WWII vs. Fashion

An addendum to my LRC Blog entry on “Ask Andy About Clothes”… This time from his Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Which is more acceptable for business two or three-button single breasted suits and which buttons do you button?

A: They are (almost) the same in status and projection of “serious business”. Almost! When WWII* put an end to double-breasted suits the single breasted two-button came into popularity.

*On March 8, 1942 the US Government War Production Board issued regulation L-85. Excessive cloth became the first casualty of war as pleats, patches, cuffs, vests, and a second pair of pants with suits, all disappeared along with the double-breasted suit until after the war.

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9:36 pm on August 5, 2003