
Wartime / Utility Fashion · 1940s · American
Production
ready-to-wear
Material
cotton
Culture
American
A fitted waistcoat featuring vertical stripes in tan and golden yellow with five fabric-covered buttons down the front. The garment shows precise tailoring with a V-neckline and armhole edges finished in olive green ribbed knit. The striped pattern runs continuously across the front panels, demonstrating careful pattern matching at the seams. The back appears to be lined in the same olive green knit fabric. This vest exemplifies wartime menswear practicality, offering a dressy layer that could elevate everyday clothing during fabric rationing periods when full suits were less accessible.
These two waistcoats trace the democratic arc of menswear across a century of upheaval. The Victorian piece, with its lustrous silk stripes and ornate chevron-pointed lapels, speaks to an era when such finery marked class distinction—this is conspicuous consumption tailored into sharp angles and gleaming surfaces.


These two waistcoats trace the democratic arc of menswear across a century of upheaval. The Victorian piece, with its lustrous silk stripes and ornate chevron-pointed lapels, speaks to an era when such finery marked class distinction—this is conspicuous consumption tailored into sharp angles and gleaming surfaces.

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