This page
is designed as a quick guide to help People get themselves kitted up to do a
civilian 'Aid for Spain' event
WHERE TO GET CIVILIAN CLOTHING
FOR A 1930s IMPRESSION
Contents
OK before I start with this bit I
will put my hand up and say I have done no research into ladies clothing so
will need a volunteer out there to help... please?
There are links to ladies fashions
listed below
Also see the quick
guide to using eBay to see what women's wear is available there
Overview of where to start
and what to aim for
Obviously our IB and militia uniforms
will not be suitable for this event so we all need to get ourselves kitted out
in British 1930s civvy stuff.
In the long term for future Aid for
Spain events we would be best trying to get clothed as follows:
- A reproduction or original
1930s suit
- Shirt
- Tie
- Brogues or other suitable
leather soled shoes.
Why such formal wear? Well it would
appear most people, both working and middle class, in the 1930s wore what we
would consider formal most of the time. If you look at photographs of Aid for
Spain events people are dressed well, click picture see picture below for example:
In an ideal world we could all go
to 'Traders Row' at an event and pick up all the items for a song and be done
with it.... and pigs might fly.
As we know from getting ourselves
kitted out for the military side of things this isn't that easy; we are one
of the few 1930s groups so clothing that is specifically pre-WWII (which is
distinctive due to war time 'austerity' measures) is not readily available.
So to give members the chance to
get the items they want we have decided to use examples of people who were at
the Basque Niños camp at Stoneham in May 1937. Below are a few examples:
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This is of
two English brothers who helped at Stoneham with two Spanish women volunteers.
They are
both wearing work wear: the chap on the left is wearing bib and braces
overalls, a work shirt and a flat cap. His brother appears to have a
collarless shirt on and a working jacket... dressed like that I don't
fancy their chances with the girls though!
|
|
This picture
is a detail of the picture of the camp at Stoneham, it shows two people
talking and one is distinctly wearing shorts (though he might be one of
the older Niños not a British helper.) |
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This picture
is of a group of people at the gate of Stoneham, it illustrates one man
in shirt trousers and a sleeveless pullover and another in just trousers
and shirt. |
|
This picture
shows the organising committee of Stoneham. They are smartly dressed in
suits and ties (one is an MP) |
OK so what does
this mean? Well below is a list of looks you could go for:
- A set of Bib and Braces overalls
- A working mans jacket
- An appropriate shirt
- Leather work boots
Click
here to give you some ideas of how to find these items
Contents
Basics
for ideal Aid for Spain look:
Working Man look
A Guide to looking
for 1930s clothing on eBay
Links to clothing
resources on the web
Shirts
Essential
item
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to men's clothing menu |
Collarless
'Granddad' Shirts
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These are quite easy to get
a hold of from charity shops, second hand clothiers or eBay, they can
be worn without a collar but to be dressed decently you would wear a collar
and tie.
|
Collarless white
poplin tunic shirt
Can be worn with all
stiff collars. Double cuffs. Curved shirt tails.
You need to click
the 'Shirts' link on the main page to find these shirts.
|
|
Irish flannel
grandfather shirt, blue, small
This shop has a selection
of collarless shirts to offer at a reasonable price
Steve in
La Columna says:
"They
sell the Le Labourier range of clothes, which have been the
same since around 1900.
I bought my cord working trousers from them, and my collarless,
pullover, shirt (£25). They also do jackets, waistcoats,
shirts with collars, and braces. They come in a variety of
colours (each different colour of cord was used by a different
trade, e.g., plasterers and joiners). I think there are three
or four shops" |
Currently these items,
except the shirts, are not available online only in store. |
Collars
for a collarless 'granddad' shirt
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As with fashion today what
collar you wear can be determined by your age:
The older gentlemen of the
group might want to buy either a 'double round collar' or an 'Albany collar'
as these were the fashion in the earlier part of the century. If you look
at contemporary photographs older gents are often wearing such collars.
For ease of wear (I can say
it is murder wearing a collar all day) perhaps the younger, or more fashionable
older chaps, might consider a collared shirt instead?
|
Washable Double
Round Collar
Many detachable collars
need specialist laundering but these "retain their crispness
with normal washing and ironing. They are beautifully made and withstand
considerable wear. 2 1/4" deep at the front tapering to 2"
at the back. Not quite as stiff as the traditional starched collars,
they are decidedly more comfortable."
You need to click
the 'collars and ties' link on the main page to find these collars
|
|
Albany collar
A standard turndown cutaway
collar. Worn predominantly in early C20th.
Be warned: Specialist laundering required.
You need to click
the 'collars and ties' link on the main page to find these collars
|
|
Butterfly wing
For that Hercule Poirot
look perhaps you might want "A very elegant 2" deep stand
collar with curved wings. Much favoured in 1920's to 30's."
Be warned: Specialist laundering required.
You need to click
the 'collars and ties' link on the main page to find these collars
|
The Vintage Shirt
Company also sells collar studs. |
Collared
shirts
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These are definitely the easier
option (to physically put on and wear), and a more modern thing to wear
in the 1930s.
There are a number od shirt
makers who will make you one of these:
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Spearpoint shirts
"These shirts are
manufactured by one of England's longest established shirt makers
so the quality is superb.
The collar shape is absolutely typical of the early to middle C20th
and the collars themselves are deliberately made up with very soft,
non fused interfacing which gives an authentically gentle look but
they can take separate collar stiffeners.
We do make coloured versions of these shirts but only in limited
numbers so please contact us for stock availability on other shades.
Double cuffs and generous shirt tails."
You need to click
the 'Shirts' link on the main page to find these shirts.
|
|
Jake Gittes Shirt
"Based on one of Jack Nicholson's shirts in Chinatown, this classic 1930s style dress shirt features a long, pointed collar, box pleat pockets and can be made with convertible cuffs as shown or square French cuffs."
Various colours and cuffs available
There are other period shirts availbale from Magnoli:
|
These are lovely shirts and
the quality looks great but they are expensive. That said it is possible
to pick up these kind of shirts elsewhere once you know what to look for.
The Author picked up a double cuffed spearpoint collared shirt in a British
supermarket for a mere £8 recently.. keep your eyes peeled and you
might get lucky. |
Gents
Suits
Jackets
Desirable
item
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Suit
Jackets
These are probably the trickiest
thing to source, and annoying one of the more commonly worn items of the
period.
What 1930s suit Jackets
were like:
The 1930s suit doesn't differ
a huge amount from the modern suit and could be either single or double
breasted. It is important to be careful not to buy a distinct 'austerity'
suit from war time: these were similar in style to 1930s suits put used
less material in an effort to save material. |
Tailor
made
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Not the cheapest way to buy
a suit, put the best way to get one that fits, a member of La Columna
has approached a tailor in Birmingham who still had 1930s patterns available,
he quoted at least £500 for a suit (Jacket and Trousers) - ouch!
Barnett Collge Suit
|
This supplier makes some lovely vintage style suits, at a price of course!
Magnoli suggested the following designs as being most appropriate for a 1930s impression:
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Chinatown Suit |
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Rocacha
Tailors - Kensington, London and online
Specialises
in 1930s, 40s and 50s tailoring, which will make a suit jacket for
about £325-365 |
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eBay
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There are usually items suitable
on eBay, but you have to be patient and careful. Firstly, to get a suit
come up in your size is pure chance, secondly people can advertise an
item as being 1930s when it isn't.. if in doubt ask around the group before
bidding.
See here for
a guide to using eBay
|
Second
hand shops
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If you are lucky enough to
be of a smaller frame this is probably easier to get hold of an original
suit than if you are of a larger frame.
That said if you look long
and hard enough you might be lucky... The author found a jacket and waistcoat
and he's 6'2"
|
Trousers
Essential
item
If you can't afford the whole suit then maybe a pair of trousers is more realistic?
Back
to men's clothing menu |
What
1930s trousers were like:
The 1930s men's trouser tended
to be quite high waisted and often, but not always, had a v shaped back
(where the braces buttoned on). They were often very baggy (being as much
as 22 inches wide at the bottom and would have been straight cut, i.e.
not flared)
There are a number of avenues
to follow to get hold of a pair of these:
Hollywood Pants
|
Magnoli Clothing - New Zealand and online
These guys do a good range of trousers:
The 'Hollywood Pants' are very good, with button fly and cost around £70 for a wool blend fabric or £136 pure wool. |
|
Rocacha
Tailors - Kensington, London and online
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The image on the left
is of 'Oxfords' made from an original 1930s pattern.
Prices start at £130
for a pair of woolen 'Oxfords'. One word of warning you will have
to request a button fly or Rob will put in a zip as standard.
The author has a pair
of these and they are very good indeed. |
|
Second
hand clothiers/ eBay
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As stated earlier
being over 6 foot tall and not having the shortest arms in the world,
it is a real bind trying to find second had clothes that fit, but they
are out there if you look hard enough. I managed to get hold of a pair
of trousers from a second hand shop and if you watch on eBay long enough
stuff does come up. It's just a matter of regularly checking...
Click
here for a quick guide to browsing eBay |
Ties
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Not
essential but nice to look smart |
Either
a woolen or silk tie is what you need with an appropriate pattern on;
psychedelic paisley kippers might stand out as a bit wrong. Again it is
worth checking charity shops for them or if you would like a brand new
one?
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Original vintage
ties
A variety of original
ties |
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Knitted ties
A variety of plain colour
woolen knitted ties |
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Hats
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Not
essential |
Flat
caps
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The mark of a working
man: the flat cap.
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Sutlers
Stores Bournemouth, Dorset and Online
Flat
cap
A suitable cap is available
from Sutlers store called 'The Big Bond Flat Cap', it is only available
in green. |
|
Cap
Estuary English, Dutch
influence. Cap with buttoning soft peak. Available in two shades
of grey flannel, chocolate & navy serge and cream, grey &
drab sage moleskin. Lined with check wool flannel. L, XL and XXXL.
|
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Trilby/Homburg/Fedora
Hats
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A bit more upmarket
than the flat cap, available at most old fashion milliners ranging in
price from £35 to £80. They also appear on eBay quite a lot.
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The Costume Store on
line offers a number of different hats including trilbies, homburgs
and fedoras |
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Hats on line offer a
range of colours and style of hats |
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Tumi - Online
'Trophy' Hats
This fairtrade web site
sells great quality hats from Ecuador at a reasonable price. These
slightly wider brimmed fedoras are very 1930s.
Search for Trophy hats
on site |
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Braces
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Not
essential but nice to keep your trousers up |
The
majority of 1930s braces were the old fashion button type rather than
the clip-on modern type, though these were around you don't see them in
great number.
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Braces
A variety of colours
and styles |
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Braces
Beige braces with leather fobs |
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"Street"
Shoes
Essential
item
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Street
shoes
It is relatively easy to get
hold of smart leather soled brogues from most high street shops, the author
got a pair from Marks and Spencer for example.
Second hand clothiers/
eBay
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Second hand
shops and eBay is another place to get hold of some appropriate shoes
Click
here for a quick guide to browsing eBay
 |
James in
La Columna says:
"I
bought these brown brogues on eBay for a good price. It took
a while for the perfect pair to come up so I had a saved search
that emailed me whenever brogues came up for sale" |
|
|
Work
Wear
For
those that want that Work wear look.
Don't
forget to look at the Flat Caps in the hat section. |
Bib
and Braces overalls
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A pair of bib and braces overalls
would be fine for those who want to go for that worker look, these are
available from:
|
100% cotton drill Bib and Brace overalls, with concealed button
fly, Bib pocket, rear patch pocket, two side pockets, rule pocket.
. |
|
Corduroy
Trousers
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|
'High Rise' Trousers
Popular, loose cut trouser style worn mainly but not exclusively
by men. High back with braces buttons. Side pockets, waist adjuster
on back. Bottoms approx. 19”.
available in variety of materials and colours
"...handed
in as lost property in 1936, the originals for our style know
as ‘High Rise’ were then mislaid behind a radiator
in the London Transport Lost Property Office until redecoration
in the early nineteen eighties...." |
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Fawn Cotton Corduroy
Also available in navy,
olive, yellow and dark brown.
. |
|
Working
Men's 'work' jackets
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|
Work
Jacket Cotton Drill JK01
100% Cotton drill engineers
jacket, Navy, Button front closure, Mitred outside breast pocket,
2 Lower mitred patch pockets.
Cheap price
. |
|
They offer a couple of
jackets that could be worn as workers jackets they are 'The
Overall' and 'The Borough' (illustrated).
As with all of Old Town's
clothing it is not reproduction but inspired by clothing from the
past and is not cheap. |
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Working
Men's 'work boots'
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78N Hob Nailed
Boots
"Traditional Derby
style hob nailed boots with 7 eyelet 6.5 inch upper made from mahogany
brown waxy full grain leather. Brass screwed and stitched construction
incorporating a leather insole, and a heavy duty double leather
sole. Leather ring tip (horseshoe) stack heel. Manufactured here
in our Derbyshire Peak District factory. Also available with plain
leather sole without hob nails."
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268D Hill Boots
"Traditional British
made outdoor country footwear. Fully sprung shepherds boots, hill
boots or fell boots (depending on your geographical location) with
short tab design for increased flexibility. Made from reverse tanned
waxed kip butt leather which is ultra durable yet very giving and
flexible when broken in. Manufactured using the brass screwed and
stitched method which incorporates a vegetable tanned leather insole
and throughsole for comfort and breathability. Heavy gauge double
leather sole which is available either plain, flat nailed or hob
nailed (tackets or tacketty boots). The heel is leather with a steel
ring tip (horseshoe). "
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How
to browse eBay for 1930s and 40s clothing:
Back
to men's clothing menu
From eBay front page (www.eBay.co.uk):
-
Click
on the 'Clothes, Shoes, Accessories' under Categories menu on the left of the screen.
-
Scroll down to and click
on on the 'Vintage Clothing & Accessories' link.
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From the Categories
menu on the left of the screen under Vintage Clothing
& Accessories click either 'Boys', 'Girls', 'Men's',
'Women's' or 'Other Vintage Clothing' category depending on what you are looking for.
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From the Categories
menu on the left click either '1920s', '1930s' or '1940s' category.
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Scroll through the listings
and see what they got.
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Get addicted to having
to check it everyday!
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A word of warning, you
have to take the sellers word of what they are selling to you is the
genuine article, if you are unsure use the Email to a friend link in the top of the screen and email it to some one who might (Please
feel free to send it to James B who is no expert but is happy to give
an opinion)
-
Also be careful of wartime
austerity wear this is different to 1930s clothing, again if your
not sure ask.
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Links
to resources on the web Back
to top
General fashion history links
Lady's wear links
Vintage clothing suppliers
Other links
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