Self-belts with suits.

[LabelKing]

Rarely seen are self-belts.

Here is '70s London jeweler Andrew Grima wearing one with his suit.

 

[add911_11]

It is still in existence for high end bespoke causal trousers.

Welcome back, LabelKing. I hope your work with the magazine has went well.

 

[barims]

Examples I've seen and owned include Chester Barrie and bespoke Francesco Smalto. The latter lines the backs of the belts with leather

 

[LabelKing]

I'd like to see more visual examples.

From what I've read on the internet, most tailors aren't able to do self-belts anymore. They used to subcontract them out to self-belt makers which as one might imagine, are few and far between these days.

I have seen people on sewing websites make self-belts for women's dresses.

 

[add911_11]

Often, I do see some self-belted trousers from fashion brands e.g. Vivian Westwood

Also I have seen it from the Napolian tailors.

 

[TTO]

I have a Chester Barrie made suit with a self belt and a pair of McQueen casual trousers with one. I like the idea of them and have considered ordering them for summer suits, weather or not I could get one from the guys at C & the D I don't know?
-TTO

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Label King, Barims and TTO in one thread? Things are looking up around here...

Was the self-belt a peculiarity of the late 1960s / early 70s, or does it have a longer pedigree?

 

[LabelKing]

http://forums.filmnoirbuff.com/viewtopic.php?id=2964
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-95888.html

 

[TTO]

-TTO

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I can only find references back to the 1950s for example:

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/50smensfashions.html

I did find some vintage British clothing advertisements online from the 1970s, that describe self-belts as "continental style"...

 

[barims]

^ Continental makes perfect sense if one goes by Shirtmaven's post in the Ask Andy thread; his father's tailors were Smalto and Feruch, both of Paris

I'll photograph my own Smaltos and update in due course. My one misgiving is that the maison liked to use their self-branded buckles on the belts, which seems incongruous with the ideals of bespoke suiting as most, including myself, see them