
City Dump 32 E. River Sutton Place.
mike said:
single breasted, notched lapeled, 2-piece suits are perfect for understated, vintage looks or every-man wear, will this drive the price up so that we can no longer afford such items? :eusa_doh: :p

Well, the suit I'm wearing was originally owned by a doctor who lived in NY. Most of the suits I got from him all were labeled by NY brands! Expensive ones... I even have his 1928 dated tux! Single breasted, notched lapel basic tux! The thing is mint as they come! Must have worn it to his wedding then never again!

I do have two coats of his that are double breasted but his earlier clothes are basic. I've noticed most men of wealth who were in a respectable field they wore more basic and plain styled suits... Especially doctors.

mike said:
Rob - looking great! What's the hat?

Ah, the hat in the first photo is a 1929-30 John B. Stetson long hair finish "Standard Quality" with a blew bow at back of the sweat band. The hat came in its original box and was never worn. Leather sweat band is supple and soft as the day it was made! Amazing piece.

The hat in the second photo is another long hair finish but a $5. Borsalino score at a Western Costume sell. Funny thing is, that Borsalino is much later than the 30s. But, was made just as some of their earlier tall crown reverse taper models. Can't beat $5. bucks right? lol

Oh, and THANKS!:D
 

Widebrim

I'll Lock Up
Suit fits you well, Rob!

In addition to the earlier-mentioned brown, two-piece SB, I also have a post-war grey, pin stripe, three-buttoned, notch lapeled SB suit. It buttons lower than my brown SB (think Bold Look), so keeping my tie tucked in can sometimes be a chore, but I love it just as well!
 

Guttersnipe

One Too Many
Messages
1,942
Location
San Francisco, CA
Very true! My Grandfather was a physician, who went into private practice 1937, and while he was a VERY SHARP dresser he never went for "flashy" suits. He preferred understated fabrics cut almost exactly like the suit the Forgotten Man's. He always wore 3-pieces, though, because he liked to remove his jacket when he examined patients (on house calls) and thought it was tacky to strip-down to shirt tails.

Forgotten Man said:
....I've noticed most men of wealth who were in a respectable field they wore more basic and plain styled suits... Especially doctors....
 

Forgotten Man

One Too Many
Messages
1,944
Location
City Dump 32 E. River Sutton Place.
Guttersnipe said:
he liked to remove his jacket when he examined patients (on house calls) and thought it was tacky to strip-down to shirt tails.

Well, I'm sure his patients had to wear less sometimes than he did lol

All joking aside, most men of the Depression and earlier were very formal and traditional in the business world. Flashy dressing was mostly in Hollywood, films and could be found on fancy resorts by new money. Or at Oviatt's ;)
 

filfoster

One Too Many
The Rodney Dangerfield of vintage suits

Marcus said:
Here are the two I own. The first one I got here and was described as a 70's does 30's/40's scenario:

jacketnvest.jpg


The setup I just purchased from ReetPleat:
%21Bi%282zzQB2k%7E%24%28KGrHqYOKkIEsn%21E07-YBLOmdK%29Yyw%7E%7E_3%5B1%5D.jpg


I need to find that peaked lapel in a different color!!

I note the top is a three piece. The second is a very nice example of a desirable single breasted two piece suit. Even though the stripe looks very contemporary, the width of the lapels and overall look make it look older. I think Reetpleat is right that the 'contemporary' similarity affects the popularity of this style but details like lapel width, cuffs and fabric can help.
 

Tomasso

Incurably Addicted
Messages
13,719
Location
USA
Forgotten Man said:
I even have his 1928 dated tux! Single breasted, notched lapel basic tux!
Would you please post a photo...if it's not to much trouble.:)
 

avedwards

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,425
Location
London and Midlands, UK
I have no Golden Era vintage suits, but I personally wouldn't mind a 2pc with notched lapels. As far as I can tell they don't look that different from modern suits so as a result one could wear them without looking out of place today.

The quality of the materials and the usually higher armholes could probably allow one to appear to be wearing a bespoke suit.
 

Forgotten Man

One Too Many
Messages
1,944
Location
City Dump 32 E. River Sutton Place.
avedwards said:
I have no Golden Era vintage suits, but I personally wouldn't mind a 2pc with notched lapels. As far as I can tell they don't look that different from modern suits so as a result one could wear them without looking out of place today.

The quality of the materials and the usually higher armholes could probably allow one to appear to be wearing a bespoke suit.

No offence but, this to me sounds kind silly. For someone to wear a hat that most American’s (let alone the world) who feel is the lesser popular choice, or prefer any longer to being with, why would one feel that a quality period vintage suit (double or single) would stand out more and cause “negative” attention to an individual than a fedora? I say, if you wear a trench coat, a fedora and this is something you wear often, chances are you may as well wear a vintage suit… since a Fedora has been associated with Dick Tracy to Al Capone for the last 70 years, why would wearing a double breasted period suit be the last straw to inherit massive scorn from the modern flocks of sheep?

Sorry, it just boggles my mind as to why some feel that a classic, well tailored suit of any early 20th Century vintage would be asking for the “Gangster, Dick Tracy, God Father” comments to come down on them like an Ethiopian on a cheeseburger? When a fedora can single handedly do the job just a well. :rolleyes: [huh] If you're really conserned about what others think, why do you dress in any sort of fashions that may even touch on earlier times in American history?

Please, enlighten me!

Tomasso said:
Would you please post a photo...if it's not to much trouble.:)

Sure, I'll see what I can do... it won’t be till January... can ya wait that long? lol Sorry, a little pre-New Year's humor.
 

reetpleat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,681
Location
Seattle
Forgotten Man said:
No offence but, this to me sounds kind silly. For someone to wear a hat that most American’s (let alone the world) who feel is the lesser popular choice, or prefer any longer to being with, why would one feel that a quality period vintage suit (double or single) would stand out more and cause “negative” attention to an individual than a fedora? I say, if you wear a trench coat, a fedora and this is something you wear often, chances are you may as well wear a vintage suit… since a Fedora has been associated with Dick Tracy to Al Capone for the last 70 years, why would wearing a double breasted period suit be the last straw to inherit massive scorn from the modern flocks of sheep?

Sorry, it just boggles my mind as to why some feel that a classic, well tailored suit of any early 20th Century vintage would be asking for the “Gangster, Dick Tracy, God Father” comments to come down on them like an Ethiopian on a cheeseburger? When a fedora can single handedly do the job just a well. :rolleyes: [huh] If you're really conserned about what others think, why do you dress in any sort of fashions that may even touch on earlier times in American history?

Please, enlighten me!



Sure, I'll see what I can do... it won’t be till January... can ya wait that long? lol Sorry, a little pre-New Year's humor.

Not sure what you are getting at here, but when I sell on ebay certain suits, or when I used to sell on haight Street, I often would push a suit based on tthe idea that it would fit in at the office, but be cheaper, and give you thousand dollar quality and cut. I see nothing odd about someone who wants a contemporary look, but gets if from using certain vintage styles for the benefits of cut and quality.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,378
Messages
3,035,552
Members
52,806
Latest member
DPR
Top