USA-Made Polo Suits

[AR_Six]

Apparently I'm "that guy" today asking all the suit questions.

Anyone have an opinion on these? My understanding is that Polo suits were made in USA until 1999. Thing is, I occasionally see them on ebay and they don't look terribly dated, though the shoulders are a fair bit broader than the Corneliani suits. Example below. Thoughts?

 

[DocHolliday]

I have one of the old U.S. made suits -- a chalkstripe in gray flannel -- and it looks great. Doesn't strike me as dated at all, and fully canvassed to boot.

Would like to see a full length pic of the one you're considering, but it looks fine there, at least to my eye. Buttons might be a little low, but not offensively so. Hard to tell much the way it's cropped.

I've read suggestions here that the quality went down near the end of the domestic production run, but I can't speak to that.

 

[dopey]

I recall the US-made Polo as being very good.

 

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Eould like to see a full length pic of the one you're considering, but it looks fine there, at least to my eye. Buttons might be a little low, but not offensively so. Hard to tell much the way it's cropped.
Full length. The pants are pleated, so that's a sign of age, but you guys know the signs of a dated suit a hell of a lot better than I do, so I appreciate the input.

 

[rssmsvc]

Looks nice, I loved the USA made Polo suits,

 

[AR_Six]

^I love the Italy made Polo suits but finding a 2b solid navy for less than 600 is a challenge for obvious reasons. Still on the lookout.

I think I will make an offer on this.

 

[unpainted huffheinz]

The trousers will be pretty full cut on that suit. That is the one thing I don't like about the old USA Polo stuff.

I've had some odd jackets, but I prefer the cut of the current Corneliani. I still have a decades old overcoat with a canvas down the entire length of the coat, which is perhaps better made than the St Andrews ones today. Some of the old Polo stuff is pretty incredible, and there is still NWT things that come up on eBay.

 

[I. Gentantithesis]

From the lapel width and shoulders, appears to be late '90s by Pietrafesa* of Syracuse, NY (defunct). If it is, it should have a production tag in the left lining pocket that will have an exact date of manufacture on the bottom (example 980529), however some just had a season and year (F8, S8). Pietrafesa's WPL5596. If the aforementioned is confirmed, and the jacket has side vents, at the time it was called "Polo Traditional I". Excepting the flat front fad of the last half dozen years most Polo suit trousers were historically forward pleated. The quality diminished in later years. If small hand sewn threads are not easily evident along the shoulder seams of the lining it is of the later period. If the rectangle on the label is not really a rectangle (the upper right has a 45 degree slant instead of a 90 degree angle), it was made for discount sale.

Contrary to the above, the top buttonhole appears finished on the inside to facilitate a 3-2 roll lapel with a neatly finished top buttonhole showing in the roll. Some of the later USA made 3-button fronts, and the Cornelaini, seldom have this feature - they're finished on the outside.

*In addition to Polo, Pietrafesa made private label suits for Brooks Brothers, Nordstroms, probably SAKS and numerous others with varying degrees of quality. Their own brand was Ledbury Ltd.

One reserves the right to be mistaken.

 

[AR_Six]

Well you certainly seem to know your stuff.

So does that mean 1995? It has 1 vent.

 

[I. Gentantithesis]

Yes, sir, indubitably.

It was made on July 14, 1995 for the Fall '95 season, a little late. Fabric's probably English. It's Polo I - one vent was standard on Polo I from its nomenclatural inception sometime in the early '70s, until perhaps this decade.

If you've a strong predilection for slim trousers, rethink. Those may be as wide as 22 inches circumference at the knee, 20ish at the cuff. Just right if they were only beltless.

 

[ferguscan]

I am wearing this one right now: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=141173 I absolutely love it to bits. The trousers have a VERY full cut through the leg with little or no taper towards the bottom (this suits me fine; I have massive thighs). The lapels are big. The cloth is medium-heavy weight. And it's fully canvassed. What more could I want for the $0 that I paid

I like it so much, that I bought this one too: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=135569 I will report back when it arrives. Stuart

 

[stant62]

Was sniping one on ebay awhile back but someone stole it from right on under me

 

[neyus]

That suits looks really nice. Its not dated at all. Yeah the trousers probably are quite full, but I have a polo suit made in italy made in this decade and the trousers are baggy all the way there too.

 

[Souper]

Suits were made in Lawrence, MA
Shirts were made in Morgantown WV
Ties were made on 28th st in NYC.

most of the other sportswear was made in Pa.

there was a chinese owned factory on 38th st. the cuttings for the showroom and salesmen samples were larger then the runs for the independant designers that used the same factory.

 

[maxnharry]

Any ideas on how to hunt for vintage Polo on eBay, beside the obvious "vintage polo" search.