Again we pause for the forgotten man

Esquire, March 1935: “Last month we got ourselves in very solid with a large number of citizens, or vice versa, by stopping to reflect, via one of these fashion pages, that somebody loves a fat man. So again we guide the gentleman of girth, even unto such a relatively skittish department as that of spectator sports wear.

“Chubby, on the left, models a slenderizing outfit consisting of a fly front covert cloth topcoat in natural tan, worn with a grey diagonal cheviot tweed, a blue and white even stripe cotton flannel shirt, a black silk crochet tie, a green felt snap brim hat, brown suede shoes on a town last, reddish capeskin gloves and the omnipresent red carnation.

“Tubby, on the right, less convincing now than when his coat is buttoned, wears an outfit that shows the same tendency to emphasise all the long lines, accentuate the sharpness of the collar points and the taper of hat crowns, trousers and sleeves.”

I hate to disagree with the editors of Esquire, but I think both men could do more to elongate their looks. Tubby should wear a deeper V-neck, slimmer trousers and get rid of the turn-ups. Chubby could also remove his turn-ups, and a fly-front coat is not particularly slimming. It creates a solid expanse of cloth without the relief of buttons.

Do keep your jacket buttoned though. Otherwise what’s the point of tailoring?