Quoted: Fashion is transitory, style is enduring. 96Ag

Ah, a man who understands.      

As for the straw hats, you can find straw hats in many different shapes.  And you can steam them as well to change the shape.
You can find a whole gaggle of straw hats here.
Or here.

Cheers!

Here's a new hat.  I call it "The Chinatown".







It use to be a Stetson cowboy hat, now it's a Stetson fedora.  I cut down the brim to 2 3/4" in front and back, 2 1/2" on sides and replaced the thin ribbon with the one shown.  Open crown of 6 1/2" tall.

Hey guys, I picked up a couple of new sports coats from a thrift shop.  Check it out.

Modern Ralph Lauren belted-back tweed sports coat.  Very cool.  Ralph Lauren has some good vintage-style clothing, seeing how he looks at vintage clothing for inspiration.




Here's a 1970s wool sports coat.  Check out that waist!  The early 1970s had some good 1930s-style clothing.  It started to go very wrong in the mid-1970s.



Hmm...

Anybody not know who this guy is?  

Enjoyed the thread.  I've usually gone for the tams. (old golf hat style) but have been considering one of the fedoras to try it out.

Quoted: imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/CLASS/130-091~Humphrey-Bogart-Posters.jpg Anybody not know who this guy is?   Enjoyed the thread.  I've usually gone for the tams. (old golf hat style) but have been considering one of the fedoras to try it out.

If they don't they've been hiding under a rock for the last 60 years.  Classic.

Please do try a fedora out, I think if you find the right one you'll fall in love with them.

Edit: I changed the title of this thread so it encompasses the whole spectrum of vintage clothing rather than just fedoras.

Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style

Quoted: You'd be amazed at what people give away to Goodwill.  Several months ago I got a pair of barely used $300 Allen Edmond shoes for $4.

thats funny, I just got a pair of allen edmonds from value village for $12 yesterday!

I kind of like fedoras a little.  The only problem is that everyone I have ever met that wore one was a 100% douchebag.  Not saying all people that wear them are at all, just everyone I have met, so I have a bit of of a negative view on them.

More Apparel Arts!

Again, all of the images shown are from the 1930s from the magazine known as Apparel Arts.  This is a rare look as Apparel Arts are few in number nowadays and are highly sought after.

Enjoy.



First up, college style of the 1930s.  Note the casual feel of the clothing with only one of the fellows wearing a full suit.

College students of the 1930s and 1940s liked to go against the establishment by wearing affordable wool fedoras as opposed to nicer quality beaver felt fedoras.  Below is one such wool fedora.

Notice the name of this particular model of fedora is "Frat", referring to the collegiate aspect.  This is a rare hat today since vintage wool fedoras didn't last long and often weren't well taken care of.




Below is what is called a 'stroller' outfit.  It is the daytime, usually morning, equivelant of the evening dinner jacket (A.K.A. tux).  The stroller comprised of a formal black jacket, usually with a vest, and either black and gray striped or checkered trousers paired with plain black dress shoes and a black hat, either a homburg or tophat as shown below.

Strollers were worn to weddings and other formal events that took place during the day.

Note the style of this particular picture.  The men seem freakishly tall while the women, though well proportioned, are much shorter.  This is the result of both the stylization that was common during the 1930s as well as the high-waisted trousers that were worn back then.  High-waisted trousers usually were worn around the navel area, both above and below the navel depending upon the wearer.
Here is another view of the stroller.  Note the differences in trousers and jackets (tails, no tails).




A business setting.  Most wear a flower in the left lapel buttonhole (wearing a flower on the right lapel was a fad for a short time).  Note the mix of single breasted and double breasted jackets.  Especially nice is the single breasted peaked lapel suit on the right with a beautiful blue on blue windowpane pattern.  This is quite a bold suit for the business setting and perhaps explains why the wearer of this suit appears to be shunned by the others.  Also nice is the brown chalkstripe DB suit next to him.




Another nice bold suit is this gray SB PL suit with light blue windowpaning.  The homburg, bow tie, cream vest, white gloves and cane add to an already dashing suit.




Two semi-casual medium weight DB suits for cool/warm weather wear.  The green suit is especially nice.  This image is one of my favorites, the leaning of the one gentleman and the interaction between the two, and especially the suits, create an atmosphere that I believe depicts the Golden Era perfectly.




One more for now.
Stunning light-weight DB suit for summer wear.  The patch pockets add a nice touch and indicates the jacket might have a belted back, as was often the style.  Nicely topped off by a straw Panama hat.


Cheers

Quoted:

Good lord. Do you get coordinate from orbit and precision instruments to do the back of your neck? I own levels that aren't that straight.

Quoted: Quoted: i23.photobucket.com/albums/b367/thunderw21/DSCF1303.jpg Good lord. Do you get coordinate from orbit and precision instruments to do the back of your neck? I own levels that aren't that straight.

You can thank my lady friend for that.  A master with the scissors she is.  

Natural shoulder, hopsack, three buttons rolled-to-two, button down oxford shirts, flat fronted pants, weejuns and Aldens, striped rep ties, a little fraying here and there, tweed.

American Traditional Style

Which said, these Chinese tailors will have me coming back to the US looking like a stockbroker or an I-talian, I fear...

BAM! This tie caught my eye on first look. It certainly captures the era. I'd like to have one like it.

Quoted: You wouldn't know it by looking at black and white photos, but the 1930s-1950s was a colorful time!

THose hats look super hot on wimenz!

Quoted: Quoted: Nice hats. OBird has the right of it. Why the heck did they ever go out of style? He's right.  As of late they're making a comeback, a small one though.   There's many reasons that fedoras went out of style.  Some people blame President Kennedy for it since he rarely wore them, but hat sales were on the decrease since the 1920s.  Honestly, I can't give a definitive answer.

I would say it was the automobile because people did not have to spend so much time outside in foul weather.

Just dash from the house to the car, then dash from the car to the office or the shop. No hat needed, not like the person that must walk everywhere.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Nice hats. OBird has the right of it. Why the heck did they ever go out of style? He's right.  As of late they're making a comeback, a small one though.   There's many reasons that fedoras went out of style.  Some people blame President Kennedy for it since he rarely wore them, but hat sales were on the decrease since the 1920s.  Honestly, I can't give a definitive answer. I would say it was the automobile because people did not have to spend so much time outside in foul weather. Just dash from the house to the car, then dash from the car to the office or the shop. No hat needed, not like the person that must walk everywhere.

Yes, the automobile and mass transit has also played an important role.  Who needs to walk downtown in the weather when we all have access to cars, taxis and buses?
 
Plus, rooflines of cars have dropped dramatically since the 1950s, making hats difficult to wear while driving.  As of late, however, rooflines have again been rising, especially in trucks and SUVs.  If this trend of rising rooflines as well as the resurgance of fedora continue these could stick around for good.

Here's what I wore today:

-modern 6x3 DB jacket
-modern George (Wal-Mart) trousers
-two-tone shoes
-1930s tie
-my "Chinatown" cowboy conversion fedora.


With my vintage overcoat.

Wear wide brims year round.  Felt and "roo skin in the cooler months and straw in the warmer months.  Skin doc said to keep as much sun off as possible.  Besides, I like their looks.

Quoted: Why the heck did they ever go out of style?

they were too "white".

I've always like dressing well.  

For my last wedding I visited a local men's clothier and had a suit made to order.  It was close to $1200, but worth every penny I paid for it.  On the other other hand, I had them make me four or five custom-made shirts and although they were nice, I don't think they were any better fitting or quality than what I can get at the local Joseph A. Bank store.

A couple years ago I got tired of wearing khakis and button down collared shirts to work, so I picked up four pair of washable wool summer-weight slacks, had them altered for length and buttons sewn in for braces.  I bought three different colors / patterns of braces (suspenders for those of you who may not know) and also bought three french-cuff shirts.  It was just about Christmas time, so I put cuff-links on my Christmas list and ended up with 1/2 dozen pairs before all was said and done.

Starting with the first day back to work after New Year, I began wearing the new threads to work.  First couple days it was like "WTF, this ain't no lawyer's office?"  And, mind you I am a Quality Manager for an automotive parts manufacturer, so I get out onto the plant floor fairly often.  The floor people were more accepting than the office staff.  They were telling me how good it looked.  One of the office guys is older and remembers when he had to wear a tie to work every day.  He appreciated it as well.  I did NOT wear a tie with these clothes, btw, as that would have been a little over the top even for me.

I also have taken to wearing pocket squares with my suit, and a couple of the dressier sport coats.  That's something you just don't see too often any more.

Echoing what the OP has said, you don't have to spend a lot of money to look good.  For example, Sam's Club had cashmere/wool blend top coats on sale a couple years back for under $100.  Not top quality, but plenty good enough for everyday winter use.

This thread has inspired me to start looking at Fedoras again.  I used to really want one, but didn't have the money to get a decent one.


If you're interested in custom made clothes, check this out: http://www.mytailor.com/

Custom tailored clothing, and their sales people tour the country.  I've purchased a number of shirts from them and have been pleased with prices and quality.

There aren't a lot of local choices here in North Central Indiana, and I'm not excited about visiting Chicago for this.

Quoted: ... Echoing what the OP has said, you don't have to spend a lot of money to look good.  For example, Sam's Club had cashmere/wool blend top coats on sale a couple years back for under $100.  Not top quality, but plenty good enough for everyday winter use. This thread has inspired me to start looking at Fedoras again.  I used to really want one, but didn't have the money to get a decent one. If you're interested in custom made clothes, check this out: http://www.mytailor.com/ Custom tailored clothing, and their sales people tour the country.  I've purchased a number of shirts from them and have been pleased with prices and quality. There aren't a lot of local choices here in North Central Indiana, and I'm not excited about visiting Chicago for this.

Yep, looking good can be very cheap.  The most expensive piece of what I wore today were the shoes at $100 and I've had those for 6 years.  Everything cost $15 or less.  The jacket was a Goodwill find, the trousers were $15 at Wal-Mart, the tie was $3.  
Very inexpensive.

As for tailors, I'm looking forward to my first tailor-made suit.  I've heard good things about mytailor.com.  There are other online tailors, but they are hit or miss.

Here's a detailed view of the 6x3 jacket:

What I wore today:
Simple yet striking.

-Modern wool suit
-1940s tie
-1940s Dobbs
-Allen Edmond shoes
-George socks

That pic needs more tommygun.  

Quoted: That pic needs more tommygun.

Don't we all need more Tommy gun.  

I always liked good clothes, good food, good cars... I liked the things money could buy.  But, those things weren't easy to have as I also liked being on the level.  Now I find myself in this cold corner office wondering if I should skip lunch and go for a fancy dinner, or just save the money.  Thats when she walked in.

 Your old style suit reminded me of an old Louis Lamour detective novel.  

Quoted: I always liked good clothes, good food, good cars... I liked the things money could buy.  But, those things weren't easy to have as I also liked being on the level.  Now I find myself in this cold corner office wondering if I should skip lunch and go for a fancy dinner, or just save the money.  Thats when she walked in.  Your old style suit reminded me of an old Louis Lamour detective novel.

Quoted: Anyone else collect and wear new/vintage fedoras or other full-brimmed hats?  Let's see 'em. Most of my collection, all vintage 1930s-1960s.   i23.photobucket.com/albums/b367/thunderw21/DSCF1040.jpg

You know,I freakin' love hats. Did you know tha back then they had "rain" hats and reguler hats? The ones with the brims turned down are rain hats.

Tag

I've got a cheap panama hat that I got at Goodwill. I need a fedora, though.

I've always admired the fashions from the movies of the 30's and 40's.

Those were the days when men always wore a suite, tie and hat, even if they were just stepping out for a loaf of bread.

That said, I've got a big head. I'd need a size 8 to 8-1/4. Not exactly common.

I need to read through this whole thread.

Quoted: Here's a book you might enjoy. www.granta.com/shop/product-file/00/hatl2500/product.jpg

I read that this summer.

I honestly think there about 85 different reasons that all added up to why people don't wear hats anymore.

My biggest reason is that society changed so much during the 60s. Men's hats were the equivalent of white gloves for women. They just became "obsolete" because of societal change.

Sort of like a purse.  If you take it off and have to keep track of it....plus, if it ain't serving a purpose like keeping your head warm.....it's just fashion, style without substance.  I like them, like their looks, just not practical for me.  I rarely wear a ball hat.

My #1 hat is a wool, military OD watchcap. Functional. My #2 hat is a leather and fur cold weather hat that covers the cheeks, don't know what they're called, but it's exceptionally warm.

Although, clearly, men's clothing styles peaked in the 30's.

Hey folks.
I wrote up a quick evaluation of "George" brand trousers.  I like them very much and find them to be very vintage-style.  

You can find them at Wal-Mart for under $20.

From my blog mrlapel.blogspot.com/:

I mentioned in my posting of December 16th that I would talk more about the George trousers I wore that day. This post will fulfill my promise. I believe George brand trousers are some of the best vintage-style trousers one can find that are very reasonably priced. Why? What makes these $15-$20 trousers better vintage-wise compared to many other seemingly better and higher priced brands? I'll show you. The picture below shows three pairs of trousers. One pair is from the late-1940s while the other two are modern George brand trousers. Can you pick out the vintage pair? You might have decided that the pair on the left is the vintage pair and you would be right, but you probably had some trouble coming to that conclusion. As you can see, like trousers from the 1930s through the early 1950s, the two George trousers have very little taper to them. Wide legged trousers were the style during the Golden Age and these modern trousers mimic the old style very closely. So closely, infact, that they have the same diameter leg at the cuff, as the below photo clearly illustrates. The vintage trou is beneath the modern. One thing you might notice in the above photo is that the vintage trou is missing cuffs while the modern George trousers have cuffs. While cuffs were prevalent during the Golden Age they were not always present as a result of fads, personal preferences and even the need to let them down to lengthen the trou to accomidate longer legs. http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b367/thunderw21/DSCN0545.jpg Yet, as you can see, both of my George trousers have cuffs, which I prefer since they can be let down if needed, help the leg drape better and overall look classic. Both pairs of trousers have cuffs that measure 1 1/2" in length, falling in at the very bottom of the vintage cuff length of 1 1/2" to 2". These cuffs are perfect. Not only that, but these trousers are pleated. I, not being a fan of plain-front trousers, love the look of pleats and, yes, pleats were fairly common during the Golden Age. Rack up another positive point. You might also wonder about the fabric weight and pattern. The pictures clearly show that these two examples of George trousers have very classic fabric patterns. The neutral base colors paired with lighter windowpaning as well as other subtle colors (like blue windowpaning on the gray trou) gives these trousers a vintage look that will go with many a suit jacket and shirt. The fabric weight can be described somewhere inbetween heavy and light, making the trousers perfect for cool and warm weather wear. They are made of a polyester that differs from each style of trouser. But keep in mind that today's polyester is very different from that of the 1970s. These trousers feel like they are made of a heavy cotton blend rather than a polyester blend. They fabric breathes well and they are very comfortable to wear. My only problem with them is they don't come with suspender buttons but this is easily solved. Plus, they have high enough waists that they wear very well with suspenders. This is why George brand trousers are my favorite modern trousers to wear: they look classic in both design and color, they are made of medium-weight fabric and they are very comfortable to wear. I would advise you to pick up a pair at your local Wal-Mart and try them out for yourself. they cost anywhere from $15 to $20, making them very affordable and are great trousers for vintage afficionados.

Here's another photo showing one pair in wear.  Note the very classic look of them:

Here's an early 1950s Royal Stetson hat I got for Christmas after a quick rebash:





As well as some vintage ties:





Did anyone else get any hats or classic style clothing for Christmas?
Cheers!

What I wore today.

1950s DB jacket
George brand trousers
George brand socks
Vintage tie
Vintage Royal Stetson fedora
Allen Edmond shoes

Here's a post from my blog that talks about how I got started in vintage clothing.
Enjoy!

I've been asked how this interest in vintage clothing began. But it is not just an interest in vintage clothing, it is an interest in vintage everything. Clothing is, surprisingly, just the easiest and most visible part of the vintage interest. I first started out with the military aspect of the Golden Era. World War Two was (and still is) one of my main points of interest. My first serious collection was collectables of the Second World War, mainly of the United States though I have also ventured into other nations, namely Germany and Japan. I have also ventured into other time periods, all the way from the American Civil War up to the Vietnam War. The first piece of my newly born collection 6 years ago was a beat-up pair of leggings I bought on a whim while waiting for my parents to slowly work through the antique mall. When I bought them it hit me: these were a part of another person's life, part of history. I can own a piece of history. And so the collection grew. But one cannot easily focus upon one aspect of a time period without looking at other aspects. I could not just study the military side of the Golden Era without travelling into the civilian side. Thus came my budding fascination in all things of the Golden Era, not just the World War Two aspect. And I still have those first leggings. So, to end this post here are some of the more prized and interesting pieces of my collection. Class A uniform of a medical officer in the 2nd AF. A pair of rare British-made (note the hobnails and leather soles) garrison shoes converted to M43 "double buckle" configuration by the addition of leather cuffs. I have a bit of experience with uniforms. A local paper announcing the invasion of Normandy. Dated June 6th, 1944. Like I said, while most of my collection dates from World War Two era, I do have pieces from other times. This is a Union American Civil War Model 1863 holster that was made to accomidate the numerous different revolvers and revolver sizes in use by the Union Army at the time. This is a rare and incredible find ($25 at an antique mall). It's in excellent condition for it's age, the leather being soft and supple, though it has a field modification to the closure strap and the belt hanger has been torn. Even so, it is still a proud piece of American history.

mrlapel.blogspot.com/

I always enjoy these posts and find them interesting.

Keep it up, thunder!

Thanks gunslinger!

I'd like to point out in that last picture of the holster you can still see in indention where the cylinder sat.  Very cool to think it participated in the great war between the states.

Anyone know where I can find a decent fedora (entry-level, I guess) in Seattle? I've found a few cheap wool ones in thrift stores, and I could be happy with them if I could find one that fits. I have a big head

I'm at work right now so when I get home I'll look for ya.  There should be at least one in your area.

You could also go with an online shop.  I'll post links after work.

Quoted: That is the single piece of clothing from our history that I most hope will make a comback.

+1.  A great style element and a functional piece of gear as well.

Quoted: I'm at work right now so when I get home I'll look for ya.  There should be at least one in your area. You could also go with an online shop.  I'll post links after work.

Thanks.

Where do you work? Are coworkers and acquaintances indifferent to your sense of style, bemused by it, or what?

Quoted: I'm at work right now so when I get home I'll look for ya.  There should be at least one in your area. You could also go with an online shop.  I'll post links after work.

Thanks.

Where do you work? Are coworkers and acquaintances indifferent to your sense of style, bemused by it, or what?

Quoted: Quoted: I'm at work right now so when I get home I'll look for ya.  There should be at least one in your area. You could also go with an online shop.  I'll post links after work. Thanks. Where do you work? Are coworkers and acquaintances indifferent to your sense of style, bemused by it, or what?

I work at a grocery store and don't dress up most days.     I don't work Sundays but after church I go in to buy a newspaper and most people enjoy seeing what I wore that day.  I get a lot of stares and double-takes sometimes, especially from unsuspecting customers.  It kind of makes you feel good, confident 'cause you know exactly what people are thinking.  

They are wondering if you are packing a gat.

Cool clothes, BTW.

Very nice collection indeed!

As requested by Desdinova:

You have Byrnie Utz hats, which is an old hat store that started in the 1930s.  However, there have been rumors that it will soon be going out of business so you might want to visit it before long.  They have quite a variety of hats and is touted as the West Coast's largest hat selection.
www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/edb_vd.cfm?c=s&ven=34849&s=nws


It would be quite a loss if Utz hats closed not only because of the loss of hats but also the 1930s decor of the building.

I might have to dig a bit deeper to find any other hat shops in Seattle.

I've enjoyed this thread!

I do have one question, and I am asking after extensive searching.

Do you know of a website that can tell me how to redye a hat? I have a Country Gentleman hat that i wear for fishing etc., that is quite faded. I believe it is just wool felt, but I like it.

Thanks, and keep up the good work.

Thanks, I'll have to check that out next week.