1920s Vintage 'Oh My God' Suit

[herringbonekid]

patch pockets ?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Nope.

 

[herringbonekid]

...so the bellows part is felled to the wrong side of the front ?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Yes ... it was done so that the pockets wouldn't bulge outward in an unsightly way when filled with items. Instead, they would bulge inward, which is kinder to the jacket's silhouette (when the jacket is worn unbuttoned).

 

[herringbonekid]

curious.
don't you see a 'pulling in' or dimpling of the fabric on the front when something is in the pocket ?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

No. I suspect that some special floating strips of interlining were put in, and that the bellows were anchored (stitched) to those strips.

 

[herringbonekid]

hmm... can't see that in the photo, they appear to be straight onto the front fabric.

great suit by the way. glad it's not my size as i wouldn't be able to afford it.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Yes, it's amazing and weird. I've now got the jacket in front of me, and am trying to figure out how they did it. I can't find an answer.

Hey, should I rip the jacket apart to solve this? Just kidding!

 

[herringbonekid]

...must be felled, very discreetly, to the back of the front fabric. it's the only way !

(now i wonder if it was by hand or machine)

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... (now i wonder if it was by hand or machine)

Another good question. I see a lot of handwork in this suit, even though HS&M was a big manufacturer by then. All the buttonholes are handsewn, and magnificently so.

 

[herringbonekid]

i think i've figured it out... the outside, which you can see in the photo is a casing which hides a normal pocket bag (secured to the top of the jetted pocket as usual) so when you drop something into the pocket it doesn't touch the casing (which i thought was the pocket bag, but is actually a purely cosmetic device to make the interior look neater*) ... dig ?

*which is incredible attention to detail

 

[Marc Chevalier]

i think i've figured it out... the outside, which you can see in the photo is a casing which hides a normal pocket bag (secured to the top of the jetted pocket as usual) so when you drop something into the pocket it doesn't touch the casing (which i thought was the pocket bag, but is actually a purely cosmetic device to make the interior look neater*) ... dig ?

*which is incredible attention to detail

You beat me to it. I was just about to write --but with much less detail-- about that pocket bag. You got it!

 

[Tomasso]

All the buttonholes are handsewn, and magnificently so.

A worked buttonhole has always be a sign of a well made suit.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

My guess is that this was one of HS&M's higher grade suits, and would have had a bigger price to match it. (Not that HS&M sold any cheapish suits ... in those days.)

 

[Marc Chevalier]

What tips you off that this suit is late 20s and not early 30s ?

A fashion illustration from a Winter 1928 - '29 catalog. Look familiar?


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[herringbonekid]

which country did the suit end up going to ?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

which country did the suit end up going to ?

Japan, naturally.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

That's my Holy Grail suit right there. Breathtaking. If only one could walk into Sears and buy them nowadays,.....