Great Photos: Commentary

[uppercase]

Here's a place to add comments on any of the photos.

[Cufflink79]

Thanks Uppercase, I've copied my post from earlier to this spot.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

[quote="uppercase"]http://s11.acephotos.org/images/orig/v/ ... dw7oww.jpg

I know I'm breaking a cardinal rule by typing inside this category thread, but I have a question about Cagney's jacket? What was the cause of the extra roll? Is it my imagination, or is that a one front button jacket as well?

Again, sorry for breaking the code of silence.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

[uppercase]

^^^^

[Costi]

It's lapel amnesia: the soft construction and extended use make the lapels unroll all the way - it happens on a flannel coat of mine and I rather like it, actually. When you button up, everything looks "normal" and the lapels roll nicely. When you undo the button(s), they "forget" how the lapels were ironed when new.
It sometimes happens on overcoats, too:

[uppercase]

Great additions to the photos thread, Daedelus. Thanks!

There are some interesting clothes here and there but I particularly enjoyed the photos of Winchester, Eton and Oxford. The expressions on the student's faces is priceless; do I detect a sureness in privilege and sense of place which translates to the insouciance and throw away manner in which these men wear their clothes.

The belted polo coat in the Oxford thread is interesting....

Do these English public schools still require coat and tie to class?

[uppercase]

Macmillan Great Photos thread:

Even the dogs look better in those days!
The British really do the hunt properly, don't they? I wonder if it is the same today?
That Rolls is a beauty as well...what happened to taste in design?

[Daedalus]

(...)

There are some interesting clothes here and there but I particularly enjoyed the photos of Winchester, Eton and Oxford. The expressions on the student's faces is priceless; do I detect a sureness in privilege and sense of place which translates to the insouciance and throw away manner in which these men wear their clothes.
(...)

Breeding?

[uppercase]

Great additions today, Daedulus, to the Great Photos thread!

I must admit that photos of great actors and characters of the past: Brando, Bogart, Gable, Stewart create a sense of weltschmerz in me.

Brando: so intense, Stella!!
Bogart: look at how much Bacall loves him.
Gable: the King! What presence.
Stewart: more stylish than I knew.


It's all gone, baby, the presence, the style, even the love.

I'd love to see more photos of Gary Cooper if you can find any. TIA.

[uppercase]

Many thanks, Daedalus, for the new posts, particularly the photos of Cooper!
What style....

btw, how did they make trousers like that in those days...? I've never seen a pair as good in modern times.

[Daedalus]

Many thanks, Daedalus, for the new posts, particularly the photos of Cooper!
What style....

btw, how did they make trousers like that in those days...? I've never seen a pair as good in modern times.

(...)

The most epic pair of trousers I have ever seen were worn by Gable:

Macmillan Great Photos thread:

Even the dogs look better in those days!
The British really do the hunt properly, don't they? I wonder if it is the same today?
That Rolls is a beauty as well...what happened to taste in design?

Macmillan goes shooting, hunting is something different

[Levi]

Re: Adolphe Menjou

Observe the picture wherein Mr. Menjou is donning the Native American headdress... Though his hands are at his ears and his elbow are pointing directly forward, his superbly-cut DB doesn't move. Bravo!

[Cufflink79]

A very special thank you to Deadalus for all the recent photos.

How did you come across them?

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

[Costi]

btw, how did they make trousers like that in those days...? I've never seen a pair as good in modern times.

I believe they COULD make trousers like that today... if only customer specs didn't get in the way!

[uppercase]

btw, how did they make trousers like that in those days...? I've never seen a pair as good in modern times.

I believe they COULD make trousers like that today... if only customer specs didn't get in the way!

I'm sure you're right, Costi, but still I fear that not only is a sense of style lost among todays clients but also the tailors.

Trousers today are often abysmal; even Windsor had to leave the great Scholte to go to another tailor to get what he wanted in trousers. I'll bet that I could take one of these pictures of Gable or Cooper or...and still not be able to get it copied properly.

I'm sure that todays lightweight cloth is partially to blame for trousers not hanging straight, but still this does not account for the binding, buckling, lack of proportion, etc. that we now regularly see. A tailor also needs to have an eye for style and balance, as does the client.

Perhaps I just like the 30s style and don't see anything today to compare.

Alden mentioned in his Sicilian DB thread that he is working on another 30s style suit and I think that he may be on to something here; there are design details, large and small, in this era's tailoring that make all the difference to this most elegant of periods in men's clothing. There are other eras and styles in bespoke clothing over the last 100 years which stand out but the 30s and 40s are probably the most attractive.

I think that an interesting subject for a future thread would be to compare and illustrate the tailoring and styling details which distinguish various periods and tailoring schools...a tailor or cinematic wardrobe stylist would probably need to be involved to help arrive at anything other than an amateur's view.

Apart from the tailoring details, I started drafting an illustrated thread a while ago on the 'elements of elegance' hoping to understand and deconstruct what made a suit, or an ensemble, elegant.

But I had to give up because I just did not know what I was seeing, though I knew what I liked.

And ofcourse, the elements of elegance could not include, or quantify, the impact of the man himself wearing the clothes: his presence, manner, bearing, posture, grooming, stature, charisma and on..., which must account for most of what is elegant in a man rather than his clothes.

Still, beautiful tailoring as we see it illustrated in Great Photos can help alot.

[Costi]

UC, I agree - cloth and skill are paramount, when they are put to good use by the customer. Not to boast, but I'm pretty happy with these:

In the meantime I've lost 10 kilos and the new cut is somewhat slimmer around the thighs - wearing a pair of heavy flannel trousers today (picked up from the tailor's last night) that look and feel even better... and closer to Mr. Gable's, minus the break
I think the tailoring of the "golden era" is so attractive because it strikes an optimum balance (pleonasm?!) between looks and comfort. It is sensible. It is not just beauty - it is the beauty of truth (honesty) and goodness.