Date check on green wool jacket, 40s?

retro ruth

retro ruth

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Staff member
Hi again,

I'm fairly confident at dating this as 40s, but was hoping to have that narrowed down. I guess it's too fancy for wartime, but that's assuming it is British.

It has the most solid shoulder pads I have ever come across! I don't know what they're made of as they're totally enclosed, but they've very hard compared to anything else I've handled.

No labels, presumably tailor made. Feels like wool. The front fastens with two buttons on a string. And check out the lining! It feels like silk, I haven't tested.

It's too big for my manni, so it's hanging a bit oddly. I hope not too many photos, but I thought I'd show the detail.

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Well, the buttons made me think, closer to the 50s, but the back shot made me think earlier, so I am not help with which end of the decade.

Please let me know when you list as I would like to drool!
 
Thanks everyone, I'll just list as 40s. It was mainly for my own education and interest I wanted to try and narrow the date down, though of course it would have nice to add to the listing. I'm always so impressed when people here can date things to within a few years.
 
Oh, my, that's gorgeous! I agree with 40s, but I'm not familiar enough with that era to guess what end. But it sort of just "looks" earlier than late 40s to me. Not quite sure why, though. I think I would have put it solidly in the wartime era or very shortly after. But it does seem "too fancy" if it's British.
 
I think it's early '40's - probably WWII era or right after. The back is cut somewhat like an Eisenhower jacket - although it doesn't really have a military cut except for that. During WWII some of Britain's top designers designed clothing, encouraging women to be fashionable while adhering to rationing. This jacket doesn't seem to have excess fabric or trim, is not double breasted and is quite "smart." It is not "New Look" . Perhaps Jonathan will weigh in on helping you pinpoint the exact year it might have been made.
 
It's a curious jacket - the lapel isn't cut with the body, it looks like it's separate, perhaps removable or added later? If you look inside there should be some clues. The lapel does not look early or mid '40s, probably late and there's too much fabric in the body to be British WW2, but perhaps it's post war or US? Actually the cut off the back looks too generous to be British rationing either (didn't that go until the early '50s?). That's why I'm hesitant to pin the date down more - and I agree with Linn that the lining looks like it might not be original. I would expect a rayon twill not a shiny satin.

I've only seen that blouson back in jackets from the '50s and I don't think your jacket is from that decade.
 
It's quite lovely. I agree with 40's but would put it post war. I imagine it would have had a longer pencil/slim a-line skirt to match. The shoulder pads are likely made of layers and layers of fabric and not stuffing/batting like they make then now; that's why they feel so stiff. I agree that the lining is peculiar. I've never seen a lining like that on a jacket of this period. I would assume it's a relining or maybe you have a costume piece. How would you describe the condition of the jacket overall? Does it show it's age?
 
The more I look at this, the more I think it's post war. I had suit 1948- - 52 with a lot of the same feel - the long length,big hard shoulders, dressmaker details, and that gorgeous green color.
 
See it is the buttons that keep pulling me to later. I do see earlier elements but technically it is impossible to see newer elements unless it is from that era, unless it was xtreemly fashion forward and as we all know the war was putting a lot of restrictions on clothing.

I think I would have ti agree with post war because so many elements are too close to the later part, and the longer the war drew on the more restrictions there were so it would be highly unlikely that it was mid 40s so that leaves late 40s.

I don't think ealry 50s because shoulder pads really just vanished in 1950-1951 lol. I am sure a few survived but the New Look caught on quick and people were ready for a change. I have had a few 50s items with very light shoulder pads/lining but nothing like my 40s pieces!
 
You know... Is it possible that this jacket was entirely repurposed by a good seamstress? Perhaps there was a lot of work done to it to save or restyle a realy nice jacket. The lining is off but so are the buttons to me. I know I am obsessing over them. Are they the exact same material or a darn good match?

Something seems like a larger jacket made smaller perhaps with the gathering in the waist band. And the shoulder holes just seem large for the style of the jacket? I would be curious to get under that lining and see what you can see, if it is that important or sell as is with all of it's glorious uniqueness! Am I just rambling or does any one else feel like this too?

I still love it and can't wait to follow it. Green is my favorite color and I love suits. I work for HR Block and that is our color (green) it would be PERFECT :-)
 
Thanks everyone for your input.

Examining it more thoroughly I think you may be right Jennifer, it could have been repurposed, to my eye very skillfully, and I doubt recently.

Nicole, you are right, I see that the collar/lapel has been added. It's really obvious now actually, it just didn't occur to me before! Here's a picture showing the inside.

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There appears to be a collarless jacket underneath, with a curved shape, it curves towards the shoulder into a reverse point, at the level of the notch in the added collar, and then back towards the neck. I hope that makes sense - I don't have time to take more pictures now. I think the curved shape fits with the curved pockets, so they are probably original, and the thread matches that of the original (collarless) collar. The added collar is lined in a grey cotton twill.

It also looks like the curved hem at the lower front has been resewn, presumably from a straight/square cornered hem.

The button fabric is an exact match, as is the collar. I'm wondering if someone cut up the skirt, which was perhaps more worn, to make the changes. Maybe in the make do and mend era, which must have gone on after the war, with rationing continuing until 1954?

The jacket does show it's age, (though without lots of wear). I am bit reluctant to unpick the lining.

I am hoping that original curve collarless shape will tell someone about it's original age. I'm now thinking this is an older jacket that was remade in the late forties, does that sound plausible?

Let me know if more pictures would be useful.

Ruth
 
That sounds very reasonable to me, maybe the original collar edges were wearing through at the edges and that's why they chose this new style to go over it?
 
Thanks pinkcoke.

I've taken pictures folding back the added collar, showing the shape of what I think is the original collarless jacket underneath. I'd be glad to hear if this collarless shape suggests any date for the original jacket, and any other thoughts on my theory that it was refashioned in the late 40s.

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