Here is the latest edition of the AA / Esky series featuring late Spring / Summer articles for this upcoming summer. This post is divided into four long sections. Take your time and go over this at your own pace as there is a lot of information here.
In this post you will find a detailed article on summer suits & their construction, a most through summer fashion survey from Palm Beach followed up by many colorful illustrations, and finally a rare section on Regatta and its influences. In the first section you will note two silhouette sketches from 30s featuring the proportions as they were observed. I have marked the details on the picture so that members will have a clear idea what is being referred to. Nobody is asking you to copy these 100% for your next bespoke commission. These are just presented as a point of reference as many a times people (even on Savile Row) often forget what these jackets were like back then.
If you have been following this AA / Esky series you will have a bulk of material by now. Those who are interested would be pleased to know that in a little over a year we have covered about 4 Apparel Arts worth of illustrations and almost 2-3 issues worth of articles. All in all, there is 3 AA issues worth of info right here on LL. If you read it well… it will do you much good in your sartorial adventures & maybe even elsewhere too.
So, let us begin with this lengthy post. To start of is the summer suit article from Spring of 35’
Here we go…
SOME ARE FASHIONS
And some are not: the story of summer clothing fashion and the sins that are committed in its name—viewed from the south end of a style trend traveling north
The meteorological condition known as hot weather is one that recurs each year with what might be termed astonishing regularity. This state of affairs has been going on for some centuries now, but it is only within recent years that men have seemed to grasp the fact in any appreciable numbers so far as their apparel is concerned. In the last few years, however, in the North as well as in the South, they have been putting two and two together and getting four--or, in other words, they have been putting hot weather and light weight, porous summer clothing together and getting comfort.
The trend toward light weight summer clothing, gathering momentum each year, is certainly one that contributes as much to the profit of the merchant as it does to the comfort of the consumer. The indications that point to its still greater development are among the most promising signs on the horizon of the men’s apparel industry.
But warm weather comfort is not the only factor in the increasing acceptance of summer clothing. If it were, there would be no need for this article. The intangible fashion element also bulks large in the picture, and that calls for major consideration.
As far as washable summer clothing is concerned, it is only within the past five years or so that it has definitely entered into fashion’s scheme of things on anything that could be called a national scale. Previous to that time it found its natural, and more or less restricted, habitat in the South where its fashion significance was of a minor order. Its popularity in that section of the country was due more to its practicality and comfort-providing characteristics than to any style features that were, or logically could be, advanced in its favor.
A few years ago, however, students at the smart Eastern universities adopted washable summer suits for wear on the campus. They soon attracted the attention of fashion scouts who immediately publicized these garments in double and single breasted models, and forthwith the fashion picture took new outlines. The following summer found this trend on the ascendancy, with social, political and financial leaders setting the pace. After that it was more or less a pushover, and sales increased by leaps and bounds during the succeeding seasons.
With the growing importance of the fashion element as the trend traveled north, a new situation was created. Comfort alone was not enough. Styling and tailoring took on prime significance and many manufacturers rose nobly to the occasion. They devoted as much care to the fabrication and fashion features of summer garments as they did to heavy weight woolen clothing, evolved new methods of construction to enable the light weight garments to retain their shape and generally assisted “in removing a serious impediment to the more extensive acceptance of typical summer suits at the same time that they added a “plus” reason for purchasing.
Once a man has accustomed himself to rich diet it is hard to get him to go back to cruder fare, and the very fact that proper styling and tailoring have become accustomed adjuncts of summer clothing is all the more reason why merchants should not lose sight of these precious assets. To say that a summer suit should be properly fashioned instead of carelessly produced in that respect is to say no more than that it should have a smart and not a sloppy appearance and that it should conform to the fashion standards which the dictates of good taste have established for all classification of apparel.
Nothing could be more fallacious than what’s-the-difference attitude with which summer suits are sometimes bought by the consumer (and what is worse, sold by the merchants) on the premise that their life is short one and therefore the trifling matter of appearance demands no consideration.* The full season provides plenty of opportunity for wear, and aside from that even a single day is too long a period for wearing any style abortion, whether it be a summer suit or some other article of apparel. It is true that some men are sent to a store by a sudden heat wave and demand “something cheap” because they do not expect to get much service out of it; but it is not true that correct fashion in summer suits need be sacrificed on that account. In fact, a wise merchant will tend to eliminate such last-minute purchases through merchandising whose purpose it is to get one or more light weight summer suits into customer’s wardrobe in advance of the extreme heat.
A point worth noting is that regardless of the duration of the summer in your surroundings… if a summer suit is to be commissioned then it must be give as much consideration and thought as a fall suit, if not more. Everything from construction (as we will see below) to design and cut of the suit dictates that a summer suit should actually be given even more care and attention largely due to the fact that genuine summer cloth is harder to tailor and tailoring defects cannot be hide by layers of padding… an option always available for fall suits.
There can be no argument as to the increasingly vital importance of the fashion element in the summer suits. And it is just as obvious that the fashion standards in summer suits are flagrantly violated to an extent which no one who has a stake in the ultimate benefit of the men’s apparel industry can afford to ignore.
That statement detracts nothing from the manufacturers previously credited with placing the fashion standards of the summer suit on a higher level. Their efforts in that respect are worthy of the sincerest praise, and their achievement can be summarized in the fact that five years ago it would have been impossible for a merchant to sell a summer suits with the same degree of confidence that he can feel in its final satisfaction to the wearer today.
But for all the bouquets that may be tossed to the reputable producers, the schlager,* whether he wields his chisel on fashion or quality or both, is still on the scene and his output is decidedly a factor to be reckoned with. The industry can afford to pass up the satisfaction of patting itself on the back for all the progress that has been made in the fabrication of summer suits, although that is pleasant gesture which it has no reason to deny itself. But it can’t afford to wink its eyes at the discolorations and stains which mar the fashion picture for summer clothing. In that direction lays the loss of all the ground that has been gained in the past few years. It is the unconsidered preliminary to the simple act known as killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
A term they often used to describe the manufacturer of cheap (read low quality) goods & that later marketed its products as a bargain. This was a genuine threat to the good quality manufactures in the 30s because due to the depression the consumers were almost always looking for bargains and thereby falling into what they called the “schlager’s trap”.
The situation that paves the way for the entrance into the filed of so many fashion unconscious producers of summer suits is not a complicated one. To begin with, the opportunity is there. The factor of price makes it possible for unscrupulous manufacturers to produce summer clothing in a manner that highlights its low cost, although necessarily omitting the care in production and its consequent effect upon the appearance which has been such a vital factor in spreading the very popularity upon which they are trading.
It is only natural that a large number of manufacturers of regular weight clothing should have entered the light weight clothing field within recent years. Some of them have been conscientious in their desire to compete for a share of what is evidently a growing demand—but not enough of them. Too many of them, motivated by the mouth-watering sight of an increasing volume of summer clothing business going to established producers, have entered the lists with nothing but price appeal to recommend their wares and justify their existence in the new arena.
It is indeed an unfortunate fact that the price of admission to manufacturers of this type is not a high one. The statement can be made that there is scarcely a single factory producing raincoats, overalls, smoking jackets, office coats or similar loose-fitting articles of apparel which cannot make something that, by a sufficient stretch of the imagination, could be called a summer suit.
If to the outward eye a light weight summer suit does not present any conception of intricate processes of manufacture, then the outward eye is the more deceived. Those manufacturers who base their entrance into the field solely on the fact that they posses the cutting boards and the sewing machines which constitute the equipment of the recognized producers have still a long way to go. It takes no mean equipment in skill and experience to manufacture a well produced summer suit, and assuming that the opportunist cares about anything beyond the immediate sale at a price, his route is an arduous one.
The difficulty of the standard production and consequent encouragement of substandard production, not that encouragement is needed, is perhaps best evidenced in so far as it applies to the matter of fashion and appearance in the products of the inferior manufacturers. And at this point it might be well to examine a few of the basic features with respect to which summer suits most frequently go astray.
As is the case with woolen and worsted clothing, the front construction of a summer suit is the keystone of the entire jacket. Here is the spot at which those venturing into unknown channels in the production of summer clothing are most likely to founder. Experience has taught reputable producers the importance of this feature, nor can there be any compromise with the practices of standard manufacturers. If the garment does not incorporate the proper front construction, there can be little hope for either its appearance or serviceability.
The collar, an important point in the construction of any suit, is another feature that calls for studious care. Differing but slightly in production of summer suits from the method used for fine clothing of heavier weight, it must be scrupulously fabricated so that it will not pull away from the neck and take on the appearance of what is colloquially known as a “horse collar.” Furthermore, it must retain perfect fit throughout the rigorous treatment to which it may be subjected in laundries or dry cleaning establishments.
Collar construction difference
In this picture above is a contrast between a good collar construction and poor collar construction in summer suits. The example at the right indicates how the collar of a carelessly tailored suit works away from the neck after washing. It is a typical illustration of the manner in which the material droops down over the shoulders causing an unsightly effect at the top.
Next in importance, and contributing a great deal to smart appearance, are the sleeveheads.* Carelessly produced summer clothing shows up especially readily at this point. When improperly constructed, the joint of the sleeve and shoulder can result in an appearance of general sloppiness that insures positive dissatisfaction to the wearer. Because it is desirable that no extra weight be used in the shoulder construction in the form of padding, which would likewise not be practical if the garment is to be washed, still greater care and skill is required in the execution of this particular operation.
*This cannot be stressed enough. The construction of sleeveheads is always a topic open for debate and much more so in the summer suits. In the pre WWII days it was not uncommon for Savile row tailors to make beautiful summer suits. A large part in that practice was due to the fact that numerous British officers of the empire were stationed around the tropics and thereby regularly commissioned such articles, keeping the cutter and tailors constantly in practice of making genuine summer suits. This is no longer the case and these days Savile Row tailors are average (at best) with summer cloth. Italian tailors, especially Southern Italians are a whole different matter.
The sleeve head of a summer suit used to contain a heavy shoulder pleating effect and this was done primarily for the comfort. A large piece of cloth was fed through the “Scye” and this practice was quite common with US and British tailors (though probably to a lesser extent than Italians). Numerous pictures from the 20s and 30s show these pleated shoulders on jackets made by both US and Savile Row tailors.
Now, there is a fine line between the pleating effect of the shoulder, which actually is not a defect even though it may appear and an actual bad tailored sleeve head. In the case of summer suits it gets even harder for the untrained eye to distinguish between these two. A summer suit is indeed supposed to be somewhat wrinkled in appearance and should have an air of nonchalance but at NO point should bad tailoring be permitted to pass on as “wrinkled” or “crumpled” looking suit.
Observe the picture of sleeve head through the link below.
Shoulder construction difference
Note on the left is a pleated shoulder with its deep vertical pleats originating from the shoulder joint. On the right you have an example of a poorly constructed sleeve head and should be distinguished from the correct tailoring.
To read this topic of “pleating in sleeveheads” in detail view Manton’s great article on Neapolitan Shoulders below.
The Neapolitan Shoulder
Another thing that is totally debatable is the topic of padding in summer suits and how much of it (if any) should be used. There are strong points on each side, however, a summer suit must be extremely light in padding and inter linings if it is indeed to convey the coolness and lightness of a summer suit. Too much padding in a summer suit would be downright morbid and would “kill” its aesthetical (as well as any pragmatic) value that it may have. It should be borne in mind that the fabric of a summer suit must always be heavier than the linings (just as in the case of fall suitings) and the weave should be of utmost concern NOT necessarily the weight. Heavy but porous Irish Linen fabrics are well-renowned for their ventilating qualities, plus they tailor better than some other summer fabrics.
While we are here mainly concerned with the fashion aspect of summer suits and the damage dealt the summer clothing market by the tide of garments which fall below the fashion standard, the subject of quality construction cannot well be overlooked. Quality and smart appearance as represented by good fashion go hand in hand, and it is very seldom that a fly-by-night producer sacrifices the one without also sacrificing the other. This applies with particular emphasis to washable summer suits.
Although it might seem a fundamental thing to enquire into the basic elements that enter into the construction of a washable summer suit, after all it is essentially the fundamentals that are most frequently involved in the cheapening of the garment both as to quality and fashion. It should be borne in mind, therefore, that a washable summer suit should be constructed of materials that are light in weight and easy to launder and that, given the ability and the desire on the part of the manufacturer to impart the attributes of proper tailoring to the garment, the materials must be of such nature as to permit good tailoring.
One of the most important points in construction is that which relates to shrinkage. In the earlier days of summer clothing, manufacturers soon realized that this was one of their most important problems and took steps to solve it, one of the most important contributions being the perfection of the Sanforizing process. But adequate provision in this respect is by no means so widespread that the bugaboo of shirking is not liable to plague the wearer if the merchant has not taken the proper precautions to insure that the garments he handles have been thoroughly pre-shrunk. Needless to say, once the proper degree of tailoring has been built into a wash suit, it is equally important that the garment possesses the ability to maintain its fashion correctness throughout many launderings. It doesn’t take much shrinkage to throw a garment out of line and completely lose all its original pretensions to style.
Linen piece goods used in the manufacture of summer suits should be thoroughly shrunk, nor is a mere steaming or wetting process sufficient to achieve the desired effect. It is vitally necessary for the manufacturer who receives linen piece goods to take out its stretch by means of thorough shrinking operations.
Cotton fiber reacts to moisture in a somewhat different manner from linen, and in the weaving of cotton piece goods mercerization is not necessary. The final operation that the goods receive in a cotton mill, however, is a wetting process, and as a result the goods acquire a certain amount of stretch in drying. It is just as vital with cotton goods, therefore, that this stretch be taken out before manufacturing as it is in the case of linen goods.
It is of considerable importance that wash suits be constructed with the thought in mind that they arc going to be subjected to frequent launderings by the average wearer. As compared to a worsted suit worn in warm climates, a wash snit must be refreshed perhaps ten times as often. The type of treatment employed in refreshing these snits is anything but gentle. The suits are usually placed in tumblers at the laundries where all shape, all previous creases and all body lines of the jacket are practically eliminated.
Certain parts of every garment must undergo unusual strain during this washing process and the consequent operation of pressing, with the result that it is not only necessary for the manufacturer to shrink his goods in such a way that they will not be subjected to further shrinkage at the laundry but the garment must be so constructed that the treatment it receives in laundering cannot destroy its fundamental style. Each part of the garment must be so shaped in designing that any laundry employee who possess a minimum knowledge of pressing machines can, with a little care, restore the original shape.
Getting back to the details of quality construction which affect the style of summer suits, it will be seen that the appearance of a garment on a man after months of wear must receive as deep consideration as its appearance when he first tries it on in the store. In the interlining, commonly known as a coat front or coat canvas, lies an especially important part of the real foundation of the jacket. Here the anatomy of the human body must be carefully studied in designing the various sections which go to make up the whole.
Rows of stitching are employed in this portion of the garment to retain the shape of the jacket and facilitate the restoration of the body lines at the laundry. It is just as important that the interlining be thoroughly shrunk as it is that the main goods used in the garment be adequately treated in this respect. No manufacturer can produce a satisfactory wash suit without giving the proper degree of consideration to the interlining.
Contrast between construction
The difference between good tailoring in summer and the lack of it is the difference between the garment at the left and the garment at the right. There is no exaggeration in this drawing—it would be almost impossible to exaggerate the effect of faulty tailoring on the entire front construction of a summer suit.
The collar, mentioned previously with regard to its effect upon the style of the jacket. Is another vital point from the standpoint of construction. For the collar, an interlining or collar canvas is used. It is not merely cut on the bias but woven on the bias, and it is in the manufacture of the under collar, where the shaping, stitching and building up must take place, that the greatest number of rows of padding or blind stitching work occurs.
Experience in the felling of the under collar of the jacket has taught standard manufacturers that it must be securely stitched in such a way that numerous trips to the laundry will not destroy the collar’s fit and shape. Special precautions are taken in this operation on the premise that a wash suit is primarily a tub suit and not a garment to be dry cleaned, since dry cleaning does not remove odors and perspiration stains.
In as much as the purpose of the bridle is to take care of the break of the collar at the neck in order to retain a snug fit at that point, it is another factor in quality construction which definitely affects the appearance of the finished garment. Particular care is therefore taken by standard producers in the operation where the bridle is attached to the under collar, crosses the collar seam and extends down part of the way at the edge of the lapel lining and padding.
The re-enforcement of the lapel, with its numerous rows of padding or blind stitching work, serves the same purpose as the undercollar, namely, enabling the portion of the garment to which it is applied to retain its shape. Here again is an operation that can be either carefully performed or slighted, with commensurate effect upon the appearance of the finished garment.
Another vital operation’ in the construction of the jacket is that of edge taping, performed while attaching the facing to the front. Edge taping is essential in providing and maintaining the proper shape along the edge of the jacket. An operation which has a similar purpose for the portion of the garment to which it is applied is that of attaching a strip of bias cloth around the armholes.
In general, it can be seen that the manufacture of a satisfactory wash suit entails as much care and skill as the manufacture of the finest woolens. At almost every point in its construction thought must be given to the important factor of the suit’s ability to withstand the strain of many trips to the laundry, and still further it is absolutely essential that the material which goes ‘into the suit be thoroughly pre-shrunk.
Aside from comfort—which is important but not all important—what the dealer has to offer the consumer in summer suits is correct fashion and good tailoring based on quality construction. True enough, the fashion standard of summer suits has been raised to a high level but it is not so high that it cannot be over-reached by the fashion schlager and it is not so broad that it bars the path to his substandard merchandise.
The infinite value to a merchant of a policy that maintains the highest fashion standards in summer suits needs no comment. Even the by-products of such a policy, aside from the major consideration of ultimate satisfaction to the customer, are not inconsiderable. Take, for instance, the factor of alterations, which can cut, considerably into the profit margin by reason of the comparatively low unit price of summer suits. When a merchant purchases well tailored, conscientiously produced merchandise, he also buys insurance against expensive and unnecessary alterations.
But there is more to a sound summer suit business than merely purchasing the right merchandise for it. The promotional aspect is likewise important, and more vital from the fashion standpoint is the question of selling the proper apparel for :he occasion. A summer suit can be perfectly styled for resort wear, but if the retailer sells it for town wear, then the fashion sin is on his head. It should therefore be borne in mind that single and lobule breasted suits in regulation models, with plain or vented backs, are most appropriate for business, while the more sporty models, such as belted backs with patch pockets and similar details, are to be restricted to resort and country wear.
On correct proportions of lounge Jackets from 30s
Now before we proceed into the section II of this article with summer styles let me preset something that actually has been long due; the correct proportions in lounge jackets as observed during the 30s.
There is a lot of misinformation out there and many people while discussing the silhouettes from 30s they generally tend to remember exaggerations rather than the classic articles. A lot of these exaggerations come from what AA editors called the “jazz fashions” and the rest came from the poor understanding of manufactures, who… when designing something, always seemed to be bent on going a “step ahead”.
I am presenting two jacket silhouettes model with illustrations from AA directly. These are of SB and DB peak lapel jackets. I have purposely chosen the peak lapelled ones because it is in here where most of the fundamental errors observed today.
I have labeled the pictures directly because it will help a lot of new members who are not quite sure what term is referring to what on the jacket. After observing the pictures, read the numbered descriptions for more info.
Remember this is a brief description of these jackets. It is an extremely broad topic in itself; the London Lounge style or the English Drape. We will address these in detail some other time.
Single Breasted Peak Lapel Drape Jacket
This is from winter 35-36 season
Alright here you have the classic SB peak lapel, natural shoulder, drape jacket from mid 30s as correctly sketched.
This SB peak lapel jacket is most flattering to many different shapes of men from tall to short and thin to stout. There are few differences when this jacket is worn a tall person, as opposed to worn by a short person but the fundamentals are almost the same.
All of these elements presented below are linked together to form a composite whole…& that is essential to the entire look of British or English Drape cut. You simply cannot take one piece and substitute elsewhere. Doing so may result in a caricature rather than a well turned out ensemble.
1) Natural Shoulders: A hallmark of drape lounge jackets from 30s, this one here is also no exception. There is a slight hint of rope at the sleeve head, which often is the result of “wadding” at the joint. Read the above mentioned “Neapolitan Shoulder” thread for extensive detail on this topic.
2) Gorge Height: A critical factor determining the overall design and aesthetics of the jacket. This here is the correct Gorge position from 30s. The overall Gorge height tends to be in between. Neither to low nor too high. The extremely high gorge like the one seen today with certain Italian manufacturers are most definitely not from Savile Row of 30s. Taller gents can wear jackets with medium to even lower Gorge position, however, for all others usually high Gorge is advisable as a higher position elongates the lines vertically.
3) Lapel Width: The single most (obvious) defining mark of a jacket from 30s West End, London is the width & shape of the lapel. Note here that the peak lapels are of ample width and cover At least 3/4th of the chest. Jackets with Lapels that cover ½ or 5/8th of the chest, again are not from 1930s. See No. 5 for further detail on Lapels. However, remember one essential thing… the peak lapel of a SB jacket is NOT the same thing as that of a DB even though they may seem similar. These are two very different animals. The effect on an SB jacket should be more restrained than on a DB jacket both in shape and extent of severity. Db jacket as we will see below can handle a more “severe” peak lapel because of its construction.
4) Drape: As the name suggests… the fullness in chest as marked by the red arrow indicates the Drape. Not all jackets from that era have to have Drape but it was indeed observed on many of them. This fullness is also added at the back. A variation of this is the British Blade model which was imported to US from Savile Row some time mid 30s. The hall mark of British Blade jacket are a much “clean” (without much fullness) chest but added fullness across the shoulder blade area (at the back). This drape effect goes in direct relation with the texture and weight of the cloth. All of this was done primarily to replicate the look of English guardsmen with broad shoulders, swelled chest, nipped waist with fullness in front and back.
5) Lapel Angle: This goes hand in hand with No. 3. (lapel width). Here note the shape or line of the lapel. This lapel is neither perfectly straight nor completely rounded. It is what can be called a “dimensional lapel” as it has multiple angles. The lapel upon reaching the top sort of curves inward to give a thoroughly pleasing sight. The classic observation (as I have stated before) is that tall men can have more roundness in lapels than short men. More straight lapels are advisable for stout men. Always keep in mind that this lapel width and shape went with the broad but natural shoulder silhouette. The overall emphasis was much more on a “Y” than a “8”. In other words, a hallmark characteristic of jackets from 1930s is the broad shoulders to accommodate the newly found (back then) enormous interest in sports and athletics and hence the resulting body shapes. During the 1920s the over all silhouette was much more straight, i.e. same width across shoulder and hips. Note that the angle of peak of the lapel is of medium angle neither to high (vertical) nor perfectly horizontal… observed in 1920s.
6) Waist: There is waist suppression but not so severe as to suggest an hourglass type effect. The jackets had a fitted waist… certainly much more (proportionally) than the chest. You may change the button stance for alternating results if you like but changing the center button position will directly effect the shape of the lapel.
7) Sleeve tapering: Much more important than “working buttonholes” or “positioning of sleeve buttons” is the proper tapering in the sleeves. This gives the jacket a very bespoke feeling and must be looked for when commissioning a bespoke one. Higher armholes are even more essential than sleeve tapering. The primary reason of this sleeve tapering was to give the effect of a more muscular arm with circumference much larger at the biceps area than at the cuff. All of this is in direct relation with broad shoulders, swelled chest, raised waist line, and tapered skirt.
8. Cutaway Effect: The front “quarters” of the jacket are in a cutaway effect, leaving a considerable gap in between. This is vital for men of shorter height as this effect is known to be vertically elongating as well as giving the jacket a very unique look.
Now let us look at a DB jacket. This one is from Spring of 37’
1) Lapel Shape: Directly in relation to the broad but natural shoulders of the jacket are the peak lapels. Note their width here to see that they are slightly wider than the SB version and that is how they are suppose to be. The “angle” of the lapels is also a bit more extreme than their SB counterpart. The classic proportions in these drape jackets reveal lapels that cover at least 3/4th of the chest.
2) Drape: There is Drape effect in the chest & also at the back across the blades. Some argue that a DB jacket can portray the drape effect more prominently than an SB jacket and as such can have more fullness. Also the drape effect because of its military inspirations and roots not only created a fuller but also a higher chest.
3) Gorge & lapel placement: More or less the same as SB jacket. Here also you can raise the gorge if such is your linking.
4) Button placement: This is 4 button DB with lapel rolled to the bottom button. You can have DB jackets in various other button configurations also. The top buttons are much higher than the waistline and thereby increasing the gap between the top and bottom rows.
5)Fitting at the bottom buttons & waistline: The jacket has a natural waist suppression which is not too extreme. Again, the fitting across the waist is closer than that of the chest. The bottom buttons have been raised in height. You can raise the pockets also to add a smooth expanse of cloth which visually creates an illusion of height.
6) The cut of the jacket is such that it tapers in (convex) as it reaches the bottom. There is no flare at the skirt. This concept was explained in the last post with an illustration. See AA / Esky Vol. II No. III (Section I Fabrics for Fall).
7)Sleeve tapering: The sleeves are tapered in, just like their SB counterpart.
8)The “V” or the “Y” effect: Note that the shoulder in comparison to the hips are broader and create a “V” or more accurately like a “y” like silhouette. This effect however, should be completely (or almost) natural under all circumstances and must Never be exaggerated as it happened in the 1940s. In other words… you should be of a certain body shape (or in close proximity) to naturally wear it without much effort. However, minimal addition of this effect is certainly advisable and looks quite well if done properly. The less padding used to create this effect the better it will be…. Now, unfortunately there is no way to do this with absolutely no padding… that is, if the person wearing it is not even proximally close to what the cut is trying to suggest.
In other words… kindly take care of your physique, that is equally if not more important.
Note that this is put much more mildly in accordance with audience of today. AA / Esky editors were extremely harsh on stout and portly types and as such said the following
… the following are the jacket types for the angular. In fact, only the angular can get away with them. The obese, for their own good, will abhor them as nature abhors a vacuum…
Well… as interesting as this topic is we must leave it here for the time being and proceed on with out summer post.
END OF SECTION I OF THIS POST
