Men's 3 piece suit - ? 40s

themerchantsofvintage

themerchantsofvintage

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Men\'s 3 piece suit - ? 40s

Sorry for all the pics - will delete later. Just wanted to be sure to get as much info in first try.

Single-breasted, 3 button ventless jacket, flapped pockets (looks good with flaps in or out), wide lapel with button hole on LHS and right pocket has extra inside pocket for watch fob. Four pocket vest. Pleated, cuffed pants have 2 slash pockets, one button down back pocket, fob pocket, four button fly and large hook and eye.

I'm thinking early 40s - am I in the ball park?

Thanks!!!















 
Not that I am specialist in this area but it looks just post war to me - perhaps a serviceman's first civilian suit? BY 1947/48 the jackets are cut looser, as are the pants, and matching vests become old fashioned. I think you would be hard pressed to find the watch pocket at the top of the trousers by the late 1940s as well. If it were prewar I would expect the jacket to be a little bit more nipped at the waist and probably the pockets would have flaps, so wartime is a good possibility. Turn-ups or cuffs on the trousers are rare during the war, even outlawed by 1942, but by mid 1944 cuffs start turning up again.
 
Thanks, Jonathan - your knowledge is better than mine. The pockets do have flaps, I only showed the pic with them tucked in as it can be worn either way. Perhaps Hollis will weigh in.
 
Another vote for '30s. The cut is much softer than the '40s ones and you don't see waistcoats for very far into the war because of rationing.

Love it! Want some like that too, especially great to have all three pieces.
 
The coat of this suit in a 1946 Montgomery Ward catalog looks similar in the lapel and shoulders.

2902588371_3fe340fa15_o.jpg


It doesn't show (or mention) the details of the cuffs or vest.
 
Thanks Nicole; so that's two votes for 40s, one for 30s.

Yes, very similar - thanks for posting Ookoo. I think the lapels on mine are wider though.

Now I'm wondering when fly zippers started... I knew this at one point, but cannot remember!
 
My first reaction was just post war. It's very similar to some 1946 - 49ish suits I had a couple years ago. Now if the customer wasn't super stylish, it could go a bit later. I have found dated suits that were in may ways stylistically 5 - 10 years off the prevailing fahsion, but the customer liked the style of his younger years and stuck with it.

Hollis
 
Deb, here is "Mr. Everett's" suit, Dec. 27, 1945 (according to the label inside the top breast lining pocket.


Dcp_3923bi.jpg



DCP_3932.JPG



Dcp_3931bi.jpg



Dcp_3935bi.jpg


This had a metal zipper fly, which someone at a later
date replaced with nylon zipper. It also has button
attach suspenders.

Thought you could compare the lapels, etc. with yours.
 
No vent is a general indicator of a wartime suit but this suit could be post-war. Zips or zippers were used in garments in the mid 1930's but button fly-front fastenings on men's trousers were still common in the 1950's. The hook and bar is often cited as a feature of a late 40's suit but I don't know how accurate that is. You would always have the pocket flaps showing.

Here is a useful timeline of suits;

http://tinyurl.com/5hflsx
 
That is one snazzy suit, Sue, thanks for posting the pics! Your lapels are much pointer, mine more like the one Ookoo posted.

Thanks for the tips, vertugarde and the link!

Post war it is!
 
What I didn't make clear is that apparently the hook and bar closure on men's trouser waistbands was first introduced in the 40's and replaced buttons. Apologies for the lack of clarity!
 
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