Astaire's Waistcoat...

[Connemara]

I can't for the life of me tell if this waistcoat has lapels or not. At first thought, I said no...but then look at the curvature at the top button. It may also be the fabric pulling. Any opinions? What movie is this from, by the way?

 

[Vintage Gent]

Looks like it to me.

 

[Manton]

It's from Easter Parade. The vest does have small, rounded lapels.

 

[zjpj83]

I was recently offered Astaire's original Easter Parade hobo costume, including suit, shoes, hat, suspenders, and other items from the scene. Seller wants $20,000.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by zjpj83

I was recently offered Astaire's original Easter Parade hobo costume, including suit, shoes, hat, suspenders, and other items from the scene. Seller wants $20,000.
What are you implying? That you turned it down?!?

 

[marc237]

There is so much going on in that outfit - flower, ticket pocket, pocket square, tie pin, vest, cane, and hat. Yet, it is pulled off effortlessly. I could aspire to look only 10% as good.

 

[chorse123]

Originally Posted by marc237

There is so much going on in that outfit - flower, ticket pocket, pocket square, tie pin, vest, cane, and hat. Yet, it is pulled off effortlessly. I could aspire to look only 10% as good.

That's the beauty of the grey suit.

 

[zjpj83]

Originally Posted by Manton

What are you implying? That you turned it down?!?
ha, yes

Though I still am extremely interested in purchasing one of Astaire's suits (doesn't have to have any film pedigree).

 

[marc237]

Originally Posted by chorse123

That's the beauty of the grey suit.

Got any 43Rs in that ever expanding inventory of your's?

 

[Duveen]

You should have snapped that up...

There is a huge market for Hobo shoes (witness NDC, which has built a business around curled toes alone...)

 

[Mark Seitelman]

Note that Astaire's coat is quite short and very fitted.

He planned it that way for dance sequences. This was a dance scene in a music shop.

It's important to note that Astaire's clothes were made for the screen and stage so as to show-off his dancing. Generally, these were not clothes for regular people. E.g., his trousers tended to be a bit short, and he wore colorful socks and interesting shoes to heighten the interest in his feet. He loved correspondent shoes.

Also note that Astaire's hands are rather large. He was always self-conscious about the size of his hands, and he tended to curl his fingers inward to diminish the size.