Role of Brown Suits in the Golden Age

[JonnyO]

Again, this isn't a combo that a moden stylist/designer would usually use, but I think it looks really swell.

Guttersnipe, looking through these again this morning, is this a white shirt/green tie combo or are my eyes deceiving me?

 

[Guttersnipe]

Guttersnipe, looking through these again this morning, is this a white shirt/green tie combo or are my eyes deceiving me?

Yep. White shirt dark green tie. I've seen actual cloth samples of these in Apparel Arts before. It seems like dark green ties (usually in a woven silk) were a wardrobe staple in the 30s, much like navy grenadine ties are today.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Why are you so surprised? Is there a "rule" about forbidding green ties on white shirts? I like my green ties. Got most of them recently after I bought a light green shirt.

BTW Love the AA combinations- Thank you for posting them!

 

[JonnyO]

Why are you so surprised? Is there a "rule" about forbidding green ties on white shirts?!

Not surprised, more excited. I'm very new to this subject and wasn't sure if brown matched with green (did I mention extremely new) and love green myself. It looks like I will have a good reason to pick up a few more green ties.

 

[Betz]

As an attorney, I find men wearing brown suits frequently. I own one solid brown suit that I like to wear with brown wingtips. I have heard from some of my friends that brown shoes are frowned upon in London, but in San Francisco it is acceptable. Although, then again, dressing in paper bags is acceptable in most circles in San Francisco.

 

[Evan Everhart]

I only have one brown suit and although most mens clothing forums here on the internet will poowho brown I like this suit.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

Amen Brother! Brown is Beautiful! Good-lookin' suit by the by! Brownies Unite! Hahahaa!

My first suit was a brownish-tan tweed, and I always make sure that I've got at least one brown pinstripe suit floating about amidst the rest of my wardrobe! I just got a new baby for 6 bucks at the Goodwill! I Love it! (Though, I miss my old brown pinstriped 3 pc from when I was skinnier before my wife's cooking! Ha!)

Is there a thread that's entirely devoted to devotee's of brown suits? If not, there ought to be. Also, to green suits and ties. And not half-way greens and olives and such, but legitimate green suitings! My favorite sportscoat (my hacking jacket is green micro-houndstooth with an over windowpane of rust! I need to put up a pic of my new baby though! Brown Pin-Striped Glory, with my wine on ecru with chinese blue shepherd's check tie and a pale coral shirt with white spread collar and cuffs and tan shoes! I need a better camera.....

 

[Baron Kurtz]

For some excellent advice regarding what are bandied around rather too much as supposed sartorial rules, all wannabe prescriptive dressers should read this thread. I don't think you need to be logged in. I had always imagined "no brown in town" to be a Hardy Amies early 50s invention, with no grounding in either style or history, and the evidence in this thread (link) seems to back that up. With thanks to Sator for so much work in finding sources/references.

http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2542&st=0

While it is very true that many men, in particular in specific professions, follow such prescriptions, there's no way around the fact that such prescriptions are recent phenomena. Nothing 'classic" about them, for the most part.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Well for some of us it is certainly interesting to find out about the suit ettiquette for a certain time and place. The author mixes very different eras. But the point is to find eternal rules? No such thing.
I actually like the charts in some german 30s magazines but it doesn't mean I follow them.

PS: DB and SB lapels? Is this really the BE name for notched and peak lapel?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

His point, of course, is that they are exactly that: fashionable guidelines for a certain time, not the universal "right and wrong" unequivocal rules for dress, as they are commonly put forward in online forums. "No brown in town" being an excellent example of the kind of garbage peddled online and by many offline that was never generally applicable a rule (in fact brown suits were frequently recommended), and is not one now. Rather it is a norm in certain industries within which, if you wish to proceed in that career, it's probably a good idea to follow.

What does BE mean? Peaked lapels were often called DB lapels in 30s-50s catalogues.

 

[Qirrel]

British English.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Ah, got it.

 

[Fletch]

The only rule worth remembering is never wear blue shoes with a brown suit.

(Original by Oxner, Apparel Arts, spring, 1934. The shoes were originally brown, the tie burgundy.)

 

[Evan Everhart]

The only rule worth remembering is never wear blue shoes with a brown suit.
(Original by Oxner, Apparel Arts, spring, 1934. The shoes were originally brown, the tie burgundy.)

Come on Fletch! You've got to redeem that Gorgeously luxe Apparel Arts catalogue print by posting up the un-altered original! Hahahaa! But yeah.

I suppose it's about tonal value. relatively pale blue against relatively pale brown washes out. If either the shoes or suit were darker, it might just work! Point in case......

I have seen a particularly dark almost mid-night blue pair of suede brogues with a heavier stance worn with a medium (slightly darker than in the picture) Harris tweed herring-bone with over window-pane of orange with powder blue stripes suit, that actually worked. It was worn with a rust micro-window-pane shirt with a white collar and self cuffs and a slate blue paisley tie. The socks may have been in the orange family or rusty coloured? He may or may not have been wearing pocket linen, as I can't recall, let us assume not. He was originally from Lancaster-shire. The wearer was an old friend of mine from England that I haven't seen in years. A good fellow though, if very idiosyncratic in his approach to wardrobe and style.

 

[Chasseur]

I have one vintage brown US suit and its a very nice one from the early 1950s. It was made for a gentleman that I have several other suits for and its in the same pattern. So I presume he wore it for business like the grays ones I have from him.

One thing I'd add: it can a be a little harder to match with accessories if most of your shirts, ties, etc. are based on the blues and grays. Well I just think its an excuse to get shirts and ties in other colors

 

[Fastuni]

I like the combination of brown suits with white shirt and blue/greyish based ties. Kind of a "cooling" contrast, if one wants to avoid the "autumney" warmth reddish ties create.

The suit fits you perfectly BTW.

 

[herringbonekid]

blue accessories were frequently paired with brown in the 30s and 40s (and in fabric prints too). blue is a complimentary of brown (being across the colour wheel) and usually has the pleasing effect of accentuating the richness of brown.

 

[skyvue]

I have a chocolate brown sports coat with blue flecks in the fabric.

 

[DamianM]

I have a chocolate brown sports coat with blue flecks in the fabric.

Lets see a shot of that

I have a brown pair of 40s slacks with red fleck which is more on the fall color wheel.

Blue and brown does seem odd though

 

[Guttersnipe]

blue accessories were frequently paired with brown in the 30s and 40s (and in fabric prints too). blue is a complimentary of brown (being across the colour wheel) and usually has the pleasing effect of accentuating the richness of brown.

Agreed. Browns and blues can definitely make for great shirt / tie / suit combos. Another really popular combo in the 30s and 40s was browns with greens.

 

[Qirrel]

Agreed. Browns and blues can definitely make for great shirt / tie / suit combos. Another really popular combo in the 30s and 40s was browns with greens.

I often wear a wide stripe blue oxford shirt with a green tie to my brown jackets. A pleasing combination.