Fashion Evolution of Mens Suits Infographic

The fullness of the 1920s took off in the 1930s as mens suits became wider and a new style emerged: the double-breasted jacket. In the 1930s, mens suits had tapered pants and softer jackets with a “drape cut.” In 1930s mens suits, double-breasted jackets always had six buttons. By the 1940s the buttons dropped to three. After the casualness of the roaring twenties, mens suits became more formal in the 1930s.

Zoot suits were another icon of the 1930s. Zoot suits, with their bright colors, oversized jackets and baggy tapered pants, were associated with swing music. When swing music had a recent resurgence in popularity, so did zoot suits.

In the 1940s mens suits became simple and sober. Most mens suits in the 1940s were navy or black with straight lines.Accessories for mens suits became very colorful in the 1940s. Men in the 1940s showed off their fashion sense with decorative ties, suspenders and cufflinks.In the late 1940s, zoot suits became a favorite of entertainers and working-class men.

In the 1960s fashion rebelled against 1950s conformity and so did mens suits. Lapels became slimmer and notched. Pants became “stovepipes.” The Beatles popularized the slim-fit, collarless black suit that is a hallmark of the 1960s. Tailored mens suits became popular again in the 1960s when British celebrities wore them with polo-neck sweaters.Like zoot suits and skinny suits, the roaring twenties are back in fashion. Movies like “The Great Gatsby” and the TV show “Downton Abbey,” both set in the 1920s, make the fashion of the roaring twenties fresh for modern audiences. The roaring twenties will probably never go out of style.