1940s | a little bit of rest

A Few Days in the Bay Area

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Ethan

I’ve been meaning to go to SF (and the Bay Area) and shop around for a long time. The last time I went was two years ago when Tim and I stumbled upon Haight Street and its awesome vintage stores. I planned to go for my 21st birthday in July, but circumstances arose that only allowed us to go during this past September Weekend! Spencer, Jeremiah and I (the Spring 2016 Dapper Day crew) were only able to spend two nights/one day in the Area but it was definitely a lot of fun, especially since we were able to dress up and walk around!

Tailored Casual with the Tucked-in Short Sleeve Shirt

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Ethan

If you can’t already tell, I really document my casual outfits. At one end, I typically dress down a suit or blazer with a polo shirt. For the other side of the spectrum, I go full 1990’s inspired, with a faded sweater and some jeans and sneakers. For this article, I decided to delve more into into an outfit that is more “casually tailored”, a term frequented by style bloggers like Dan Trepanier. My version looks toward the cool summer/vacation styles of the 1930s-1950s, where tucked in shortsleeves were all the rage. It’s perfect for summer, since you’re probably looking to leave your long-sleeve shirts at home.

Pleats: They’ve Always been Cool

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Ethan

Just look at those pleats, courtesy of Permanent Style. If you show this to any mainstream fashion guy, he’d recoil immediately. Flat-front pants have been the way to go for the past few years. Favoring the clean look, the mainstream #menswear community has renounced all ties to the dreadful 1990s business look. But classic enthusiasts in the community have always favored pleats and have still had them in their trousers without looking terrible! Here, we look at the brief history of pleats and how they have evolved through menswear. Hopefully you’ll agree that pleats are, and always have been, cool.

Dapper Day x LACMA: Jazz and Vintage/Modern Menswear

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Ethan

It’s not everyday that that you get an email inviting you to be a host of an event. Imagine my surprise when Justin Jorgensen, creator and mastermind behind Dapper Day at Disneyland, invited me to be one for their collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The event revolved around two things: “Jazz at LACMA” (their weekly summer concert) and their latest exhibit, “Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015”. It was Dapper Day x LACMA.

The Armoury for Less: Blue, Grey, and Brown

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Ethan

Nothing is more classic than the colors of blue, grey, and brown. They are staples that every man should have in his closet, whether they take form as a suit, sportcoat, pants, or even ties! This article recreates an outfit from the Armoury (and Brycelands Co) utilizing these classic colors. The fact that my outfit costs $300 while the other costs $3,000 is an added bonus.

The Armoury For Less: Vintage and Vintage Inspired

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Ethan

I swear, the Armoury’s tumblr and instagram are just a plethora of inspiration. They’ve inspired me for my two recent outfits that I wore to Scott and Tim’s graduation! Don’t worry, I didn’t spend thousands of dollars like the Armoury Boys.

Part 2: Street Style at the Spring Dapper Day Expo

Posted on May 6, 2016 by Ethan

We used Part 1 to look at dapper day in the actual parks, but there was also some style at the Dapper Day expo! This was the place to go if you wanted to buy vintage items, get some cool accessories, or even swing dance. For those of you who don’t want to buy a ticket to Disneyland or California Adventure, head to next year’s expo! It’s totally free!

Street Style at Spring Dapper Day 2016: Part 1

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Ethan

Just like the last few times, I went around and shot some cool looks that I saw at Dapper Day! I know that this is a menswear blog, but I included some gals as well. Just remember that this is only a small sample of the crowds that showed up at Disneyland.

It is also important to understand that many of these people don’t dress up everyday. Some of these people don’t know the rules of classical tailoring or true vintage style, but thats okay! Dapper Day isn’t Pitti Uomo or a New York Fashion week. It’s about expressing your style and having fun! Here’s the first half of the street style I shot.

Colorful Vintage Style at Spring Dapper Day

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Ethan

Dapper Day is my version of Pitti Uomo; street style abounds! People are able to go around Disneyland and dress up in style, whether its vintage, vintage inspired, or modern! Since it is Spring, the guys and I decided to take our vintage style to the next level. Most people make the misconception that vintage clothes are all made of thick wools and are only available in muted, boring colors. However, the 1940’s were still stylin’ in hot weather! They had a variety of fabrics that were still breathable and and comfortable to wear and were especially light colored for spring and summer fashion! Our outfits for Spring Dapper Day give you real evidence that vintage suit style is still creative, fun, and colorful!

A Very General Guide to Vintage Sartorial Style

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Ethan

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This post focuses on fashion from the 1920s-1960s. If you want to read a detailed article on how you can have vintage style by mixing modern and true vintages pieces, read it here.

The above image from a Russian catalog shows how cuts of suits changed from 1923-1943. It’s these subtle details that show that not all vintage looks are the same. Each decade had their own ideas on fit, proportion and styling.

Vintage isn’t a blanket term. You don’t just put on suspenders and a flat cap and say “I’m vintage”. Heck, not all vintage is the same. Just like there are differences in styles between the 2000s and 2010s, there are plenty of differences within each vintage decade.