I wouldn't exactly call them the old days ....

but they were before you were born: 30s, 40s, 50s 60s. Where I live in Ohio, there were several tailors which existed up through the 70s. Certainly better rtw had an impact upon tailoring and the economies offered by the department stores. I wouldn't compare these local tailors to Saville Row though. By the 60s, most of these local tailors were only doing MTM and virtually no bespoke. The bigest impact on their demise was that they just died out. Most were Europen immigrants who died without an heir to take over the business. I remember when the last tailor closed shop. He was from Poland and probably hadn't tailored a suit of clothes in years. His business consisted mostly of alterations. Along with many other craftsmen, the tailor suffered from sheer lack of interest.

 

I don't know about tailors, but there were more shops that just sold men's clothing in the 50's, 60's, and 70's.

Cheers, Jim.

 

The bigest impact on their demise was that they just died out. Most were Europen immigrants who died without an heir to take over the business.

+1

My great grandfather had two brothers who were expert custom tailors. Vincenzo worked for Grey & Lampel in Manhattan where he was also the personal tailor to Flo Zeigfeld. He and Flo were the exact same size, weight and build, so when Flo wanted a new suit, my uncle would measure himself, cut it, sew it and mail it to him. His brother Antonio moved out to Bradford, PA where he also worked for a larger store as a custom tailor. I also think the trend for Americans (and people in general) to dress casually also has an impact on the demise of these people, maybe the biggest impact. If you look at street scenes from the 1920's, 1930's and then compare them to street scenes from today, you'll see a massive difference in the level of dress.

 

I just had a general question about the history of American tailoring.

Before Men's Warehouse and the Big Name Department stores were there alot of independent tailors in every American city?

Basically I'm wondering if there was a time when every American big city had their own "Saville Row-Bespoke" level of tailoring?

If so did were they all just slowly driven to extinction because of big stores and cheaper labor abroad?

Yes, that pretty much summarises it.

Wilbur Salibury, was the noted author of Salisbury's System (of Actual Measurement and Drafting) published in New York in 1866. Subsequently, he moved to Battle Creek, Michigan; which was, at that time, something of a backwater. It was only incorporated into a city in 1859. Yet, somewhere remote like that could still have a famous published cutter and tailor working there.

In fact, any town large enough to have a general store, barber, saloon and baker might have had a tailor too. Hmmm...I wonder if Battle Creek has any bespoke tailors left. Anyone here from Michigan?

 

I also think the trend for Americans (and people in general) to dress casually also has an impact on the demise of these people, maybe the biggest impact. If you look at street scenes from the 1920's, 1930's and then compare them to street scenes from today, you'll see a massive difference in the level of dress.

Sam, a local Italian tailor, said that the "business casual" nonsense had a huge impact on business. Before that people spared no expense to get the best. If you look at street urchins and bums from the 1930's, they wore tailored clothing. I have seen Victorian era pictures of the homeless in top hats.

 

Sam, a local Italian tailor, said that the "business casual" nonsense had a huge impact on business. Before that people spared no expense to get the best. If you look at street urchins and bums from the 1930's, they wore tailored clothing. I have seen Victorian era pictures of the homeless in top hats.

There was quite an active trade in cast-off clothing during Victoria's reign

 

Sam, a local Italian tailor, said that the "business casual" nonsense had a huge impact on business. Before that people spared no expense to get the best. If you look at street urchins and bums from the 1930's, they wore tailored clothing. I have seen Victorian era pictures of the homeless in top hats.

I'm always fascinated by pictures from the Great Depression that show unemployed men doing their best to look professional and dignified. Sadly, in today's prosperous world most men are doing their best to look chronically unemployed.

 

I'm always fascinated by pictures from the Great Depression that show unemployed men doing their best to look professional and dignified. Sadly, in today's prosperous world most men are doing their best to look chronically unemployed.

Well said. Until the late 60's at least, most adult men strived to look like grown-ups, not drug addicts.

 

Yes, even in the face of grinding poverty and hopelessness one still clung desparately to that last scrap of self-respect to dress in one's ragged old hat, coat and tie.

 

Yes, even in the face of grinding poverty and hopelessness one still clung desparately to that last scrap of self-respect to dress in one's ragged old hat, coat and tie.

Can't you say the same for the homeless today. They dress the same as Hollywoods fashion elite.

 

Look at any photograph of a baseball game before 1950.

All the men are wearing suits and hats.

No one wears suits to ballgames anymore.

College and university students wore coat and tie into the 1960s, but no more.

Now, students attend lectures in their pyjamas.

These are just two examples of the contraction of the market for tailored clothing.

My mother went to college in the late 1950s, and she earned most of her beer money by providing clothing repair services from her dorm room. She brought her sewing machine with her to school and operated a successful venture. Her primary service was removing and reversing the collars on shirts.

Can you imagine bringing a sewing machine to school today?

 

Look at any photograph of a baseball game before 1950.

All the men are wearing suits and hats.

No one wears suits to ballgames anymore.

College and university students wore coat and tie into the 1960s, but no more.

Now, students attend lectures in their pyjamas.

These are just two examples of the contraction of the market for tailored clothing.

You should join us at Fenway some day. Not many, but quite a few men come right from work in suits...certainly I do from time to time...since the first pitch is at 7:05. Unlike other ballparks, Chavez Ravine leaps to mind, Fenway tends to be full at the game's outset.

Buzz

 

Look at any photograph of a baseball game before 1950.

All the men are wearing suits and hats.

No one wears suits to ballgames anymore.

College and university students wore coat and tie into the 1960s, but no more.

Now, students attend lectures in their pyjamas.

These are just two examples of the contraction of the market for tailored clothing.

My mother went to college in the late 1950s, and she earned most of her beer money by providing clothing repair services from her dorm room. She brought her sewing machine with her to school and operated a successful venture. Her primary service was removing and reversing the collars on shirts.

Can you imagine bringing a sewing machine to school today?

I actually did the same thing. To make some extra money, I brought my sewing kit to school in Israel and made repairs on other people's clothes. I didn't have a sewing machine, though, so it took a lot more time. I even took in waists on pants, all by hand. One thing that helped was that in the school where I was, most people wore suits and hats every day, so there were a lot more buttons to sew on than there would be in a t-shirt and jeans place.

 

One Small Town Experience

Back in the early 60's when I was a kid in small town (not suburban) Connecticut, there were two tailors in town. Both were immigrants from WWII: one Jewish, the other Italian. They made suits. My father once went in to see one of them, and he was slightly indignant about fixing the bottoms of a pair of pants for my Dad. He said he made "good suits" and my dad could use one (he was a portly fellow) but dad said no. I think if our little town of about 10,000 folks not near NYC or anything had two ethnic tailors, there must have been a few who came over because of the two WWs, and settle around the country, or at least the Northeast.

 

Back then

Gentlemen

Will not fall in the trap this soon in my life. I guess you must be talking my dads time. He was born 1917. So I guess the roaring 20 time or later. Well, cant answer.
My time which was not too freaking long ago. The 1960-70 period. I was a hippie. I wore torn jeans.
I dated all the girls that burned their bra!
I smoked pot, wait. I inhaled pot!
And a lot of other stuff.
Back in the day though. I recall my local town haberdasher.
Sero, Creighton, Eagle and Gant shirts. His own make, which was made in Troy, NY
Yea guys, TROY SHIRTMAKERS for real. I am from there!
The store was a classy store. McGeorge sweaters. I bought my first suit there.
Gorgeous ties, eventually I gave up my jeans my friends, and pot too!!
I miss this era, miss Sulka.
This store, was like a barbershop. You go in talk to Lenny. About anything.
But no tailor per say. We had people, who fit beautifully into OTR!!!!

Nice day

 

You should join us at Fenway some day. Not many, but quite a few men come right from work in suits...certainly I do from time to time...since the first pitch is at 7:05. Unlike other ballparks, Chavez Ravine leaps to mind, Fenway tends to be full at the game's outset.

Buzz

I'll second that - I do see quite a few suits at Fenway. And, that is the ultimate "church of baseball" to see all sorts of people!

Go Sox! :aportnoy:

 

Can't you say the same for the homeless today. They dress the same as Hollywoods fashion elite.

The homeless I see in D.C. tend to dress somewhat better than the Hollywood set.

 

Some people only wear torn jeans out of necessity, not as a fasion statement.

 

Tailored clothing had always been a product consumed by the wealthy, ready-made clothing has been worn at-least(don't go correcting me) since the mid nineteenth century. Before the chain stores, independent stores did the same job and sold ready-made clothing.

 

Um,

I wore suits to school (at the university level), but the only others to do so were management majors. I majored in political science.

One big benefit: I had a full business wardrobe by the time I hit graduation.

Thomas

 

Hello!

I'm kinda new to this site (and to suits).

I just had a general question about the history of American tailoring.

Before Men's Warehouse and the Big Name Department stores were there alot of independent tailors in every American city?

Basically I'm wondering if there was a time when every American big city had their own "Saville Row-Bespoke" level of tailoring?

If so did were they all just slowly driven to extinction because of big stores and cheaper labor abroad?

Just wondering. Thanks.

If you turn the clock back to the early 1900's only "professionals" - Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers- wore suits. Everyone else bought their work clothes from Sears. As a practical matter ready-made-suits did not exist. When one wanted a suit you had it made. The great majority of the tailors were immigrants who had learned their trade in Europe - being schooled from their youth. Through the years, major cities would have custom tailors who made suits and could make repairs and alterations. In the 50's there was still a ready source of skilled hands in Europe- especially in Italy. When my father would announce to our tailors that we needed someone, there would be a stampede from those who had relatives in Italy who wanted to come to the USA. Fast forward to the present. Where are the tailors? Because it takes years to be a good tailor compared to a much shorter training period to be an adequate plumber, electrician or auto mechanic, not many young people go into the trade. The older tailors pass out of the trade. Casual dress has diminished the demand. We await the return of business dress and the next chapter.

 

If you turn the clock back to the early 1900's only "professionals" - Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers- wore suits.

That's not true. Not everyone wore a suit to work, but most adult males owned suits to wear, for example, to church. Hence the term Sunday Best.

These days, most people wear khakis and a sport shirt for their Sunday Best.

 

old days in the United States

In the metro St.Louis area there was a dozen mens high end clothing stores , today
only two. Washington ave. in Downtown St.Louis was known for it's many tailors.
You might call it Saville Row.
Today in St.Louis there are none , in St.Louis county only a few tailors.

Brown shoe company ,and International shoe all located in St.Louis no longer manufacture shoes in America , both St.Louis companies. Neither are located in St.Louis today.

I think it is the changing culture not so much cheap labor or big stores.
Dressing poorly is " in" this goes back the the anti-establishment 60's. The so-called baby boomers. Remember Elvis ! The first top popular singing performer to dress poorly.
revered by baby boomers. He featured white socks t-shirts and blue jeans.! "ugh" !
I will also add the cost of high end men's clothing has had a negative effect on sales.

 

Question about the old days in the United States

There was also Hollywood, remember James Dean , Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando they began the downward trend of dress in Hollywood.
The so-called baby boomers was the beginning of bad taste in men's as well as women clothing's. You can add music , drugs , manners , etc. Anyone younger than 50 can look upon the late 50's and early 60's as a start of poor dress in men's clothing.

What we have today is a continuous of what started in the late 1950's. Stores such as Men's Warehouse only supplies what the average American man wears and wants.
Compare Elvis's dress with Frank Sinatra or Gary Cooper with Marlon Brando.
I hope you get my point.

 

I looked into it, and it seems ready-made suits came in during the second industrial revolution.