"One moment please..."

You'll have to excuse my lack of substantial posts in quite some time. A new job and moving to a new place has taken up most of my time. Not to worry, kindly readers, as regular posting will resume once things settle down.

And just to entice you, I have two vintage suits, one vintage sportscoat and several hats that I have yet to show off. And boy are they doozies!

And let's not forget the ever-continuing 1940 Mont. Ward Catalog series.

"I shall return."

The Cow Milk Fedora

From the August 1941 issue of Popular Science in an article about 'Chemurgy' as a weapon for defense:

click to enlarge

Nothing else is mentioned in the article. I would have loved to see it up close and personal.


"...I'll eat my hat!"

1940 Mont. Ward Spring/Summer Suits, Part 2

The second of several posts in this series.

Part 1

click to enlarge

The '70s, 1940s-Style

Sometimes it's amazing how different eras of clothing can be so alike.

Take this suede leather sportscoat for instance:

While at a glance it looks like something you might expect to find from the 1970s (especially with that orangish-brown color), this sportscoat is actually from the 1940s, perhaps a little earlier.



The devil is in the details, such as the belted back with two small pleats above it and buttons:

And the 1940s-style tag as well as the silver/gray rayon lining:

Or the Art Deco plastic buttons:

Happily, the Fall/Winter 1944-'45 copy of the Sears, Roebuck catalog
shows an incredibly similar suede leather jacket (sans belted back):


Now, what to wear with such an unusual vintage jacket?



How about something casual like a flannel button-down shirt,
vintage Stratoliner fedora, jeans and vintage sunglasses?

My first vintage leather jacket.

Right At Home...WIW

The September 1940-dated Kaufmann tweed suit I wore today would be right at home in the Mont. Ward catalog in my last post.

1930s 'Adam' ("the first name in hats") fedora.


Context:
When this suit was bought back in September of 1940, the blitz of London had just begun (September 7). Hitler announced on September 17, 1940 that the planned invasion of England (Operation Sealion) was postponed.
The United States had not yet joined in the fighting and hadn't even started its 'Lend-Lease' program with England, Russia, China and other allies.

This suit was born in unsettled times.

Patch pockets, an unusual (for 1940) single short vent, the working faux bottom vest button, lapels that roll to the center button: all trademarks of a well made suit, this time from 1940-- the end of the great pre-war suits.