Fashions for Men Incorporate Military Look

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 8, 6 March 1952, Page 5

Fashions for Men Incorporate Military Look

Although there seems no doubt that certain of the characteristics which have been attributed to Edwardianism in men's clothes will continue to influence styling at least for the time being, a recent exhibition by a group of West End tailors in London gave an indication of fashion trends to come. Doublebreasted, worsted suits, for instance, showed a sign of squaring-up in the jackets, giving them a "military look," based on the outline of the officer's service tunic. Despite the fact that the tunic is, normally, a single breasted garment some of its outer contours and the formal, "closed" look, can be conveyed in the mid-waisted, high fastening, double breasted jacket. Shoulder and chest are square and fairly bold; the line from waist to hip is straight and what tailors call "easy". The aim of a designer would be to produce a big, imposing character in the coat yet without exaggerating bodyline features.. This is something quite different from the rough shape of an inverted pear produced by the tapering down of big shoulders and chest to slim hip-fitting in the "athletic" line of two or three years ago. And from the curved line of the "barrel" hip which preceded that. The "military look" can also be conveyed in single breasted lounge jackets. The obvious adaptation would be from the high-fastening style, cut with full chest and squarish shoulders, a long, straight front and with the peaked lapel ratherbold instead of the medium, notched "single breasted" variety. Meanwhile, there is a change coming about in worsted suitings for town wear. For some time, the fashion has been for the neatest of pinhead', . birdseye, diagonal and "pick-and-pick" weaves. Newest pattern ranges, however, include a lot of quiet weaves made up in stripe formation. As a further indication of a return to stripes, certain of these patterns have fine colour lines "buried" in the weave.