*TROUSER CREASING TIPS* from a tailor of men's bespoke historical suite - Tip 1) SOAP - get a bar of natural soap made of sodium talloate and run the INSIDE of the trouser at the crease, it will dramatically improve the crease Tip 2) A plank of smooth wood on a solid table - press, dont rub [iron] PRESS hard on the crease. Press, hold, hold, hold, release - always use a pressing cloth...!!! Tip 3) Get a separate piece of wood - an off cut of a 2 x 4 smoothed will be fine, after you press the crease hold the wood [clapper] on the crease, this will draw the moisture out and set the crease as it cools Tip 4) The steam your iron produces is NOT enough unless its an industrial steam generator - so get a spray bottle of water and soak the press cloth prior to application of the iron and hold until it has all evaporated. This way you will get a razor-sharp crease in your trousers that will last months in even the heaviest of wool - final tip Tip 5) hand your trousers upside down from the bottoms in the clip type trouser hangers they use in shops, the weight of the waist band and upper will pull the crease back into line and help it remain in place
A clapper works extremely well on natural animal hair fibers, such as wool, cashmere, alpaca, etc. When they are damp with the steam, they want to straighten back out to their original shape, so a clapper holds them in place and absorbs some of the moisture, as you say.
In the army, we turned our trousers inside out. We ran a strip of masking tape down the seam. Turn them right-side out again and press with steam. Razor-sharp seams!
Or you could use vinegar in your iron, press the crease when the trousers are still damp and hang upside down. I've gotten very long lasting creases into boiled wool this way.
@@athenathegreatandpowerful6365 I would always just spray the vinegar on instead of running it through the iron. Does the vinegar build up in the iron? We have hard water here, and I'm usually lazy about using distilled water, so I have issues with that.
@DinosaurProtector the vinegar will clean out any hard water buildup. Life-changing insofar as ironing goes. I can get 10 yards of 54 inch wide linen in around an hour. Literally wash on hot, dry on high heat, out of the dryer and onto the ironing board. Boom done. I have to get any and all shrinking/fading out of the way before I start cutting. Once that's done I can wear the dress camping and not worry about it.
You MUST make a video on Victorian knitwear! It's so overlooked! How formal were they? Did they wear them outside? Could they be worn in place of vests?
This is an interesting question and to be honest, a turtleneck often replaced a collar and tie past the 1890s. Knit vests were around as early as the 1880s as far as I know.
The sweater worn in the Video is from Scotland, it's called a "Fairisle" due to where the patterns and colors originate from. These were very common amongst fisherman who docked in Ireland, so common that the Irish, in an attempt to capture the complexity of the Fair isle the Irish invented the Cableknit fisherman sweater.
I believe that each family had their own pattern: if the man drowned and his body washed up to the shore, it could be identified from his jumper much longer after his face would be too far decomposed. That's because it takes longer for wool to break down.
My friend, I don't care about the quality of the filming or lighting or sound or whatever -- the content itself that you cover is always high quality! I love watching your videos, and I always look forward to your uploads! Perhaps you could do a video busting the myth that people were smaller back then, and why that myth perpetuates to-day!
I'm not convinced it's a myth. Look at some of the random street videos from the turn of the last century and then compare that to the average pedestrians passing by on American streets today. Of course there were large people back then, like this gentleman, but there are far more extra large people today. I'm 60 years old. I started buying my clothes at thrift stores when I was in college in the early 80s. I could wear an extra small back then and you could find those in department stores. I can't ever remember seeing anything larger than an X-large at the thrift store. Today I wear a medium and those are in the minority at the thrift store. Smalls are rare and extra smalls are extinct. On the other hand, there are as many three Xs as mediums, and even 4Xs are more common than smalls. We eat far too much fat, corn syrup, and chemicals in our food and it's causing all kinds of metabolic disorders. I totally agree about the videos! As long as they are not completely unwatchable, Kassenchow's thoughts and knowledge is far too entertaining and educational to worry about impeccable production values.
He's talking about survivorship bias and how itty bitty most remaining clothes usually are (I was surprised at the size of these trousers). Yes, people are bigger than they've ever been (outside of walkable cities like my own), but what survives is usually so small that it wouldn't get much of an afterlife after the original wearer, hence those clothes being in better condition. People were shorter in places with poor nutrition though. We have put on a few inches of height as a species from having more food available to us these days.
@@brucetidwell7715 Even looking at clippings from newspapers, of groups of people from the 1970's, one can see that nearly every person was slimmer, look around today and overweight is the norm, unfortunately.
I don't know how the algorhythm finally offered me a glance at your channel, but I'm so glad it did! I've been interested in historical garments for as long as UA-cam has existed, but almost all channels I've seen so far have been about women's clothes. You're the first man I've seen exploring Victorian men's wear, and I'm fascinated to learn more! I'll be looking through your library of past videos eagerly now, to catch up with whatever you've showcased thus far.
As a self-taught seamstress, I am absolutely enthralled by vintage clothing. Usually its just videos on womens vibtage clothing, but YT finally recommended a men's vintage clothing video, for which im grateful. The construction of mens clothing appears to have changed little, except for zippers instead of buttons and, horrifyingly, Velcro in place of zippers. However, those little touches (the darted hem break for example) are just so gorgeous. I know we wont go back to that style but at least I can incorporate come of them when I tailor something for my husband now. Love the video!!
I wish my wife could make some clothes for me I’d love that. I saw a tie and shirt combo ina tailors in Manchester many years ago. Always dreamed of having them made for me. Same material on tie/shirt v seventies looking.
@@mfranssens teach yourself to sew or find classes. You're in the UK so you have the resources. The US has none unless you want to spend the equivalent of the national debt for a single class 🤯. Sewing and tailoring aren't difficult merely a focused activity. There will be research if you want them period correct, way more than you'd think. This video as evidence. I used to think Elizabethan women's dresses were the hardest, with research I realized how very samey they are. The more you know the easier it gets.
@@athenathegreatandpowerful6365 I do sew for my husband. I've made several shirts, vests, pants and suit jackets. I even made a vest for him with a tie to match the vest. I just wish I had a husband who appreciated the work. He's a bit on the unappreciative side. Oh well. I enjoy the work anyway. My next suit for him is a very 60s style
@johannaholmgren8088 I'm doing early Victorian for mine. 1830s-40s. He started by wanting the hat lol. It's basically a newsboys cap but he loves them. We're about to retire so neither of us "has" to wear modern clothing anymore. Very much looking forward to retiring anything that resembles trousers in my wardrobe. He's going back to forging knives and I'm going back to doing Renaissance faires for fun and profit. Daily wear will be 1910 and prior. My faire stuff is pretty simple due to working in heavy heat and who knows when we'll end up in knee deep mud. It's a great life for us.
I've spent the past month and a half sewing two shirts into my own shirt with a detachable collar. I took the turn down off of one shirt and took the whole collar off of the other one. Because i don't have collar studs, I just sewed a button on the back of the shirt and added extra thread to the button on the front. I used a sewing machine for the buttonholes on the collar, but i hand sewed everything else. I finished the last button late on Christmas Eve and wore the shirt and collar for Christmas day. I had burgundy shoes, green sharkskin trousers with cuffs, an ivory morning vest, and a navy blazer with a burgundy pocket square and a dark green tie that matched the trousers. The shirt is white with a blue grid, and the collar is pure white. I would have never gotten to where I am with my style of it wasn't for your youtube channel and several others. Thank you, and i hope you have a happy new year.
Really interesting! And by the way, you have a very friendly manner in your presentation. Makes you very relatable to viewers. So no need at all to be overly critical of yourself. Like all hand crafters, what seems like a glaring mistake to you, is not at all noticeable to viewers.....lighting, sound.... Your content is a gem.
In the 1930s and 40's, my father ran dance bands, which required him to wear evening dress for performances. He told me that he used to run a neat bead of fish glue down the trouser creases on the inside which, once re-ironed, kept the crease permanently sharp. Ingenious! 😀
@@grlnexdoorable In days of olde when Knights were bold - and superglue had not been invented - every home had a tube of fish glue (usually hidden away in a sideboard draw). Fish glue is made from boiling down fish offal and, like other animal glues, is often still preferred (by pedantic enthusiasts) for repairing delicate, stringed musical instruments. Fish glue is air drying but can also be softened by the application of some gentle heat. Hence my old man using it to provide a semi-permanent crease in his dress suit trousers! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue . Probably far more than you needed to know - but that’s the problem of asking questions of old blokes like me - we know far too much and have far too much time on our hands to do anything but talk about it! 😀
Don't get too perfectionist about the quality of the video - this one came out great! I'm always amused by fashion trends, but don't usually care. I found this video quite fun and interesting! I never thought about that crease above the shoe before, that's definitely attention to detail. Thanks for the bonus fact about the center leg crease! Thanks for sharing this and the time it took you to put this video together!
Re the fake break - you’ll find that type of sewn in crease in old Victorian/Edwardian British military cavalry trousers (and even employed today for their full dress uniforms), only the crease is all done on the inside (ie inside out) and “invisible”, and this is referred to as a “cavalry cut”. So what this does is allow the hem to cover the heel down to spurs & and then cut up where the boot strap is to the front of the trouser leg giving the perfect break on the boot - a cavalry cut hem. I’ve done a couple myself on trousers & trews and it’s namely a matter of steam stretch/shape stitch more or less....BTW great video & well done. Fortunately for me I had a few samples & one was pretty battered so I was able to dissect & see how it was done, which you fa8rly surmised already. Cheers
I was in the RAF from the 1980’s to the 2000’s and there were a few of us who would know a tailor who would sew the creases into our trousers, it was a bit obvious, and illegal. While stationed in Germany our engineers had access to various glues which, in the absence of a tailor, some used to run down the inside of the crease to keep it sharp. I’m a first time viewer, very interesting, really enjoyed it.
I was a "Pongo" a long time ago and, like you, sewn creases were banned. There was, however, a carpet glue called copydex (I think) which when applied lightly to the inside of the trouser leg, just at the crease position, before pressing gave a perfect result.
Lol, yes, i have a pair of professionally altered pants that I bough second hand and had to re-tailor to fit. When deconstructing, i discovered the lovely sharp crease had been cunningly glued :)
An alternative to Copydex was the use of "WonderWeb" hemming strips. It had the advantage of being able be adjust or even remove the 'obvious' crease by pulling it apart, and could be redone simply by ironing. Another 1st time viewer who enjoyed the video.
I saw a few Airmen get creases sewn when I was in the US Air Force and it it did look bad and it was obvious. The trick many of us used was using hair spray instead of starch. Worked brilliantly to make the fabric like cardboard.
I'm also Team Content, over the nuances of production. If the video is comfy to listen to, and the camera is in focus most of the time, it's the content I stay for. This is fascinating!
When working on the Row, I was shown to put the tuck, that you have on the outside, on the inside to take up the excess fabric in the hem so that the trousers would have a sloped bottom, to lessen the break at the front.
1st time viewer & I am captivated. My father was a custom tailor in Los Angeles from 1930s-1980s. He made suits for Hollywood stars & Beverly Hills movie moguls. I remember him showing some "cuff & break" work he had done for an elder customer in the "old style."
This fake crease stitching was almost characteristic trait on USSR sportswear up to 1990s, and even crept into some variants of field military uniform.
I didn't know that! I definitely shouldn't have said "only for workwear or on women's trousers." I usually try to avoid those generalisations, but sometimes it slips out! Thank you for bringing this to my attention😊
@@herosstratos -- Yep, back when I was in the military, we put "military creases" in our shirts... One crease running down each front in the center of the pockets and 3 creases in the back, IIRC... That was around 50 years ago, so the memory is a bit hazy...
@@AntiqueMenswearwith that an easy example is the Soviet summer M88 “Afghanka” uniform trousers they actually have stirrup as well as the sewn in crease
this was FASCINATING. I didn't know anything about the breaks in trousers - much less that it was so fashionable it was worth faking! I hope you know that your videos are delightful and I hope you post more of them.
speaking of trouser hems, I have found older pairs of pants that had an extra strip of reinforcing cloth across the back of the hem to lay against your heel of your shoe because with time it will cut through the wall of your expensive suit pants. I wish I had that done on my chalk stripe 1933 bespoke suit that I had made a few years ago. It has a turned up cuff and it has been cut through so I'm going to have to put some free check on there and eventually hand so a little reinforcing piece of cloth back there.
I think it is called "kick tape" in modern English. They sell it online, mostly made of synthetic materials. But any tape should work, like a cotton twill. It is used both to prevent friction damage as you mentioned, but it can also be used to lengthen the trousers, allowing the need for just 5-10mm of fabric to be folded in, the rest of the hem being just the tape.
It used to be quite common to buy formal trousers with unfinished hems. And a length of tape, carefully colour matched to the trousers, stashed in one of the pockets. But when you took them to the alterations tailor, they always used their own tape. One of life's little mysteries. Never could figure it out...
A very interesting video. I'm a tailor at a German theater and I always find it exciting to see how the tailors worked in the past. The view inside, which is usually denied in a museum, is particularly valuable to me. I hope you will continue making videos like this. A small suggestion for improvement: the effect of the dart would have been even easier to see if the trousers had been ironed.
Hello there! I certainly envy your job and would love to learn more! Unfortunately, these trousers belonged to an antique shop, and they were already sold, so altering or ironing them was out of the question. If they were mine I certainly would have!
Long ago, I ordered a pair of pants from a well-known firm that advertised a permanent crease. I was surprised to see that they had run a thin bead of _glue_ down the crease and pressed it in place! That didn't last in my wardrobe or the catalog, thankfully. Cheers!
I've two brothers, grew up in to 60ths and 70tys. I recall that at the time trouser legs were hemmed a little higher in the front than the back. At the time no one wanted a break in the pants leg, preferring instead, a nice clean line with maybe just the slightest of indentation.
11:15- these days, instead of using stitching the crease is made by folding the pants then infusing the fold with silicone rubber and allowing it to set (in the same way that silicone caulk is applied as a liquid and then dries to a solid), it creates a more subtle crease that doesn't look quite so intentionally engineered.
I’m neither Victorian nor male but I was fascinated by your video and am going to include several of the points you mentioned into the next pair of trousers I make for myself. I shall be re watching your video at half speed next time. Love your style.
Fascinating details. I enjoyed this very much, as I'm particularly interested in historical menswear. And there isn't that much content about it. I had no idea, that 'highwater trousers' was an actual historical term, btw. When I was young, in the 1980's/90's, it was a derogatory term for 'not quite long enough' pants - usually hand-me-downs or second hand. The term we use here in Germany (or did, since pants that lenght now seem to be downright fashionable) is a literal translation of the term. Hochwasser Hosen.
Wow, that is fascinating! This is the only term I could find describing the length. I'm not sure if it was intended to be derogatory by the author, but it could have been! These days, in England, the words "ankle swingers" are used to mock short trousers. Although this term too seems to have been somewhat reclaimed as the style is once again fashionable.
@AntiqueMenswear That's one trend I'll never get on board with 😆 It visually shortens the leg, it creates an awkward gap between the shoe and the pants... it's just a big nope for me! It feels like a trend that only exists, because designers and fashion influencers need to continually come up with something new and exciting, to keep people's attention and get them to spend money. I just cringe every time, I see someone out and about wearing these.
Im very glad you explained what the "break" in trouser legs were, now it all makes sense When I was in the British army some of the lads would sew the crease in permanently on there 'lightweights' they were your work pants if you like, but must be kept smart and clean so once you done your basic training and your infantry training kit inspection was more relaxed so you would get away with sewing a crease down your lightweights, but only your lightweights not your combat pants or your number 1s parade pants, for obvious reasons so we can blame the Victorians for having creases down the leg of your strides eh, the amount of times during training I got in bother for having ' tram lines ' (double crease) down my lightweights lol
Amazing! It never fails. No matter what the topic, idea, or object from every day life, there is always a more complex and nuanced history to it than you could have ever imagined. What an amazing find, I must say. I’ve been paying attention to the details of menswear, both contemporary and historic, my entire life yet this one caught me completely off guard. Surely there must be other examples somewhere.
The stitching on the false break reminds me a lot of a pin tuck. I've done a bunch of historical sewing, mostly Victorian women's wear and I've sewn quite a few pin tucks on both petticoats and chemises. I've walked by Buchanan Field Airport on the Iron Horse Trail before. I recognized it as soon as you showed a picture of it. It's a pretty small airport, but it seemed pretty busy at the time.
Yo! He’s alive! Let’s go! THIS is what I call a Christmas present! Edit: I actually have a pair of modern suit pants that have permanent creases installed. I never really noticed how uncommon this is, but it’s cool to learn how old the idea is.
I've been perusing a number of tailor's drafting system books on various archive sites. A fair number of the late Victorian to Edwardian examples include trousers that have a backward slanted hem with a scoop in the front to accommodate the instep. Sometimes these also have curved inseams and out seams at the ankle to extend the hem further along the instep. I've also seen instructions on military trews that provide this scoop while preserving a horizontal tartan stripe by cutting an eyebrow shaped piece from the instep (above the stripe) and then backstitching this closed and finally rantering the seam to hide it. What I hadn't seen, until now, was a sewn break. So, thank you for bringing this to UA-cam.
Artists are their own worst critics. This is crazy! My 1st apartment was in Contra Costa County in the East Bay. 20 min outside of San Francisco aka The Clubs. 😘 In 1982, my 3rd of the rent with a private bath and garage parking was a whopping $200.oo a month. Our landlord even paid for the gas, water garbage and cable. Oh, the good ol' days. When you actually had $ after bills to taste the fruits of your labor. I prob spent $1,500 a month on clothes and accessories. San Francisco and Berkeley had the most amazing thrift stores. Many years later I actually found my wedding gown in Pittsburg. Vintage 1920s. We had a Great Gatsby theme. It was fabulous. You fell into my feed somehow. I enjoyed this video immensely. Thank you algorithm 👍
I'm constantly amazed by the variety of diverting videos available on UA-cam. This is nicely presented and strangely compelling, and some of the humour had me creased up. That hat is mesmerizing. There is so much going in.
Fascinating video. I have just found your site. Thank you so much. I hope that some enterprising individual copies that pleat when tailoring trousers. It is so elegant and very practical. I never realised how many different types of pockets there are either.
I never knew that trousers could be so complicated and so interesting! Never heard of the false break before. I'd like to see someone making them so I can see how they are sewn. I've seen many videos on Victorian women's fashions, so it's nice to see some Victorian men's fashions, too.
Best part about learning historical garment construction techniques is that a shortcut you took is a real technique with precedent (even though it’s not as clean or durable as the “right” way…)
This was fascinating, not just for the clothes, but also the information on Mr. Buchanan. When I moved to the town over the hill from Pittsburg in the mid 70s, the town was very small & decrepit. Buchanan field was a very busy small airport, but I’d always assumed it was generically named after President Buchanan. I’ll do more research on Billy Buchanan. I forwarded this video to my SIL who is a fashion historian and recreator.
I didn't know the Victorians did this. I thought that I had invented it : ( except I always stitched the horizontal darts on the inside of the hem so they weren't visible.
Men, and many ladies, wear trousers every day, and yet we have no idea how subtle and complex they are! I discovered this recently when I tried to replace a torn pocket bag inside a modern pair of trousers. I salute your knowledge and understanding! Regarding perfection of videos, OK, there's a drop in the audio level at 2:52, but it's not a problem. There are too many broadcast-quality videos out there with a clickbait title but nothing to say and monetization as their goal. UA-cam should give us all a chance to tell what we know, so don't hold that content back!
Glad I found your channel. I'm always interested in clever &/or beautiful things made by human hands. There are so many wonderful garments from history that we sadly don't see worn anymore. Your research & knowledge will surely make this an interesting learning experience.
This came across my YT feed, but don't know why. Glad it did because I found it fascinating: the ways of construction, the purposes, the intentions, the materials, all put together. Really enjoyed the details and getting in close. Thank you.
Very interesting. Not sure about that faux break device. Re: sewn-in creases, I had the regimental tailor put "sewn-ins" into all my trousers and the arms of my jumpers. 1980s. My sergeant major also had all the pocket flaps sewn down on his smock. It made the pockets quite useless, but it looked smart (he said!).
Neat little detail. I can't recall ever seeing it elsewhere. (Tho now I'll look.) And not to worry about video 'quality' -- it's the interesting topics I come for, not the polish.
I was a UK policeman up to 2015 from 1986. I had the creases sewn into my uniform trousers for at least the first 15 years of my service, though it was frowned on for new joiners who were expected to use a flat iron to get the same effect similarly I always had a horizontal crease ironed into the rear of my formal uniform collared shirts roughly at armpit height, and 2 vertical creases going down through the centre of the chest pockets
I’m so used to historic women’s clothing that I’m actually blown away by how modern these trousers look. Add a zipper (I know it’s too early) and they’d basically look no different than pants that are available and worn today. Also, such smart tailoring and additions to the pants too!
Creaseswere a sign you were wearing store bought trousers. The crease took about a generation to really catch on Source 2 100 plus year olds I knew in the late 1960s and the late 1970s and early 1989s. Being a history buff I asked a lot of questions.
This was a great video! Those trousers are so fantastic and I always appreciate you showing off all the little details. The only thing I would say is some pockets you referred to as mule ear were also referred to as frog mouth pockets in their period, probably not getting a different name until later as more pocket varieties arose.
Fun fact I know, the South African army during the 80s allowed a service man who had completed his 1st year of service a stitched seam for his 'bests' trousers instead of needing to iron the seam, don't know if they still do this practical as it is.
Absolutely fascinating. As someone who is entirely fashion-less, your detailed knowledge about the construction of men’s trousers is a completely new concept to me, but super interesting nevertheless.
Lol. I grew up in East Contra Costa County. Just one small hill separates our home from Pittsburg, California. At the age of 69, I've just learned who our local airport was named for, and a bit about the man. When clicking on this video, I would never have guessed that would happen.😆Thank you!!
I was just beginning to think of stitched-in permanent front creases when up they came! I have only ever owned one pair and only seen one other person wearing such a pair, decades ago. Fascinating and very well explained video in wonderful detail, thank you.
Historical clothing needs are highly entertaining, but you are the first Historical clothing need I have ever seen focusing on men's wear. Thank you for this tutorial.
Thank you for the history lesson. My husband and children lived and worked in and around Contra Costa County for 20 years. As a seamstress, I'm going to sew up some pant legs and see if I can figure out how this break was done.
First of your content I’ve come across and this is so immensely interesting. My younger sister has always been into vintage clothing and costumes and eventually became enmeshed into the “living history” world which includes military reenacting. As such, I’ve examined plenty of men’s clothing, little of which could ever fit, and marveled and wondered at all the design and fit choices. The button fly in these are remarkable and illustrates, among other reasons, why so much value was tied up into the clothing of earlier times, much like how the bed and mattress was often the most valuable item in a household.
Salutations, good Sir! I absolutely enjoyed finding and watching your video! It happened by sheer accident, but I am all the more glad for finding it! I just wanted to extend my greetings in saying how absolutely happy this video made me feel! I really do enjoy the fashion of that period! All the way to the 40's and 50's! It made me very happy to see someone else take an interest in it! Also, I have to ask two questions: one. What started your interest in earlier period clothing? And two. Where can I find such a splendid monocle?! Thank you for the fascinating video! Take care good Sir!
Thanks for showcasing a fellow Californian! I was excited to see Buchanan's trousers since my grandmother was born in Pittsburg CA. What a treasure! and I really love that unique fold on the trousers. I think it looks great and I think this is a nice detail we could bring back. 💚
Crazy timing! I just saw this video yesterday, and two minutes ago, was able to inform someone on X what a "jetted waist pocket" was. Thank you for your videos. I love the internet!
THE ACE IS BACK! Seriously so hyped to see you back on UA-cam! If you're taking suggestions, i'd love to see a video on victorian workwear and slop/chore clothing!
As for sewing an artificial crease into trousers, my step-father hired a seamstress to do this on all his blue-jeans, I hadn’t seen this done before and assumed it was just a peccadillo unique to him, or a fashion of the 1950s that he’d held on to for some reason.
"It might actually be that wealthy men..." Or any practical man. My dad was enlisted and sewed all the appropriate creases into his uniforms by hand. Saved loads of time ironing and still looked spiffy at the end of the work day.
A proper extra-large gentleman of his time. Wht a fascinating subject. i have subscribed to your channel. I love your voice and your video quality is wonderful. Please don't hide or destroy your work. It is so hard for me to find information on menswear of this period. Most everything else focases on the women's clothing. I had no idea that a man's trousers could be so interesting.
The sewn in crease that you showed at the end were popular in Australia in a brand of casual trousers called Bogarts by the local jean company Amco. I had a powder blue pair. They had a cuff slightly over an inch in height and as well as the stitched pleat that ran all the way up the leg there was a shorter piece of stitching from the waist downwards, about six inches long, on the outside of each main pleat. They were not denim but some cotton fabric made to look like linen. I really liked them.
I have a pair of slacks that have the sewn crease down the front. They're dress pants, but made from a soft, very comfortable material that won't hold a crease, so one was sewn on, to give them a more formal appearance, despite the material used.
*TROUSER CREASING TIPS* from a tailor of men's bespoke historical suite - Tip 1) SOAP - get a bar of natural soap made of sodium talloate and run the INSIDE of the trouser at the crease, it will dramatically improve the crease
Tip 2) A plank of smooth wood on a solid table - press, dont rub [iron] PRESS hard on the crease. Press, hold, hold, hold, release - always use a pressing cloth...!!!
Tip 3) Get a separate piece of wood - an off cut of a 2 x 4 smoothed will be fine, after you press the crease hold the wood [clapper] on the crease, this will draw the moisture out and set the crease as it cools
Tip 4) The steam your iron produces is NOT enough unless its an industrial steam generator - so get a spray bottle of water and soak the press cloth prior to application of the iron and hold until it has all evaporated.
This way you will get a razor-sharp crease in your trousers that will last months in even the heaviest of wool - final tip
Tip 5) hand your trousers upside down from the bottoms in the clip type trouser hangers they use in shops, the weight of the waist band and upper will pull the crease back into line and help it remain in place
A clapper works extremely well on natural animal hair fibers, such as wool, cashmere, alpaca, etc. When they are damp with the steam, they want to straighten back out to their original shape, so a clapper holds them in place and absorbs some of the moisture, as you say.
In the army, we turned our trousers inside out. We ran a strip of masking tape down the seam. Turn them right-side out again and press with steam. Razor-sharp seams!
Or you could use vinegar in your iron, press the crease when the trousers are still damp and hang upside down. I've gotten very long lasting creases into boiled wool this way.
@@athenathegreatandpowerful6365 I would always just spray the vinegar on instead of running it through the iron. Does the vinegar build up in the iron? We have hard water here, and I'm usually lazy about using distilled water, so I have issues with that.
@DinosaurProtector the vinegar will clean out any hard water buildup. Life-changing insofar as ironing goes. I can get 10 yards of 54 inch wide linen in around an hour. Literally wash on hot, dry on high heat, out of the dryer and onto the ironing board. Boom done. I have to get any and all shrinking/fading out of the way before I start cutting. Once that's done I can wear the dress camping and not worry about it.
You MUST make a video on Victorian knitwear! It's so overlooked! How formal were they? Did they wear them outside? Could they be worn in place of vests?
This is an interesting question and to be honest, a turtleneck often replaced a collar and tie past the 1890s. Knit vests were around as early as the 1880s as far as I know.
The sweater worn in the Video is from Scotland, it's called a "Fairisle" due to where the patterns and colors originate from. These were very common amongst fisherman who docked in Ireland, so common that the Irish, in an attempt to capture the complexity of the Fair isle the Irish invented the Cableknit fisherman sweater.
I believe that each family had their own pattern: if the man drowned and his body washed up to the shore, it could be identified from his jumper much longer after his face would be too far decomposed. That's because it takes longer for wool to break down.
The family knit thing is a myth. In general, knit patterns and cables are done for fashion or for the entertainment of the knitter.
Moths have feasted
Time is not on the side of things generally.
Wool is always a victim to moth nests
My friend, I don't care about the quality of the filming or lighting or sound or whatever -- the content itself that you cover is always high quality! I love watching your videos, and I always look forward to your uploads! Perhaps you could do a video busting the myth that people were smaller back then, and why that myth perpetuates to-day!
I'm not convinced it's a myth. Look at some of the random street videos from the turn of the last century and then compare that to the average pedestrians passing by on American streets today. Of course there were large people back then, like this gentleman, but there are far more extra large people today. I'm 60 years old. I started buying my clothes at thrift stores when I was in college in the early 80s. I could wear an extra small back then and you could find those in department stores. I can't ever remember seeing anything larger than an X-large at the thrift store. Today I wear a medium and those are in the minority at the thrift store. Smalls are rare and extra smalls are extinct. On the other hand, there are as many three Xs as mediums, and even 4Xs are more common than smalls. We eat far too much fat, corn syrup, and chemicals in our food and it's causing all kinds of metabolic disorders.
I totally agree about the videos! As long as they are not completely unwatchable, Kassenchow's thoughts and knowledge is far too entertaining and educational to worry about impeccable production values.
He's talking about survivorship bias and how itty bitty most remaining clothes usually are (I was surprised at the size of these trousers). Yes, people are bigger than they've ever been (outside of walkable cities like my own), but what survives is usually so small that it wouldn't get much of an afterlife after the original wearer, hence those clothes being in better condition.
People were shorter in places with poor nutrition though. We have put on a few inches of height as a species from having more food available to us these days.
@@brucetidwell7715 Even looking at clippings from newspapers, of groups of people from the 1970's, one can see that nearly every person was slimmer, look around today and overweight is the norm, unfortunately.
I don't know how the algorhythm finally offered me a glance at your channel, but I'm so glad it did! I've been interested in historical garments for as long as UA-cam has existed, but almost all channels I've seen so far have been about women's clothes. You're the first man I've seen exploring Victorian men's wear, and I'm fascinated to learn more! I'll be looking through your library of past videos eagerly now, to catch up with whatever you've showcased thus far.
I've been having the exact same issue! So glad UA-cam is finally doing us right lol
For those looking, Vincent Briggs makes historical (& other) men's wear.
I'm happy to see more mens wear too, and thank the algorithm.
@@jn9850 I love his content!
Me too
As a self-taught seamstress, I am absolutely enthralled by vintage clothing. Usually its just videos on womens vibtage clothing, but YT finally recommended a men's vintage clothing video, for which im grateful. The construction of mens clothing appears to have changed little, except for zippers instead of buttons and, horrifyingly, Velcro in place of zippers. However, those little touches (the darted hem break for example) are just so gorgeous. I know we wont go back to that style but at least I can incorporate come of them when I tailor something for my husband now. Love the video!!
Why not make your husband the clothes? That's what I'm doing for mine.
I wish my wife could make some clothes for me I’d love that. I saw a tie and shirt combo ina tailors in Manchester many years ago. Always dreamed of having them made for me. Same material on tie/shirt v seventies looking.
@@mfranssens teach yourself to sew or find classes. You're in the UK so you have the resources. The US has none unless you want to spend the equivalent of the national debt for a single class 🤯. Sewing and tailoring aren't difficult merely a focused activity. There will be research if you want them period correct, way more than you'd think. This video as evidence. I used to think Elizabethan women's dresses were the hardest, with research I realized how very samey they are. The more you know the easier it gets.
@@athenathegreatandpowerful6365 I do sew for my husband. I've made several shirts, vests, pants and suit jackets. I even made a vest for him with a tie to match the vest.
I just wish I had a husband who appreciated the work. He's a bit on the unappreciative side. Oh well. I enjoy the work anyway. My next suit for him is a very 60s style
@johannaholmgren8088 I'm doing early Victorian for mine. 1830s-40s. He started by wanting the hat lol. It's basically a newsboys cap but he loves them. We're about to retire so neither of us "has" to wear modern clothing anymore. Very much looking forward to retiring anything that resembles trousers in my wardrobe. He's going back to forging knives and I'm going back to doing Renaissance faires for fun and profit. Daily wear will be 1910 and prior. My faire stuff is pretty simple due to working in heavy heat and who knows when we'll end up in knee deep mud. It's a great life for us.
I've spent the past month and a half sewing two shirts into my own shirt with a detachable collar. I took the turn down off of one shirt and took the whole collar off of the other one. Because i don't have collar studs, I just sewed a button on the back of the shirt and added extra thread to the button on the front. I used a sewing machine for the buttonholes on the collar, but i hand sewed everything else. I finished the last button late on Christmas Eve and wore the shirt and collar for Christmas day. I had burgundy shoes, green sharkskin trousers with cuffs, an ivory morning vest, and a navy blazer with a burgundy pocket square and a dark green tie that matched the trousers. The shirt is white with a blue grid, and the collar is pure white. I would have never gotten to where I am with my style of it wasn't for your youtube channel and several others. Thank you, and i hope you have a happy new year.
Please share a photo of you on Christmas day! I would love to see your masterpiece!
1970's sta pressed trousers and doc martin ox blood boots were the height of youth fashion culture in the UK.
Now you have me worried that future historians will be fiddling with me gussets...😵💫
Really interesting! And by the way, you have a very friendly manner in your presentation. Makes you very relatable to viewers. So no need at all to be overly critical of yourself. Like all hand crafters, what seems like a glaring mistake to you, is not at all noticeable to viewers.....lighting, sound.... Your content is a gem.
In the 1930s and 40's, my father ran dance bands, which required him to wear evening dress for performances. He told me that he used to run a neat bead of fish glue down the trouser creases on the inside which, once re-ironed, kept the crease permanently sharp. Ingenious! 😀
... 'though unfortunate on those humid nights!
Pray tell, what is fish glue. Thank you in advance.
@@grlnexdoorable In days of olde when Knights were bold - and superglue had not been invented - every home had a tube of fish glue (usually hidden away in a sideboard draw). Fish glue is made from boiling down fish offal and, like other animal glues, is often still preferred (by pedantic enthusiasts) for repairing delicate, stringed musical instruments. Fish glue is air drying but can also be softened by the application of some gentle heat. Hence my old man using it to provide a semi-permanent crease in his dress suit trousers! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue . Probably far more than you needed to know - but that’s the problem of asking questions of old blokes like me - we know far too much and have far too much time on our hands to do anything but talk about it! 😀
Don't get too perfectionist about the quality of the video - this one came out great!
I'm always amused by fashion trends, but don't usually care. I found this video quite fun and interesting! I never thought about that crease above the shoe before, that's definitely attention to detail. Thanks for the bonus fact about the center leg crease!
Thanks for sharing this and the time it took you to put this video together!
Re the fake break - you’ll find that type of sewn in crease in old Victorian/Edwardian British military cavalry trousers (and even employed today for their full dress uniforms), only the crease is all done on the inside (ie inside out) and “invisible”, and this is referred to as a “cavalry cut”. So what this does is allow the hem to cover the heel down to spurs & and then cut up where the boot strap is to the front of the trouser leg giving the perfect break on the boot - a cavalry cut hem. I’ve done a couple myself on trousers & trews and it’s namely a matter of steam stretch/shape stitch more or less....BTW great video & well done. Fortunately for me I had a few samples & one was pretty battered so I was able to dissect & see how it was done, which you fa8rly surmised already. Cheers
I was in the RAF from the 1980’s to the 2000’s and there were a few of us who would know a tailor who would sew the creases into our trousers, it was a bit obvious, and illegal. While stationed in Germany our engineers had access to various glues which, in the absence of a tailor, some used to run down the inside of the crease to keep it sharp.
I’m a first time viewer, very interesting, really enjoyed it.
I was a "Pongo" a long time ago and, like you, sewn creases were banned. There was, however, a carpet glue called copydex (I think) which when applied lightly to the inside of the trouser leg, just at the crease position, before pressing gave a perfect result.
Lol, yes, i have a pair of professionally altered pants that I bough second hand and had to re-tailor to fit. When deconstructing, i discovered the lovely sharp crease had been cunningly glued :)
An alternative to Copydex was the use of "WonderWeb" hemming strips. It had the advantage of being able be adjust or even remove the 'obvious' crease by pulling it apart, and could be redone simply by ironing. Another 1st time viewer who enjoyed the video.
I saw a few Airmen get creases sewn when I was in the US Air Force and it it did look bad and it was obvious. The trick many of us used was using hair spray instead of starch. Worked brilliantly to make the fabric like cardboard.
My law enforcement uniform cargo pants has the creases sewn in from the factory.
I'm also Team Content, over the nuances of production. If the video is comfy to listen to, and the camera is in focus most of the time, it's the content I stay for.
This is fascinating!
Holding a light behind the tuck hidden by the hem might show enough silhouette to see how it was done.
The video is fascinating!
When working on the Row, I was shown to put the tuck, that you have on the outside, on the inside to take up the excess fabric in the hem so that the trousers would have a sloped bottom, to lessen the break at the front.
I'd prefer that as I think the one on the outside in the video looks odd, chunky, and unattractive.
That makes more sense.
@@rosemarycousins5501 you did the Row working so you knowledge is appreciated
1st time viewer & I am captivated. My father was a custom tailor in Los Angeles from 1930s-1980s. He made suits for Hollywood stars & Beverly Hills movie moguls. I remember him showing some "cuff & break" work he had done for an elder customer in the "old style."
This fake crease stitching was almost characteristic trait on USSR sportswear up to 1990s, and even crept into some variants of field military uniform.
I didn't know that! I definitely shouldn't have said "only for workwear or on women's trousers." I usually try to avoid those generalisations, but sometimes it slips out! Thank you for bringing this to my attention😊
Sportswear, Germany: ADIDAS trousers "Beckenbauer"
Military, USA: creases stitched to trousers and shirts of field uniforms during the 50s to 70s.
@@herosstratos -- Yep, back when I was in the military, we put "military creases" in our shirts... One crease running down each front in the center of the pockets and 3 creases in the back, IIRC... That was around 50 years ago, so the memory is a bit hazy...
@@AntiqueMenswearwith that an easy example is the Soviet summer M88 “Afghanka” uniform trousers they actually have stirrup as well as the sewn in crease
@@herosstratos yes I was just gonna say Adidas, I have an old track suit maybe early 80's late 70's in "sky blue" wide leg and fake crease stitching 😊
this was FASCINATING. I didn't know anything about the breaks in trousers - much less that it was so fashionable it was worth faking! I hope you know that your videos are delightful and I hope you post more of them.
First time viewer. The concept of breaks blew my mind. A small fold clothes makes has a name! Loved the bit about pocket names and styles.
Same!
speaking of trouser hems, I have found older pairs of pants that had an extra strip of reinforcing cloth across the back of the hem to lay against your heel of your shoe because with time it will cut through the wall of your expensive suit pants. I wish I had that done on my chalk stripe 1933 bespoke suit that I had made a few years ago. It has a turned up cuff and it has been cut through so I'm going to have to put some free check on there and eventually hand so a little reinforcing piece of cloth back there.
ooh I like that idea actually
I think it is called "kick tape" in modern English. They sell it online, mostly made of synthetic materials. But any tape should work, like a cotton twill.
It is used both to prevent friction damage as you mentioned, but it can also be used to lengthen the trousers, allowing the need for just 5-10mm of fabric to be folded in, the rest of the hem being just the tape.
I have a bespoke suit from a London tailor, and it has that in the inside back of the pants’ cuff. Remarkable detail.
It used to be quite common to buy formal trousers with unfinished hems. And a length of tape, carefully colour matched to the trousers, stashed in one of the pockets. But when you took them to the alterations tailor, they always used their own tape. One of life's little mysteries. Never could figure it out...
A very interesting video. I'm a tailor at a German theater and I always find it exciting to see how the tailors worked in the past. The view inside, which is usually denied in a museum, is particularly valuable to me. I hope you will continue making videos like this.
A small suggestion for improvement: the effect of the dart would have been even easier to see if the trousers had been ironed.
Hello there! I certainly envy your job and would love to learn more!
Unfortunately, these trousers belonged to an antique shop, and they were already sold, so altering or ironing them was out of the question. If they were mine I certainly would have!
@@AntiqueMenswear Bravo, yes.
Videos of the inside work with commentary would garner the museums lots of views. It might be worth suggesting.
Long ago, I ordered a pair of pants from a well-known firm that advertised a permanent crease. I was surprised to see that they had run a thin bead of _glue_ down the crease and pressed it in place! That didn't last in my wardrobe or the catalog, thankfully. Cheers!
I've two brothers, grew up in to 60ths and 70tys. I recall that at the time trouser legs were hemmed a little higher in the front than the back. At the time no one wanted a break in the pants leg, preferring instead, a nice clean line with maybe just the slightest of indentation.
My Grandmother was a seamstress in that era - used to say men were more picky about their trouser legs that women!
Denim blue jeans used to be available with a "boot cut" hem, a little higher at the front, to allow for the taller heal on a cowboy boot.
@@TomRogers-qj6ruthey still are for ladies. I find it to be the most flattering cut of denims on my body type.
11:15- these days, instead of using stitching the crease is made by folding the pants then infusing the fold with silicone rubber and allowing it to set (in the same way that silicone caulk is applied as a liquid and then dries to a solid), it creates a more subtle crease that doesn't look quite so intentionally engineered.
Well done! Glad to see you are posting again!
Thank you, it's good to be back!
I’m neither Victorian nor male but I was fascinated by your video and am going to include several of the points you mentioned into the next pair of trousers I make for myself. I shall be re watching your video at half speed next time. Love your style.
Fascinating details. I enjoyed this very much, as I'm particularly interested in historical menswear. And there isn't that much content about it.
I had no idea, that 'highwater trousers' was an actual historical term, btw. When I was young, in the 1980's/90's, it was a derogatory term for 'not quite long enough' pants - usually hand-me-downs or second hand. The term we use here in Germany (or did, since pants that lenght now seem to be downright fashionable) is a literal translation of the term. Hochwasser Hosen.
Wow, that is fascinating! This is the only term I could find describing the length. I'm not sure if it was intended to be derogatory by the author, but it could have been!
These days, in England, the words "ankle swingers" are used to mock short trousers. Although this term too seems to have been somewhat reclaimed as the style is once again fashionable.
@AntiqueMenswear
That's one trend I'll never get on board with 😆
It visually shortens the leg, it creates an awkward gap between the shoe and the pants... it's just a big nope for me!
It feels like a trend that only exists, because designers and fashion influencers need to continually come up with something new and exciting, to keep people's attention and get them to spend money.
I just cringe every time, I see someone out and about wearing these.
Im very glad you explained what the "break" in trouser legs were, now it all makes sense
When I was in the British army some of the lads would sew the crease in permanently on there 'lightweights' they were your work pants if you like, but must be kept smart and clean so once you done your basic training and your infantry training kit inspection was more relaxed so you would get away with sewing a crease down your lightweights, but only your lightweights not your combat pants or your number 1s parade pants, for obvious reasons so we can blame the Victorians for having creases down the leg of your strides eh, the amount of times during training I got in bother for having ' tram lines ' (double crease) down my lightweights lol
I remember 1970s polyester trousers with the crease molded into them.
'PermaPress'!
Amazing! It never fails. No matter what the topic, idea, or object from every day life, there is always a more complex and nuanced history to it than you could have ever imagined.
What an amazing find, I must say. I’ve been paying attention to the details of menswear, both contemporary and historic, my entire life yet this one caught me completely off guard. Surely there must be other examples somewhere.
Jolly good show, this channel, most enjoyable.
Now, sir - can we please 'ave some more?
The stitching on the false break reminds me a lot of a pin tuck. I've done a bunch of historical sewing, mostly Victorian women's wear and I've sewn quite a few pin tucks on both petticoats and chemises.
I've walked by Buchanan Field Airport on the Iron Horse Trail before. I recognized it as soon as you showed a picture of it. It's a pretty small airport, but it seemed pretty busy at the time.
False breaks were/are done on Caballero pants in Mexico. The cuff is also cut on an angle to the bottom of the heel.
The look is best astirde a horse.
Really like the 'fixed brake' idea. I may have to talk to my tailor about trying it.
Oooh, "fixed break" is a much better name than "false break"!
Yo! He’s alive! Let’s go! THIS is what I call a Christmas present!
Edit: I actually have a pair of modern suit pants that have permanent creases installed. I never really noticed how uncommon this is, but it’s cool to learn how old the idea is.
I'm still here, haha! I hope it's a worthy present!
@@AntiqueMenswearIt definitely is!
In the Marine Corps dress trousers, they dont have a pleat but they are cut at a taper to fall over the shoe in the same way.
Perhaps this is the (until now) intangible reason I find the Marine Corps uniform oddly 'poorly fitting'?
I've been perusing a number of tailor's drafting system books on various archive sites. A fair number of the late Victorian to Edwardian examples include trousers that have a backward slanted hem with a scoop in the front to accommodate the instep. Sometimes these also have curved inseams and out seams at the ankle to extend the hem further along the instep.
I've also seen instructions on military trews that provide this scoop while preserving a horizontal tartan stripe by cutting an eyebrow shaped piece from the instep (above the stripe) and then backstitching this closed and finally rantering the seam to hide it.
What I hadn't seen, until now, was a sewn break. So, thank you for bringing this to UA-cam.
The higher hem on the leg also adds stiffness to the bottom, preventing unintended "breaking" in a spot lower than the sewn-in break.
I'd like to see a video about how, when and why suspenders went from underwear to fashion accessories and then almost disappeared.
Artists are their own worst critics.
This is crazy! My 1st apartment was in Contra Costa County in the East Bay. 20 min outside of San Francisco aka The Clubs. 😘 In 1982, my 3rd of the rent with a private bath and garage parking was a whopping $200.oo a month. Our landlord even paid for the gas, water garbage and cable. Oh, the good ol' days. When you actually had $ after bills to taste the fruits of your labor.
I prob spent $1,500 a month on clothes and accessories. San Francisco and Berkeley had the most amazing thrift stores.
Many years later I actually found my wedding gown in Pittsburg. Vintage 1920s. We had a Great Gatsby theme. It was fabulous.
You fell into my feed somehow. I enjoyed this video immensely.
Thank you algorithm 👍
You could get a 1 bedroom guest house above Cal for 350 then.
I'm constantly amazed by the variety of diverting videos available on UA-cam.
This is nicely presented and strangely compelling, and some of the humour had me creased up.
That hat is mesmerizing. There is so much going in.
Absolutely fascinating. Lovely details in the tailoring and what tactile fabric!
Glad you're back. Hope you're well. This was a very interesting video. Great how you were able to find the original owner by the name in them.
This is great information! I'm currently "Victorianising" a pair of plaid trousers to match a waistcoat. Some nice tips od detail thanks.
Fascinating video. I have just found your site. Thank you so much. I hope that some enterprising individual copies that pleat when tailoring trousers. It is so elegant and very practical. I never realised how many different types of pockets there are either.
I never knew that trousers could be so complicated and so interesting! Never heard of the false break before. I'd like to see someone making them so I can see how they are sewn. I've seen many videos on Victorian women's fashions, so it's nice to see some Victorian men's fashions, too.
Best part about learning historical garment construction techniques is that a shortcut you took is a real technique with precedent (even though it’s not as clean or durable as the “right” way…)
The quality of the vid is great. Maybe you worry too much about it? I hope you'll upload more.
These trousers are really lovely. Thanks so much for sharing.
This was fascinating, not just for the clothes, but also the information on Mr. Buchanan. When I moved to the town over the hill from Pittsburg in the mid 70s, the town was very small & decrepit. Buchanan field was a very busy small airport, but I’d always assumed it was generically named after President Buchanan. I’ll do more research on Billy Buchanan. I forwarded this video to my SIL who is a fashion historian and recreator.
I didn't know the Victorians did this. I thought that I had invented it : (
except I always stitched the horizontal darts on the inside of the hem so they weren't visible.
Men, and many ladies, wear trousers every day, and yet we have no idea how subtle and complex they are! I discovered this recently when I tried to replace a torn pocket bag inside a modern pair of trousers. I salute your knowledge and understanding! Regarding perfection of videos, OK, there's a drop in the audio level at 2:52, but it's not a problem. There are too many broadcast-quality videos out there with a clickbait title but nothing to say and monetization as their goal. UA-cam should give us all a chance to tell what we know, so don't hold that content back!
Glad I found your channel. I'm always interested in clever &/or beautiful things made by human hands. There are so many wonderful garments from history that we sadly don't see worn anymore. Your research & knowledge will surely make this an interesting learning experience.
This came across my YT feed, but don't know why. Glad it did because I found it fascinating: the ways of construction, the purposes, the intentions, the materials, all put together. Really enjoyed the details and getting in close. Thank you.
Very interesting. Not sure about that faux break device. Re: sewn-in creases, I had the regimental tailor put "sewn-ins" into all my trousers and the arms of my jumpers. 1980s. My sergeant major also had all the pocket flaps sewn down on his smock. It made the pockets quite useless, but it looked smart (he said!).
What a delight that you wound up in my feed!!❤
Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video!
Neat little detail. I can't recall ever seeing it elsewhere. (Tho now I'll look.)
And not to worry about video 'quality' -- it's the interesting topics I come for, not the polish.
I was a UK policeman up to 2015 from 1986. I had the creases sewn into my uniform trousers for at least the first 15 years of my service, though it was frowned on for new joiners who were expected to use a flat iron to get the same effect similarly I always had a horizontal crease ironed into the rear of my formal uniform collared shirts roughly at armpit height, and 2 vertical creases going down through the centre of the chest pockets
Why iron in a horizontal crease across the shirt back (or, indeed, down each front side), when you'd have worn a jacket or pullover on top?
@ shirtsleeve order in the summer
I’m so used to historic women’s clothing that I’m actually blown away by how modern these trousers look. Add a zipper (I know it’s too early) and they’d basically look no different than pants that are available and worn today. Also, such smart tailoring and additions to the pants too!
There were zips inside pockets.
Creaseswere a sign you were wearing store bought trousers. The crease took about a generation to really catch on
Source 2 100 plus year olds I knew in the late 1960s and the late 1970s and early 1989s. Being a history buff I asked a lot of questions.
This was a great video! Those trousers are so fantastic and I always appreciate you showing off all the little details. The only thing I would say is some pockets you referred to as mule ear were also referred to as frog mouth pockets in their period, probably not getting a different name until later as more pocket varieties arose.
The footwear in the video is incredible! Are they all vintage or some of them are new? Incredible video! Thanks
Fun fact I know, the South African army during the 80s allowed a service man who had completed his 1st year of service a stitched seam for his 'bests' trousers instead of needing to iron the seam, don't know if they still do this practical as it is.
Delightful in every possible way, sir.
Absolutely fascinating. As someone who is entirely fashion-less, your detailed knowledge about the construction of men’s trousers is a completely new concept to me, but super interesting nevertheless.
Lol. I grew up in East Contra Costa County. Just one small hill separates our home from Pittsburg, California. At the age of 69, I've just learned who our local airport was named for, and a bit about the man. When clicking on this video, I would never have guessed that would happen.😆Thank you!!
I do not think it looks like a break but rather a flap which has been ironed in place.
Your commentary however is very interesting. Good job.
I was just beginning to think of stitched-in permanent front creases when up they came! I have only ever owned one pair and only seen one other person wearing such a pair, decades ago. Fascinating and very well explained video in wonderful detail, thank you.
turned on notifications for u bro. not a man but always on the lookout for better and less painful ways to sew jeans/pants.
This was so oddly fascinating, I look forward to more uploads,
Fascinating info on a topic I didn't know I was interested in. Cheers!
Historical clothing needs are highly entertaining, but you are the first Historical clothing need I have ever seen focusing on men's wear. Thank you for this tutorial.
The hard wired break is brilliant, thanks for sharing it. btw that is twill that has been brushed, not flannel I believe.
I never knew that much about trousers and I liked it very much I love the ones with the fall break I think they should bring that back thank you
Thank you for the history lesson. My husband and children lived and worked in and around Contra Costa County for 20 years. As a seamstress, I'm going to sew up some pant legs and see if I can figure out how this break was done.
The Elephant don’t buy off the rack. You know
He always come back!!🎩
My fascination with the past will never die!
First of your content I’ve come across and this is so immensely interesting. My younger sister has always been into vintage clothing and costumes and eventually became enmeshed into the “living history” world which includes military reenacting. As such, I’ve examined plenty of men’s clothing, little of which could ever fit, and marveled and wondered at all the design and fit choices. The button fly in these are remarkable and illustrates, among other reasons, why so much value was tied up into the clothing of earlier times, much like how the bed and mattress was often the most valuable item in a household.
Salutations, good Sir! I absolutely enjoyed finding and watching your video! It happened by sheer accident, but I am all the more glad for finding it! I just wanted to extend my greetings in saying how absolutely happy this video made me feel! I really do enjoy the fashion of that period! All the way to the 40's and 50's! It made me very happy to see someone else take an interest in it! Also, I have to ask two questions: one. What started your interest in earlier period clothing? And two. Where can I find such a splendid monocle?! Thank you for the fascinating video! Take care good Sir!
please upload you other videos we all love to see them even if they not perfect
Thanks for showcasing a fellow Californian! I was excited to see Buchanan's trousers since my grandmother was born in Pittsburg CA. What a treasure! and I really love that unique fold on the trousers. I think it looks great and I think this is a nice detail we could bring back. 💚
Crazy timing! I just saw this video yesterday, and two minutes ago, was able to inform someone on X what a "jetted waist pocket" was. Thank you for your videos. I love the internet!
My old navy dress blue pants are still made very much the same as these
Thank you for the lovely video, friend. I would happily watch anything you chose to share, even if it was 'imperfect'. Your content enriches my life.
The G.O.A.T is back 💯
This is my first time seeing your channel. Well, Happy New Year! I just subscribed.
Interesting facts I didn't know about .. thank you for being so detailed .. That's what I like ....😊
7:10 Preventing plumber's crack since the 1800 century.
THE ACE IS BACK!
Seriously so hyped to see you back on UA-cam! If you're taking suggestions, i'd love to see a video on victorian workwear and slop/chore clothing!
I'd like to see a video about spats. I've never seen anything about spats in real life. I've only seen them as a cartoon image.
"No maidens! No damsels! I dare to bet even your pantaloons are a phony. You're fashionless sir!"
"I accept your challenge sir"
Very cool!! I love old clothes from that era, the quality was just so good!
Amazing! Thanks you are back!!! ❤🎉
As for sewing an artificial crease into trousers, my step-father hired a seamstress to do this on all his blue-jeans, I hadn’t seen this done before and assumed it was just a peccadillo unique to him, or a fashion of the 1950s that he’d held on to for some reason.
"It might actually be that wealthy men..." Or any practical man. My dad was enlisted and sewed all the appropriate creases into his uniforms by hand. Saved loads of time ironing and still looked spiffy at the end of the work day.
A proper extra-large gentleman of his time. Wht a fascinating subject. i have subscribed to your channel. I love your voice and your video quality is wonderful. Please don't hide or destroy your work. It is so hard for me to find information on menswear of this period. Most everything else focases on the women's clothing. I had no idea that a man's trousers could be so interesting.
The sewn in crease that you showed at the end were popular in Australia in a brand of casual trousers called Bogarts by the local jean company Amco. I had a powder blue pair. They had a cuff slightly over an inch in height and as well as the stitched pleat that ran all the way up the leg there was a shorter piece of stitching from the waist downwards, about six inches long, on the outside of each main pleat. They were not denim but some cotton fabric made to look like linen. I really liked them.
This garment is in extraordinary condition.
Interesting. I wonder though why is it not sewn on the inside, invisibly as an elbow dart in a sleeve.
I have a pair of slacks that have the sewn crease down the front. They're dress pants, but made from a soft, very comfortable material that won't hold a crease, so one was sewn on, to give them a more formal appearance, despite the material used.