Tuesday, March 25, 2014

That's an Odd One, With a Twist...

I've finally photographed that strange jacket I found back in December.  I also moved the buttons back to their original positions and gave it a good cleaning.

It's simply amazing.  Made of dark navy flannel, it is super soft to the touch.  The gusseted pockets are a very nice touch and add subtle character to the front.  I love patch type breast pockets, especially when their gusseted.

click images to enlarge



The sleeves also have French cuffs, lending the jacket a bit of a casual feel, like that of a smoking jacket.


If the front has subtle character, the back is outright crazy.  Along with some pleats along the shoulders, it has fairly long bi-swing back gussets at each shoulder blade, allowing for improved arm movement.  If that isn't enough, it also has dual vents.



While the outer flannel material is a bit boring, the interior lining will make your eye bleed.


This is a custom-made piece and has no union tag.  Amazing quality, fantastic flannel, and great styling.  A superb specimen of the 1920s sports coat.

Except for one thing: it's date 1968.


That's right, this 1920s style sports coat was made the same year as the Battle of Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, and the My Lai Massacre.  RFK and Martin Luther King Jr. were both assassinated the year this coat was tailored.  Apollo 8 orbited the Moon.

How does a 1920s style sports coat get made 30-40 years after that style died out?  Well, firstly the 1920/1930s style of clothing was making a comeback in the late 1960s and some of it was quite authentic, as this sports coat shows.  Natural fibers were often used in these 1960s reiterations before the polyester craze of the 1970s took hold.  So perhaps it was made by someone trying to keep up with the new fashion of the time, which was the old style of the 1920s.

Or, maybe, as this was a custom piece in a larger size, an older plumper man who longed for his younger years and styles had this piece created.  I recently discussed this sports coat with a fellow vintage aficionado and expert who, upon learning the date, related the story of an old tailor in New York City in the 1960s who made absolutely perfect reproduction pieces for a specific client, often out of vintage 1920s and 1930s fabrics.  Those 1960s-made pieces would be nearly impossible to differentiate from original pieces if it weren't for the 1960s dates on the tailor's tag.  Remember, there were still plenty of tailors in the 1960s who used the old school techniques often seen in suits and sports coats from the 1920s-1940s.

I like to think that the second possibility is the correct one, that an elderly man longed for the "good ol' days" of his youth and therefore commissioned something familiar and at the time, surprisingly, in fashion.  Maybe he had a sports coat just like this one when he was a youth.

Who knows?  All I know is that this is one fantastic piece of vintage, with a twist.





Monday, March 24, 2014

Let the New Wave Begin...

There's a new wave of vintage items arriving for sale at the Houndstooth Haberdashery.  There'll be some very nice pieces coming up within the next two weeks or so for all sizes, styles, and price ranges.

Beginning this next wave strong are two beautiful hats in size 7 1/2.

First is a 1930s slightly 'fuzzy' "University Club" fedora with some gorgeous proportions: a tall, straight-sided crown with a fairly narrow yet shapely brim.  Just the way I like 'em.  This one has no issues at all.  As near perfect condition as an 80ish year old hat can get.  Feast your eyes upon this hat, which can be found for sale by clicking here.

click images to enlarge







Now that we have you drooling, check out the next contestant.  It's a 1940s Stetson homburg in black, perfect for that dinner suit you've been dying to wear but didn't because you lacked the right hat.  It's in very nice condition (for being 70ish years old) with only a couple very minor issues that won't keep you from wearing it right out of the box.  







Don't miss out on these two spectacular hats.  These kind of quality hats in this size are getting harder to find.  Get your dapper on!






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