The Classic Tailored Suit - 1940 Edition

Photo courtesy parisiangentleman.co.uk

It's a fashion staple for all seasons, all locales, all climates.  The tailored skirt suit featuring a longer-length jacket, extended shoulders, and an emphatically nipped-in waistline.  Details for the 1940 edition of this classic suit include a notched collar, hip pockets in a wide variety of styles, and button fastenings.

 Tailored Suit Pattern from McCalls
Photo courtesy malepatternboldness

Miss Madra Lord is ready to transition into Fall with an OOAK tailored suit, suede gauntlet gloves, black felt tilt hat, and a luxurious mink muff....all from The Couture Touch.  Worn with a black blouse from Bogue's Vogues accented at the neckline with bow trim from Violet Water's "My Sunday Chapeau" hat. Pin from Robert Tonner, earrings from Ashton Drake, and cigarette holder from Mystyna. Pool Pose Madra Lord is from Integrity.

 Robert Piguet suit design, circa 1940
Sketch from the archives of Andre Studios

Robert Piguet suit design, circa 1940
Sketch from the archive of Andre Studios

1940 suit design from the archives of Andre Studios

Gene Marshall wears a film noir variation of the same classic, tailored jacket worn by Miss Lord. Here paired with a blouse from Bogue's Vogues, fur drape from PD Root, bracelet from Facets by Marcia, and cigarette holder from Mystyna.  Jacket, necklace, earrings, and molded felt turban are from The Couture Touch. Star Entrance Gene Marshall is from Integrity.

Design Detail: Pockets

Pockets come in many styles and shapes and can be pleated, gathered, trimmed with buttons, piping or top-stitched.  They are not only functional but give a professional touch to garments.  Pocket designs in the late 1930's and early 1940's ranged from utilitarian to decorative.  Recently I was browsing the André Fashion Studios website for inspiration and came across these fabulous designs.

Click HERE to visit the André Fashion Studios website.

Design Inspiration

André Fashion Studios, a New York design firm specializing in ladies coats and suits, sold fashion sketches to various clothing manufacturers.  Thanks to a collaboration between the Fashion Institute of Technology and New York Public Library, there is a wonderful digital archive of these fantastic fashion drawings and sketches from the 1930's to early 1940's.  The archive lets you refine your search by year, season, design detail, or famous designers such as Schiaparelli, Creed, or Paquin, to name a few.  The following is just a small sampling of fashion sketches from the archive. 

Click HERE to visit this fabulous archive.  Enjoy!