The "Gartlet"

Lord and Taylor advertised these combined garter and hose in a 1909 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. I wonder if, when the ad was printed, the inventors of the "Gartlet" had any inkling that one day, little elastic bands attached to the tops of socks, would virtually wipe out the garter business.

Merry's Windows

The Haberdasher and The Clothier and Furnisher would regularly run contests for the best window displays in the country, and I noticed, after scanning through several issues, that a certain window dresser from the midwest kept appearing in the winners' circle. He stood out, because while all the other winners usually had their hair slicked back, or to one side, the talented Mr. Merry, was always pictured with his locks piled into a wonderful pyramidal structure, daringly perched on the top of his head.

There he is, on the right, above some of the other winners of The Haberdasher's Display Championship. In 1921, he would win the championship for a second time. 

Here he is some years earlier, winning 2nd place in The Clothier and Furnisher's 1912 window dressing contest. 

And Here he is again, winning a Clothier and Furnisher competition in 1913, giving a little credit to his school. This bit was printed in Merchants Record and Show Window.

Below are some more examples of Mr. Merry's prize-winning work from The Haberdasher's 1920 Contest:

So, after seeing this shining star of window dressing pop up in periodical after periodical, you can imagine my excitement, when I saw the headline: "The King of Display Men Speaks!"In the following article, Mr. Merry sets down his guidelines for success: 

Virtual Tour

Here is a wonderful virtual tour of a made-to-measure factory in Chicago. It was printed in a 1910 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. 

Vogue

In 1921, a men's jewelry company moved their headquarters from 5th Avenue to Madison Avenue. Their name was "Vogue" Jewelry for Men, and their logo includes a typeface, strangely similar to the one used today, on the cover of a certain famous magazine. According to the ad below, printed in an issue of The Haberdasher, the store was run by four brothers, and was founded in 1890. I was curious to find out more about "Vogue," so I did a little digging:  

I unearthed another ad for the store in a 1908 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. It appears that they were not a retailer, but rather, a jewelry house, producing their own lines of fobs, pins, links, clasps, and buttons:

After some more digging, I found the following notice, printed in The Boy's Outfitter from 1920. It describes "Vogue" as a wholesale endeavor: 

But what became of them? It took a bit more searching to find information from later than 1921, but after poking around for a while, I discovered two Vogel Brothers Company. inc. patents from 1926, listed in the Index of Patents Issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office:

Earrings? Did I read that correctly? For sailors, perhaps? 

Unfortunately, after the patent listings, a clear trail (at least on the internet) seemed to run out. and I can't seem to find any images of the jewelry that the produced. Perhaps more information will turn up.

A Novel Approach

The international Tailoring Company comes a courting: 

This coquettish two page spread from a 1920 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher is really something else. The left-hand page looks like the cover a romance novel, and on the right, we have the opening page. They are willing, and if you are too, they say, "there's nothing to stop us from finding each other out," but will you take the first step and write? 

Well, if the menswear business is romance, then that explains this bold hat advertisement from a 1910 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher:

Gargantuan Garters!

In 1909, the boardwalk at Atlantic City was home to a 40 foot tall, full color, light-up Brighton garter ad! The largest in the world!

An All-purpose Tie

This versatile skinny tie from 1910 may be sort of a "missing link" between the cravats and neck-cloths of old, and the specially shaped ties and bow-ties that we see today! 

I wonder what the "twelve desirable colors" were?

Your Best Asset

This ad copy is an absolute gem! It's so motivating! It just makes you want to get out there and tailor your way to success, "through the sheer attractiveness of good clothes!"

Picking Daisies

Could you pick just one, or would you want to collect whole bouquet?

This Young Hat Company advertisement was printed in a 1910 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. 

Self Styled?

Here is a 1910 installment of Dandies of the Stage. From "Beaunash's" little critique below, it seems that stage actors in performances with contemporary settings were, at times, responsible for styling their own costumes. Naturally, this resulted in some rather confused ensembles. I wonder if, as the film industry developed, the meticulously crafted male wardrobes featured in motion pictures, encouraged live theater costumers to dress their contemporary characters a little more carefully. 

Roxford Shoppers

This ad from a 1910 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher, shows a couple of stylish gentlemen, shopping for their Roxfords. A sales clerk carefully measures the customer on the left, to insure a that he gets a perfect fit, while the second shopper  scrutinizes the merchandise. The man behind the counter looks a little tense, watching the expressions of his choosy young customer. Will "the good knitted underwear" be good enough for him? Note the little Roxford poster hanging above the counter; an ad within an ad.  

Stockings for the Noble

Are you a good man? Are you true? Then "Onyx" Hosiery is for you!

This Onyx Hosiery ad was printed in in a 1910 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. I love the delicate little illustrations of clocked stockings in opera pumps, and Lord and Taylor's bold claim, that they can offer "all shades, to match any color scheme desired." I wonder if they had their own dye house?

Full STEAM Ahead!

This Strauss & Bros. ad from a 1910 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher is everything and a bag of chips! It features a Muchaesque Progress, who reclines on a ship's wheel, a car, and a locomotive, while gracefully saluting the text: "High Art Overcoats for Men and Young Men." Meanwhile air-ships run rampant over an Italianate landscape, careening through a rose-decked archway that is precariously balanced on a flying globe. What a wonderfully bizarre celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM)! 

No More Red Flannel

I am truly impressed with the variety of "nude" shades available in this 1910 Roxford men's long underwear ad from The Clothier and Furnisher! Their color chart also includes white, heliotrope, pearl, steel, and two shades of pale blue. 

Kings and Pretenders

In a 1913 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher, "Beaunash" weighs in again with his usual sagacity. This time, he discusses the diversity of perspectives in visual interpretations of the word "Fashion." Aesthetics dictate style, and proportion, presence, and point-of-view all inform Aesthetics. As "Beaunash" puts it: 

"In simple reason, every fashion cannot be becoming to everybody, and as long as men are short and tall, stout and thin, round-faced and oval-faced, full-cheeked and lean-cheeked, thick-haired and bald, mustached and clean-shaven, they will keep on doing with fashion just about what they please." 

- Beaunash

I think the little article below is an absolute gem.

Natural Blondes

No bottle-blonde silk used to make these summer novelties!

Speaking of "summer novelties." I couldn't figure out for the life of me, what kind of product was being featured in the ad above. Were they hat-bands? Belts? Scarfs? Finally, I found another ad from the same company, and discovered that the mysterious blondes were actually neck ties. 

Both these ads were printed in 1910 issues of The Clothier and Furnisher. 

T-Straps for the Roxford Boy

I found another marvelous illustration from a Roxford long underwear ad in a 1908 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. The gentleman in the illustration appears to be enjoying a peaceful moment with his paper, but his secure grip on his chair-seat makes me wonder what sort of sensational news story (or serial) he might be reading. Speaking of sensational, check out the amazing pair of T-strap sandals he's wearing!

Oh, don't say that!

Some issues of The Clothier and Furnisher had a special gossip column. Not just a chatty column referred to as "the gossip column" in moments when it's official title was forgotten, mind you, but a full blown page, with an elaborate header proclaiming exactly what you would find below.

And in the gossip section of a 1909 issue, I found the following delicious tidbit:

My, what a powerful writer's voice! Our gossip seems tickled giddy, over the introduction of purple silk belts to the 5th avenue menswear scene. I wonder how many gentlemen took full advantage of the new purple accessories, and became "things of beauty" and "joys forever?"

Meet Style, and Quality

A history professor of mine once said "you just don't see male personifications in art." Well, maybe not in "art", but they certainly pop up quite a bit in old advertising illustrations. Style and Quality, here, are upholding the statement that the Hat is the finest in all the land. Of course, if they are questioned, we are assured that the Hat will back them up. A formidable trio!    

This ad is from a 1912 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher.

Ready to Blossom?

You heard it here, folks. It's June; there are butterflies flitting through the fields, and the season is neigh for menswear customers everywhere to "blossom forth with the flowers!"

I love the bold deco look of this 1917 advertisement from The Clothier and Furnisher. I believe that the illustration is meant to be used as a detachable window card, since there is a cutting line below it. I wonder if it was featured in any shop displays when it was first published. It certainly is eye-catching.

Here is the backside of the page: