A dictionary of men's wear

A BILL OF MATERIALS

To the clothing manufacturer or journeyman tailor this table of materials required for the various garments tells nothing new; but the average retailer of clothes likely knows but little of it; while to the man in the street, the consumer, it is doubtless all news and possibly full of wonderment.

So far as is known, this is the first time such a list has been compiled.

The Cloth Required

Men’s wear woolens, worsteds, etc., are commonly 54 inches wide. These yardages are figured on that basis.

Linings, Findings, Etc., Required for Coats

Abbreviations: y - yard; l - large; s - small; sk - skein;

Notes: (a) includes back for waistcoat; (b) lined to the waist; if lined thruout add 1¾ yards extra; (c) includes sleeve lining; (d) single thread measure.

Linings, Etc., Required for Waistcoats

Silk or satin lining for back, 30″, ⅝ yard; Venetian or Italian cloth ⅝ yard;

Mohair, serge or alpaca ⅝ yard.

Sateen, 40″, ¾ yard for inside; 1½ yard for inside and outside back.

Silesia pocketing, ¼ yard; “chamois” watch pocketing, 6 × 9 inches.

Buttons, 4 to 6 for single breast, 6 to 8 for double breast. Linen thread for sewing buttons, 1 skein; buttonhole twist, 1 yard (6 strands).

Stay tape, 2½ yards. Wigan ⅝ yard. 1 buckle.

Linings, Etc., Required for Trousers

Sateen, 40″, ¼ yard. Broad falls, ½ yard.

Pocketing, ½ to ⅝ yard.

Linen pocket stay, 1–18 yard.

Silesia, 1–9 yard, Wigan, 1–9 yard.

Buttons, 6 large, 5 small, (6 if made without hook-clasp).

Hook-clasp, 1. Buckle, 1 large, (or 2 small at sides).

Button thread, linen, 1 skein.

Rubber tissue (good tailors seldom use it), 1–18 yard.

Knee silk (a luxury), ¼ yard.

Here’s your “mentor, guide and friend”

Explanatory: (1) Evening wedding, balls, receptions, opera, dinner; (2) club, stag, informal and home dinners; (3) day weddings, receptions, afternoon calls, matinees; (4) church, promenade, afternoon teas, matinees; (5) business and professional routine; (6) golf, motoring, outing and country; (7, 8, 9) single or double-breasted; (10) single-breasted, fly-front sack overcoat; (11) for 1, 2, 3, 4 white dress shirt and cuffs; for 5, white or fancy, dress or plaited bosom; for 6, neglige cotton, linen or flannel; (12) links and studs only with 1 and 2, cravat pin and watch fob or chain with 3, 4, 5, 6 optional; (13) glace or suede kid optional; cape or chamois preferable with 6; (14) the double-breasted frock is the proper dress coat for clergymen upon all occasions; (15) the flapt walking coat of conspicuously patterned material is not good form, tho the cutaway frock of plain fabrics and style is allowable; (16) figured gray silk is allowable; (17) white, also figured gray silk, allowable, but black is preferable; (18) “same” means same as coat; (18a) if fancy waistcoat is worn trousers must match coat, if fancy trousers are worn waistcoat must match coat; (19) business cape coat is preferable for strictly formal dress; (20) frock coats are correct for driving, races, hunting, etc.; (21) obviously not if of tan color or conspicuously figured pattern; (22) or soft stock; (23) very small gold studs are unobjectionable, diamonds and the like absolutely impossible; (24) fedora is allowable, derby never; (25) silk is considered bad taste, opera hat the hight of vulgarity; (26) fedora permissible; (27) pumps preferable for dancing; (?) sometimes allowable; small capitals indicate order of preference.

By “self measurements” no one means, literally, that a man can, unaided, take his own measurements for any sort of garment satisfactorily. It is better with help—any help. So all tailors, clothiers and outfitters use the term in the sense of “assisted” home measurements—which, if the instructions in the measurement charts usually supplied by the dealers are followed, will do nearly as well as if taken by experts in the store. The supplementary instructions and information in this chapter as to fashionable lengths, proper proportions, how to measure, etc., should be of real help in arriving at well-fitting garments.

Any one can measure or be measured by another—it’s just a matter of understanding what and how to do, and doing it that way.

The customer should be sure that he stands in a natural position, without inflating or contracting the chest. Any deviation from the natural form will affect the fit of the garment. Remove from pockets anything of a bulky nature before measuring.

Coat and overcoat measurements should always be taken over the vest. The length of the coat and the length of the sleeve are the first measurements to be taken. In taking sleeve measurements the arm should be held about on a level with the shoulder, the elbow crooked at right angles, which will make the hand about twelve inches from the face. Measure from center seam in back over elbow to the hand side of wrist joint. In taking the length of coat, measure from seam where collar joins the coat to proper length. The length should be regulated by your desire and hight; see also the proportionate tables.

After taking these two measurements (with the coat on) remove the coat and take the breast measure over the vest. Be sure that the tape is straight around the body over shoulder blades and close up under the arms. If the stomach is prominent, in addition to the waist measure, another measure should be taken around the larger part, a little lower down.

Vest measurements should be taken over the vest, using the vest one has on as a pattern. The tape should be drawn from seam at back of neck to top button of the vest. If a higher or lower vest than the one worn is desired, allowances should be made. For a double-breasted vest the measurement should be taken to the point of the V opening and not to the first button. The second measure should extend from seam at back of neck as before to bottom of vest. The breast measure for the vest should be the same as for the coat.

In measuring trousers one must stand erect. Place end of tape as close up in crotch, on inside of leg, as you can get it and measure from that point to where the heel joins the shoe. In measuring waist take length around the top of trousers over the waistband. Always use the trousers one has on as a guide for measurements, making the leg wider or narrower as desired. The knee measurement should usually be about two inches larger than the bottom measure. The average size for knee is 18½ inches and for bottom 16½ inches; see also proportionate tables following. That the cutter may make trousers of proper proportion at bottom, be sure and indicate the size of shoe worn and state if the instep is high or low. “Right dress” and “left dress,” indicating a certain difference in the crotch-fulness of one trouser leg, is also important.

Describe your physical peculiarities minutely—and be sure that the descriptions are accurate in every detail. These descriptions are sometimes as important to a cutter as are the measurements. In making descriptions be sure and remove the coat; coats are often padded so as to overcome natural defects. Any irregularities in the form should be clearly indicated on the order.

Be sure and state whether or not the measurements are taken over light or heavy underwear, also if garment is to be worn over light or heavy underwear. State if broad, sloping or regular shoulders; erect, stooping or extra so either way; whether short or long neck and if the neck is thick or thin—better give shirt collar size; give age, hight, weight and your business, which will obviate a minister getting clothes a racing man might wish, or vice versa. A photograph helps much.

When ordering overcoats to be worn over frock or dress coats, care should be taken to have the overcoat at least two inches longer than the under coat.

The width of legs of trousers should vary according to the size of the seat measure. The usual measurements are:

Don’t attempt to make allowance measures for peg-top or half-peg trousers unless one has an old pair to be copied exactly. Take ordinary measurements and say in the letter of instructions just how full they are to be—the cutter, if he knows his business, knows better than the customer what to do.

Use care in giving weight, hight and age; they are a great help to the cutter and almost indispensable to a successful fit.

Compare the measurements as written on the order sheet with the foregoing chart. While there may be some variation, due to physical differences, and for which scientific allowance will be made by the cutter if necessary, the lengths of coats and vests should be given on the order as in the table if one wishes garments cut in the fashion of the day—it being understood that freak garments such as undergraduates and rounders affect are not bound by these wise and sane suggestions.

When the hight is shorter and the weight heavier, the breast will be larger than the proportionate table shows. When the hight is higher and the weight less, the breast will be smaller than the table shows.

When the breast is larger than the seat, take the measure again, as this is unusual. Be careful that the personal description is thoro.

For a wife, widowers wear mourning for one year to eighteen months; second mourning, if adopted, usually being at the expiration of a year.

For a husband, widows wear mourning for two to three years, lightening at intervals of six months.

Grass widows and widowers do not wear mourning for the departed.

For parents, gentlemen wear mourning for six months to one year; women usually wear it for two years.

For a brother or sister, gentlemen wear mourning for six months to one year; women usually one year.

For a child, fathers wear mourning six months to one year; mothers usually a full year. For an infant, three months.

For grandparents, few men wear mourning; but if they do, second mourning for three to six months is considered sufficient; women wear mourning six months to one year.

For uncles, aunts or cousins, men seldom adopt mourning, unless second mourning for one to three months; women for three months.

For grandchildren, it is considered unnecessary—or perhaps too admonitory.

It will be noticed that women always grieve longer than men—at least by outward symbols.

TO MEASURE FOR A HAT

Adjust tape measure around head at a point level with the center of the forehead.

Boys’ sizes run from 5⅝ to 7; mens’ from 6¾; the largest size commonly carried in stock is 7¾, all above that being called extra sizes.

A table of the proper servants’ wear for city and country, arranged by vehicles.

Note.—In many cases trousers matching coat may be substituted for boots and breeches; circumstances, principally those concerned with formality, must govern.

CLOTH MEASURE

This old system is used but little nowadays, having been superseded by long measure and the metric system.