Show us your suits

[Guttersnipe]

Red. Your monitor colour settings might be on the blink?

I meant the undercheck is navy (or is it?) not the overplaid. The overplaid looks like a nice, soft red on my monitor.

 

[splintercellsz]

It looks like a really deep Navy to me. Here is a better shot.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

undercheck - Yes, it's a very very deep blue.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Hey guys, as promised my newest suit:

I had a good laugh when Splintercellz posted his newest suit, because it seems like mine is almost an exact copy/repro of his. I'm fairly certain this suit is a 70's does 40's/30's affair for a few reasons. Check those awesome wide lapels!

The very NOT golden era looking label, albeit from a very venerable company whose existence predates this country, in fact. Made in Korea, too. Here you can see the fabric weave fairly well. I was pleasantly surprised to find it's actually a fairly heavy weight of fabric, much heavier than anything you'd find off the rack nowadays.

And the full lining, which I understand is indicative of modernity. Still, I rather like it. How much did I pay for this natty little 70's number you ask? 7 bucks at the local thrift store.

It had a broken button on the sleeve and needed to be let out in the chest ever so slightly. Originally it had a very significant flare on the trousers and plain hems, but there was a ton of extra fabric on the hem, so I had the tailor take out some of that excessive flare and put some cuffs on there. I really like the result.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Yes and no on the full lining. It's used in modern suits as a labor saving measure (it eliminates the need for lots of internal finishing work, since internal seams aren't visible).

That said, full lining wasn't completely unknown in the 30s/40s. I own a tuxedo and a suit -- both German from the 30s -- as well as a 40s suit, all of which are fully lined.

Interestingly, full lining wasn't a sign of poor quality either. For example, that tuxedo I own is a bespoke piece which has the same amount of internal finishing work as if it were showing. According to the tailor that altered for, there's not even a single machine stitch in the whole tux. Similarly, the 40s suit was made by a locally well know (long defunct) custom tailor who was popular among SF's affluent Jewish community in the 40s and 50s (again, according to my aged tailor).

 

[Tomasso]

(again, according to my aged tailor).

I love talking to the old-timers....in any field.

 

[splintercellsz]

VERY nice Gin! I really like the pattern! Fits you perfectly! :eusa_clap

 

[Rudie]

Yes and no on the full lining. It's used in modern suits as a labor saving measure (it eliminates the need for lots of internal finishing work, since internal seams aren't visible).

That said, full lining wasn't completely unknown in the 30s/40s. I own a tuxedo and a suit -- both German from the 30s -- as well as a 40s suit, all of which are fully lined.

As far as I know full lining was rather the rule than the exception for German suit jackets.

 

[Nick D]

All my vintage British suits are fully lined.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Only for summer suits do you see an unlined European suit. And even then they're mostly fully lined.

According to the book I use, "the edges of the seams [in partial lined jackets with piped seams] … show through the coat" after pressing. This is intuitively true, and evidenced from looking at piped vs non-piped seam jackets.

Also, he says "the fully lined coat always has the advantage of being less likely to wrinkle in the back and less prone to gather over the buttocks". I'm not sure of the truth of that, but I guess he knew what he was talking about.

He goes on to say: "Nor is the coat warmer when completely lined with rayon (which is a very cool material) than is the coat with a part lining".

Tailoring Suits The Professional Way, Clarence Poulin, 1952, C. A. Bennet & Co Publishers, Peoria, Ill.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Gents - Thanks for the info! One of the many reasons I love the lounge is the plethora of knowledge on all things sartorial

Splintercellz - Thanks! I guess we're suit brothers now, or something like that lol.

 

[splintercellsz]

That we are! Your wardrobe still dominates mine tenfold!

 

[Gin&Tonics]

That we are! Your wardrobe still dominates mine tenfold!

Naw, I don't own anything vintage! I think you might have more/better hats than me too (although my Stratoliner is pretty fantastic )

 

[splintercellsz]

It doesn't matter! I only one one complete suit, and a 50's blazer with modern trousers. The rest is stuff that wont fit me, that I may just donate since I can't sell it.

And for hats, I only have three! One modern, and two vintage!

 

[JonnyO]

I recently bought three suits off ebay and etsy and finally had time to get them tailored and dry cleaned. The first one is a brownish/grey pinstriped three piece, possibly from the 50s but not too sure, it was made by Faberge.

The next is a grey three piece, this had 70s written all over it the moment I took it out of the box and tried it on. It was straight out of Saturday Night Fever with the tight thighs and bell bottoms, I asked the tailor to straighten the legs and let out the thighs the best he could. I can't remember the make off the top of my head and they are at the dry cleaner now so I can't look, I do remember it was made in Canada for a mens store possibly in Arkansas.

The last is a Brooks Brothers that I actually picked up off Etsy. The trousers originally had cuffs but were too short so they had to be taken out to lengthen the legs. The sleeves on the coat had to be lengthened as well. Pardon the model pose.

 

[Tomasso]

Some constructive criticism: The jacket on the last (bottom) suit looks way too short for you and the trousers on the first two are too long. Can't opine on sleeve length due to your wonderful posing. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

 

[Herr Döktor 1]

It appears I've been a member for over a year, and haven't shared my suits with you. Well, here goes:

Late 40s, early 50s vintage wool suit, two piece double breasted, high waist trousers with button fly, in a broad striped blue; a charity shop find that fits me perfectly, made by "Hymie High Class tailor" of Waterloo, London.

Double breasted, wool, three-piece suit- possible 70s or 80s, in mid grey- just had to have the trousers taken in an inch or two, otherwise a perfect fit. a Centaur suit, a company which I'm led to believe has quite a reputation!

I'm also putting together a couple of John Steed style outfits, in grey:

and dark blue:

I really need to sort out a grey cover for the Fox paragon umbrella, but other than that, both pretty much finished.

 

[Dinerman]

c. 1910s?

 

[RobStC]

c. 1910s?

Corrosive ink?!!

 

[Dinerman]

Slightly acidic + a century. Amazing what can happen.