The London Lounge

Hi all,

I'm writing a piece on how the Credit Crunch has shaped the suit ...

Does anyone have any thoughts/sources on what happened to the development of the suit aesthetic last time we saw a serious financial crisis in 1929?

I've found a few sources/images (mainly Hollywood) which suggest the following:

*men dressed formally, often sporting ties
*lapels tended to be wide, compared to today's standards
*trousers were full and high-waisted
*shoulders were often exaggerated
*colour palettes were subdued and sober
*jackets nipped in at the waist as per the "London Drape Cut"

Actually - this starts to sound quite similar to the Tom Ford aesthetic!

Anyhow, decent sources and images are very hard to come by so I'd love to hear of any suggestions, sources, images, or simply your thoughts!

Matt

The only thing that springs to mind is that the Prince of Wales set many sartorial standards for men during the period between the wars. As he favoured Savile Row's Scholte (who developed the Drape cut) for his jackets, he would have been photographed in them and started the trend for the look which Americans emulated. Those who could afford to went to Savile Row (your Hollywood stars and moguls). Eventually the drape cut was reinterpreted and exaggerated (think zoot suit.) WWII cloth restrictions brought the scale back down for everyone.

A great resource is "Esquire's Encyclopedia of 20th Century Men's Fashions." But, it ain't cheap.

ccox:

Edward VIII may have liked the way Scholte cut his coats, but he wasn't fond of the way the tailor cut his trousers. Windsor preferred to use Harris in Manhattan from the waist down.

JMB