Just got an email from Brooks featuring the new Mad Men edition suit.
Aaaah yes, the time honored tradition of media tie-ins. Did you ask when they will start selling the official Mad Men Action Figures(TM)?
The Mad Men Suit is just a Fitzgerald with hacking pockets and the "Mad Men Edition" label. It's a joke. Banana Republic did something similar months ago with their garbage. For those looking for a modern OTR suit with 1960s inspired styling, I would recommend the Ludlow 3-button flannel from J.Crew. Yes, it has darts, but it also has the best shoulders of any OTR suit I have tried on. Also Club Monaco is doing stitch for stitch reproductions of Thom Browne suits called the Wright suit. The irony is that Thom "left" the Monaco design department because his sensibilities did not jive with the management of the brand. Retail is a strange and fickle world.
Can you post up some photos? I'd love to see them
I don't have any catalogs from 1963. Closest I can come is 1966. The number two model suit did come in either 2 or 3 button. The waist suppression looks at bit exagerated in the new model. I've noticed the double vents. Can't say anything about the authenticity, but Brooks was always an anglophile store. wouldn't surprise me
Last edited by tmc22 (2009-10-19 17:17:34)
Last edited by AQG (2009-10-19 18:47:51)
I think it is important to remember this is Madison Avenue. This is not a place that prides itself on tradition. They are more likely to dress cutting edge. At least the younger people.
It's a Southwick Dorset with a few tweaks: slanted pockets, side vents. I'm sure it would be possible to get one of these a bit cheaper elsewhere.
I find myself in agreement with ACG in thinking this fails to capture the true Madison flavour of the time. Older ad men would surely have largely been clad in three-piece flannel sacks as stated above and the 'comers' would have preferred to be seen in shot silk or sharkskin in the Continental style.
The shoulder looks OK there and it's preferable to most of the Brothers' recent suit inventory.
Conor,
Thanks for posting the photo. The vents look like pretty much the standard, modern thing. Again, not a bad look, just not quite what it sells itself as being.
All non-tropical BB suits the had vests!
You know I was all set to send in a post saying that was wrong and I looked at the 1966 Fall catalog. Every damn one featured a vest. Good job. never noticed it before. tom
Last edited by tmc22 (2009-10-20 18:10:13)