73 replies to this topic

[Sator]

The 1970s were a fascinating time in tailoring. Bespoke tailoring came increasingly under threat from the RTW garment industry, and in response, lead by Tommy Nutter chose to innovate. The 1970s were probably the last decade in which the fashionable cut was set by bespoke tailoring with the Nutter-Sexton team creating the look with the dramatically wide lapels, often with narrow concave shoulders and flared trouser bottoms. Much that looks fashion forward from this era in fact has roots in the greater tradition of tailoring, and often Edwardian or Victorian echoes can be discerned. You may not think of those '70s styled mutton chop side burns as being Victorian, because they are presented in a way that looks ridiculously fashion forward. Likewise, the safari jacket was just another form of hunting sports jacket often cut similarly to a Norfolk jacket. The safari suit was likewise the summer equivalent of something like a Norkfolk suit. While the relentless experimentation meant that a lot of wilder things failed to hit the mark, it was a decade of great character and vitality, when skilled tailors could still be found everywhere.

The biggest development in the style of the lounge coat was the predominance of the button-two coat, with the long lapels. The popularity of this style is something that endures to this day, and is a lasting legacy of the 1970s. I also like the way three piece lounge suits were extremely common, usually matched with a very plainly cut SB waistcoat. More conservatively cut coats than the fashionable Nutter-Sexton styled ones still have fairly wide lapels and the trouser hems widened a little compared to the more closely cut uppers. Coats in general were cut clean and close to the chest, waist and shoulders.

[carpu65]

The 1970s were probably the last decade in which the fashionable cut was set by bespoke tailoring with the Nutter-Sexton team creating the look with the dramatically wide lapels, often with narrow concave shoulders and flared trouser bottoms.

Well,i agree on the first part,but i dont'think that the wide lapels-flared trouser bottoms was created by Nutter.
Was an world trend,start at the same time (1968-70) in GB,France,USA,Italy.
In Italy for exemple in 70s we had two trend in bespoke:

1-Tailors more fashion oriented (like Battistoni,Coccoli,Piattelli,Brioni,Litrico)make suit with wide lapels,concave shoulders and bell bottom trousers.

An exemple by Brioni:


2-Tailors with more classical approach (The most,some big names: Caraceni,Rubinacci,Pirri,Blasi,Casiero,Attolini,Di Preta,ecc,ecc) back to more 30s look,with large but not wide peaks lapels,double pleats trousers, moderate drape
(If you want an example of this style look to Gianni Agnelli).




Another exemple by Di Preta (Florence)

[Sator]

The look with wide lapels and flared trousers, was, I believe created by Tommy Nutter and then rapidly copied by a whole host of RTW makers. The result was that he didn't make much money out of it, but the only thing that was left was his personal sense of accomplishment for being so influential on his generation.

In this discussion involving Tommy Nutter, the other tailors openly acknowledge Nutter's influence but say the problem is that it is too easy to copy.

[carpu65]

I have read that the new fashion trend begin in late 1966-early 1967 with so called "gangster look",and had a great push by the movie "Gangsters story".
In 1967 in USA Ralph Lauren start to make wide ties.
In the same year in Italy tailors like Litrico and Brioni cut suits (double and single breasted) with wide peaks lapels.
Im sure that Tommy Nutter had a great influence,especialy in UK and France,but i think that the trend was global.
In the born of this style Nutter is not the only...guilty.

[Sator]

I don't always like the look either but there is every reason to believe that all the others were knock offs. A bit like the way you get Chinese copies of Vuitton handbags. Still, when you look at a lot of Nutter-Sexton stuff, there is no doubt that the quality of the tailoring itself was very high:



It also kept bespoke tailoring alive for a younger audience in a way that nobody is managing to do these days. So kids grow up without exposure to tailored clothing. In the past, kids went through the Nutter phase and grew up to wear more classical tailored styles as they matured. Now they grow up alienated from tailored clothing altogether.

[Sator]

Here are a couple of images to show that even Tommy Nutter's (who studied at the Tailor and Cutter Academy) tastes seemed to become more classical as time progressed:





In the end, I think he represents the last time Savile Row exerted a world wide influence on men's fashion. You may not like what he did, but you have to give him that much credit.

[carpu65]

there is no doubt that the quality of the tailoring itself was very high

Absolutely!
I don't speak about quality,but about taste.
I dont'like too the taste of Litrico,Brioni,Battistoni, suits in 70s
Instead i like very much the style of Huntsman,Anderson & Sheppard,Caraceni,Rubinacci in the same period.

[jefferyd]

Another exemple by Di Preta (Florence)

When I see the gorgeous curve of that sleeve all I can think of is how fast the steamer-wielding forumites would destroy it......

[Sator]

[Sator]

Anyone who thinks that the 1970s is not worthy of admiration, unlike the other decades of the 20th century that went before it should take a look at this fellow. He posts as Labelking on Styleforum. He collects high end vintage 1970s stuff - cars, clothes, accessories etc.

In the first series of photos he wears a vintage 1970s reefer jacket from a long defunct Savile Row firm with typically dramatically wide 1970s lapels:









The shirt is by Holliday & Brown.

In the next photo, he is wearing a suit by English tailor John Pearse, with a Brioni shirt in pale celadon. The trench coat is Viktor & Rolf Monsieur. His tie is of a vintage silk. The Western hat is a vintage Resistol beaver hat. The glasses are French tortoise-shell from the 1950s. His grey and pink handkerchief is made of Irish linen. I'm not sure if anything here is specifically 1970s, although I am sure at least one thing there is a vintage 1970s item. The wide brimmed hat, certainly, is reminiscent in style to the sort of thing you see in a lot of 1970s images.



He also has a blog:

http://leisure-class.blogspot.com/

[Sator]

A panelled sports jacket out of Labelking's collection, made in the 1970s by Brioni:











Unfortunately, the picture of the back of the coat has been lost. It has a body coat type of construction.

[carpu65]

The grey suit and the green jacket are not from 70s.
Or maybe their original possessor was a nostalgic of the 50s and early 60s.
If is so,well I agree with him.

[Sator]

The dates are uncertain. I am going on what Labelking says. However, the brown reefer jacket with the wide lapels unquestionably looks 1970s. Labelking is definitely a 1970s admirer through and through.

The thing about Labelking is that he was born after the 1970s. Some of us have more difficulty in idealising the era because we were there. People who remember the 1950s also wonder why some people romanticise that era too. In the end, the 1970s will become a distant memory and it will be easier to romanticise it too. You can see that happening already. You can scream and object but nothing will change that course. And why should we not let it happen? It is just another decade from last millennium.

[Sator]

I have also been watching some episodes of the 1970s TV show The Odd Couple. I am often very pleasantly surprised at just how well Tony Randall is dressed:









Even his room mate, Jack Klugman - who is supposed to be a complete slob - looks elegant in his sports jackets and his trench coat. He even wears a sports jacket and tie at home when playing cards with the boys. Also, if you see film footage of people flying on aeroplanes in the 1970s, you notice how most of the men wore coats and ties. Even "slobs" wore coats and ties. Compare that with the current decade.

Now who should be the subject of ridicule?

[Sator]

Now a book for all of you 1970s haters out there:

http://www.amazon.co...58506277&sr=8-1

[greger]

This one person I went along with, he was shopping, about 1981, looked around and tried some clothes on and said, "The fun clothes are gone." The 70s were fun years to buy clothes. Tailored suites were still around as well as the flower childrens clothes. We had a varity that is missing now. What can be said for saggers? The 70s had some western style shirts that were nice. There were some real artist back then. They knew how to put proportions, cuts and colors together with themes. The 80s were for a different people, if there was anything there. I think the 80s went to fancy running clothing. Lots of people went to gyms to work out and hang out, and the clothes reflexed that. Also hiking, backpacking, mountianeering clothes got nicer and became popular around here. The climate around here is damp or wetter and soggy clothing gave way to non soggy clothes. Can't speak for the rest of the country or else where. The best of the 70s, for me, where the early 70s. The mid 80s there on, the home computer age, everything else was forgotten, and who needs to dress up for a computer? Now that computers are becoming "old hat" people are finding reasons to dress up for. Children that grew up with computers to them it is not that magic dream box, they never used a type writer.

[Sator]

[Sator]

Something else very 1970s as these pictures from Rundschau and The Cutter & Tailor shows. It is basically a military styled greatcoat adapted for civilian attire. The first example comes from Rundschau, November 1971:





Here is a version of the greatcoat by Anthony Sinclair:



For more details on cutting this coat see this thread.