1930s: Need comstuming assistance

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1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 9/30/06 at 1:35pm

I'm looking for some information on 1930s casual/day wear for men for a production of Waiting for Lefty that I'm directing. To be specific, I'm looking for clothing from 1934-1935. Any info would help. thanks!

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re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 9/30/06 at 1:39pm

http://just****inggoogleit.com/

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re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 9/30/06 at 1:41pm

I was going to say Salvation Army, but www.just****inggoogleit.com is a better source.

Updated On: 9/30/06 at 01:41 PM

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 9/30/06 at 11:46pm

Get pants that are slightly higher waisted and fuller cut, ties that are wider, and suspenders. Not much else has changed.

http://docandraider.com

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 12:21am

It has been my experience that www.just****inggoogleit.com has no good information about comstuming.

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 2:27am

I actually went to just****inggoogleit.com. I damn near busted a gut laughing. What a GREAT site!

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 2:33am

Obviously, the easiest thing to do would be to watch any Warner Bros. movie from the period, as they only did contemporary films back then, very little period costume drama and so the clothes would be pretty authentic. What about The Grapes of Wrath as well, or Dead End?

The Salvation Army will probably be picked clean by costume people (and nowadays, they sort and sell the good stuff to the movies.

Why not contact a nearby semi or professional theater company and see if they will rent you stuff from their costume house? I used to do this and many companies would for the extra income.

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 2:45am

Best bet is good old fashioned research. The library is your friend whenever you are doing set/costume research.

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 3:13am

ANd inside the library, see if there is a bound periodicals department. Fortune and Vanity Fair are excellent for 30's wealthy fashions (yes, it was an amazing glossy mag in the 20's and 30's) and Time and Newsweek are great for common man stuff. From 1936 on, ther is Life Magazine.

#10

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 10:39am

Time/Life Books has a series of books - one on each of the decades of the 20th Century. They contain tons of great photos. Most decent libraries will have them.

#11

re: 1930s: Need comstuming assistance

Posted: 10/1/06 at 11:24am

Take a look at the films of It Happened One Night, You Can't Take it With You or Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Most of the characters in Lefty, as I recall, are not of the upper classes. Men's pants were nearly always cuffed, suspenders were popular and depending on the year, Gable killed the t-shirt for a long time after It Happened One Night.

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