Show us your British suits

[Papperskatt]

Gorgeous suit. Great find, Patrick!

 

[Nick D]

I'm wearing a Burton suit right now that had similar alterations. The back trouser darts were let out and waistband patched at the back, trousers skinnified, jacket let out (all the way out), and the vest was re-backed which probably gave it 6". Except for narrowing the legs, it all seemed to be to fit an expanding waistline. I widened the legs when I bought it and took the jacket, vest, and waistband back in more recently after I lost weight.

 

[Patrick Hall]

Thanks for the kind words and commentary all. So late 40's make (given the jacket construction) with alterations in the 50's to accommodate an expanding waistline and changing fashions?

TT, the whole suit is as pristine as the waistcoat. One trouser leg was unhemmed when it came to me, and if this suit was worn even once, there's no sign of it. The patch on the back was made of identical fabric to the suit, though I can't figure out where it was pilfered from. So all that makes the late tinkering even stranger.

Nick, I hadn't noticed how "skinnified" the trousers were when the suit made its first trip to the tailor. Noticing now, I'm considering following your lead and taking it back to have them returned to their original proportions.

 

[herringbonekid]

Patrick, what's the ankle width of the trousers at present ?

 

[Nick D]

Maybe the original owner brought it to Burtons for alteration and they had some of the fabric left?

 

[Patrick Hall]

Patrick, what's the ankle width of the trousers at present ?

16 inches, approximately. 4 extra inches at the ankle spread between the outseam and inseam.


Nick, seems like that surmise is as plausible as any other - though, would Burton keep spare fabrics for decades?

 

[herringbonekid]

i would let the trousers back out again.

 

[Nick D]

I hadn't thought about that, although at the time they probably did.

The rest of your photos finally showed up for me (when I looked before only the first one did). My suit was made maybe 10 years after yours, but it had the same slightly-off color strips on the sides from letting it out. The vent may be original, mine is ventless but has similar hand-work elsewhere. Burton made good suits, but they weren't a Mayfair tailor.

 

[Two Types]

The fact that it doesn't seem to have been worn, yet has significant alterations, makes this suit a bit of a mystery. Here's my guess. It was made in the late 1940s but was unsold. With the changing fashions someone in a Burtons store decided to make some changes to see if they could turn it into a fifties styles suit. It wasn't succesful and so it never got worn.

Or something like that.

 

[Claudio]

Lovely find Patrick and fits you well. I'd leave as is and enjoy it!

 

[Patrick Hall]

The fact that it doesn't seem to have been worn, yet has significant alterations, makes this suit a bit of a mystery. Here's my guess. It was made in the late 1940s but was unsold. With the changing fashions someone in a Burtons store decided to make some changes to see if they could turn it into a fifties styles suit. It wasn't succesful and so it never got worn..

This is persuasive. Was made-to-measure a thing in the late 40's? Could've been an M2M experiment that either was not picked up, or picked up and returned but never worn. Can't imagine Burton was doing swift business with one button link-fastened jackets off the rack post-war.

Lovely find Patrick and fits you well. I'd leave as is and enjoy it!

Thanks Claudio! I was initially hesitant, but have decided that I like the suit a lot. It has an unusual charm about it.

My suit was made maybe 10 years after yours, but it had the same slightly-off color strips on the sides from letting it out.

Nick, do you mean the off-color strips in the lining?

 

[Nick D]

This is persuasive. Was made-to-measure a thing in the late 40's?

You could certainly send your measurements in to Burton through a catalog. HBK posted an image from a (pre-war) Burton catalog with a link button earlier in this thread, on p. 16 http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ritish-suits&p=1360003&viewfull=1#post1360003

Nick, do you mean the off-color strips in the lining?

Yep.

 

[esteban68]

Here's my latest I am presume British suit, made by 'Trent' whoever they were ( Google shows nothing)
A tight-ish fit but not far off at all and getting closer as I lose weight, colour is a very dark grey/navy, waist is high with buttons and belt loops.
Fob pocket is huge so you can get your whole hand in it!
Jacket is unvented with high arm holes and a pocket internally on the left for a glasses case? and two sewn into lining for pens??? both skirt pocket have extra 'ticket' pockets inside, also one pcket internally on the right for a wallet I guess.
Condition is excellent save one or two extremelly slight thread catches.


Jacket;

 

[esteban68]

and trousers;

trousers have button fly with twin button top closure, twin inward facing pleats and one rear pocket with loop closure.

and jacket label;

 

[herringbonekid]

nice find. i'm getting a distinct mid-50s feel from it.

 

[esteban68]

It was at £2.00 HBK!
waist is supressed slightly and arm linings are flat cotton with no sheen at all.

 

[herringbonekid]

£2.00 ? !!! where on earth can you find vintage suits for £2.00 these days ? (you don't have to tell me).

 

[esteban68]

Trouser bottoms are 9 1/2" and yes £2 it says on the tag next to the label....a small local charity shop also purchased a very good condition flanelette seperate collar shirt from the 50's for 50p!

 

[esteban68]

I've just scored a late 1960's/70's? brown worsted/gaberdine 3 piece, it's a perfect fit and is very much of the 40's 50's era re styling, trousers are very like the ones above including a working fob pocket, 9 1/4" trouser bottoms with turn ups with no flare at all and button fly though the waist lining has a distinct 70's feel to it.
The short waistcoat has four pockets and five buttons and the jacket again has a very 40's/50's feel no massive lapels though they do have a slight 'belly' to them, only downside (other than being brown!)is it has twin rear vents do we think it's possible to get them sewn up?
I'll post pics when I get chance to take some in dry unwindy daylight!!!

 

[Fastuni]

it has twin rear vents do we think it's possible to get them sewn up?

Nothing easier than that.