Roaring 20s/Prohibition party attire

[Mike in Seattle]

Googling "banded collar shirts" instead of grandpa or grandad or other incorrect names, returns loads of retailers who have what you're looking for. Even without Google, I found the following:

Penney's has band collared shirts.

Wing-collared tux shirts on sale at Macy's.

Nordstrom rack usually has band collared and wing-collared tux shirts stacked to the rafters as well.

As to Brooks Brothers' in-store staff telling you they don't carry them...in this day and age, the staff of almost any retail establishment really isn't interested in knowing what they carry and how to please their customers. They're just there for a paycheck, and have been given limited training, if any at all. They usually have no clue as to what they do or don't carry, and they don't care. Rather than spend a few moments helping you find what you're looking for (a few moments in which they could crank two or three more sales through their cash register), if they don't know off the top of their head, their stock answer is "We don't carry it," because then you go away and they can move onto the next customer, the next commission.

Go to the retailer's website, look it up and that'll give you a SKU number. With that in hand, you can call the store and as if they have it in stock before wasting gas on a trip. Frankly, it's probably better to just order it online right then and there, and be done with it.

 

[Brinybay]

Thanks, someone else suggested trying a search for banded shirts also. But after inquiring by e-mail with a few online sellers of banded collar shirts, they all said the shirt was not compatible with a detachable collar. At least one of them had no idea what I was talking about, and I suspect that may have been the case with the others too. Doesn't a detachable collar need to be attached via a stud or button on the back?

As for Brook Bros, (Downtown Seattle) actually, the guy who helped me, Aaron, was very polite and courteous, even made several calls including asking if they could custom make one. I'll give him the benefit of a doubt and assume that he knew the $225 shirt they carry wasn't what I was looking for, at least as far as the price, because I had explained what it was going to be used for. He referred me to another retailer nearby who shall remain nameless, but it was a whole 'nother story. Judging from the blank expression on the guy's face, I may as well have said I was a martian looking for a space suit.

I didn't mind the trip down there, I'm on vacation and needed the exercise anyway.

I appreciate all the help, I'll keep y'all posted on what I find, if anything.

 

[Brinybay]

First photos

Just a few of the pics that were taken at our dive clubs speakeasy party the other night. More to follow as they are sent to me. I unfortunately forgot to bring my own camera.

I'm particularly jealous of my friend Fritz, the fellow in the brown suit. He found that suit with one trip to Goodwill. The Borsalino he happened to have in his attic, complete with box. Used to belong to his uncle he said.

Club Prez Randy, left, and a guest who's name escapes me.

Set constructor "Mad Dog" Mike and his newest "Mad Dog".

Carl "The Bouncer" greeting people through the "speakeasy" door. He later changed clothes and played the role of a cop raiding our party.

Club member Fritz (right) in the great Goodwill find suit and Borsalino he had in the attic. Does anybody recognize his suit? Left is club member Paul. He got the shirt at Macy's. He also deviced a great Prohibition Era trivia game that we played.

 

[HadleyH]

Nice pictures Brinybay! Thanks for posting!

OMG that puppy is so adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brinybay]

Nice pictures Brinybay! Thanks for posting!

OMG that puppy is so adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That would be "Mad Dog" Mike and his newest "child". He helped construct the sets we used. The fact that he's a remodeling contractor helped. The sets consisted of the facade for the entrance and a mock bar. Decor was begged, borrowed, donated, built ourselves.

Only thing I was disappointed with was the electronics for the music. Although I put together a great collection of vintage period music, I should have insisted on something better than the borrowed laptop and computer gaming sound system that we used. Although it sounded fine when we tested it in a small room, in the larger banquet hall it sounded like hell, all you could hear were the base and percussion, especially when we tried to turn it up to hear over the din. I turned it off halfway through the event. Let that be a lesson to anybody planning a similar event.

 

[Brinybay]

The Speakeasy Bar we put together. The liquor and wine bottles contain colored water and fake labels with names of dive sites, e.g. "Keystone Kicker", "Redondo Red", "Les Davis -More Buzz", "Mukilteo Mud", et al. I'm on the right, Randy on the left. More pictures at this link: Speakeasy Party