Jaeger mens waistcoat

Circa Vintage Clothing

Circa Vintage Clothing

Alumni
Hi everyone,

I recently bought an old wool waistcoat, it's been munched on quite a bit by moths but I wanted to submit the label to the LR. Could you please help me date it?

It was in a lot of clothes from the '20s-60s, all womens wear apart from this. It's pure wool, flannel I think and looks to be finished in cotton tape with MOP buttons. The button holes are really neatly sewn by hand. There's lots of hand-finishing too.

My first thought was '50s but I suspect it's older, it feels old: maybe '30s? The front hem looks like it's been taken up, I've included a shot of the back hem with the cotton tape, which is quite damaged by age. I generally associate this tape with '20s or older which is why I'm thinking it may be older than I thought.

Apologies for rough shots, they're with my phone.

Jaegar-waistcoat-1.jpg


Jaegar-waistcoat-6.jpg


Jaegar-waistcoat-2.jpg


Jaegar-waistcoat-3.jpg


Jaegar-waistcoat-4.jpg


Jaegar-waistcoat-5.jpg

Back of button holes - out of focus, but they're clearly handsewn.

Jaegar-waistcoat-8.jpg


Jaegar-waistcoat-7.jpg



Thank you,
Nicole
 
The problem with something like this is that it is a conservative piece of clothing that was made by a long established company - so it doesn't have 'trend' on its side to aid with dating. It has a prewar look to it, and classic finishing techniques but there is something about the 'camelhair' ID on the label that suggests postwar to me. Camelhair is such a 50's/60s fashion thing. I've never seen a vest shorter in front than back, so I don't know what's up with that.
 
Good sleuthing Ruth! Thank you.

Jonathan, I, too, associate camelhair with the '50s but this just feels older - and it's got a lot of hand work on it, including hand stitched buttonholes. I wouldn't expect that on a '50s commercially made garment. The higher at the front bit is strange - but I think it's been taken up.

Was there a time perhaps when the fashion came in for waistcoats that were shorter than previously? As you say, conservative fashions can be hard to date but I'm relying on the fabrics and construction for clues.

Nicole
 
Incidentally, I think the label is woven silk - it's similar in feel to '20s labels I've seen. I'm also curious because the logo is different to the other ones in the resource. I found a '50s camel coloured wool Jaeger waistcoat on ebay UK but it looks so slick and modern compared to this one, which just reassures me that this one is older.

Jonathan, I think you're right about pre-war (WW2?) just wondering how far pre-war....?

Nicole
 
I think I've found some good info.

I found out the entire Jaeger archive is held by Westminster City Council Library and Archives You can search for document titles and there is LOADS on Jaeger, but nothing seems to be scanned and available on line. (Out of interest they've got a huge Liberty archive too!)

However I found a useful titbit in the National Archives listing of the Jaeger archive, which includes a piece on The Administrative History of Jaeger

It says that "The multi-line Jaeger logo, still in use today, was developed in 1935"

I think therefore, we can say this is pre-1935, or thereabouts, bearing in mind using up old labels and so on. Or perhaps a new logo wouldn't always go on a label? Anyway good to know.

Ruth (the sleuth!)
 
It's actually khaki isn't it? I wonder if it was made during WWI. Officers often wore non military issue clothing but permitted clothing. It happened all the time with their footwear because the military issue boots were heavy and crudely made. Officers often bought high end dress boots, and fancy crops etc.
 
Jonathan, I would love it to be WW1 but I'm afraid it's my poor photography in my darkened bedroom - it's classic camel in colour. It is very utilitarian in style though, and would keep you warm in the trenches.

Ruth, thank you so much! That's really great info, we should add it to the LR. I think it's safe to assume it's pre-'35 now.

Nicole
 
Despite that Telegraph article, according the National Archives piece, it wasn't until 1930 that they started to be fashion-oriented. I would expect this piece to more accurate, as it's researched directly from the archives:

"A new departure for Jaeger came in 1930, when Maurice M Gilbert joined the company from Selfridges. Until then Jaeger clothing had been noted for the healthiness of its fabric rather than the style of its tailoring, but Maurice Gilbert and Ann Terrill, another former Selfridges employee, developed the Jaeger fashion image. "

That may not help us date this waistcoat, I'm not sure whether it counts a fashion item or not! It sounds like it's not so much what they made as the styling that changed. They clearly already made coats and dressing gowns before 1930 - there are earlier ads that show that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top