Walton & Taylor

Karen Hunter
PO Box 1479
Orofino, ID 83544

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or call 208.305.7069

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Sack Suit 1870


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The sack suit, known as the lounge suit in Britain, was introduced in France in the late 1840's and had become the standard suit of clothes for most men from 1855 onward. Often, the vest and jacket were of matching fabric with the trousers or pants providing a color contrast. In other cases, nothing matched, but suits made of all matching fabric, a practice considered most obnoxious and garish, were called "ditto suits." Naturally, the ditto suit became very popular and the louder the checks and stripes, the better.

The sack suit, whether matching or not, was by 1870 well on its way to replacing the morning suit for all daytime events except for weddings, funerals, and high society functions. This change was complete by 1890, despite the insistence by the fashion and etiquette police that sack suits were only for the laboring classes or, for the better sort, trips to the beach.

By 1870, most men dressed in sack suits when engaged in business and, after setting aside the coat when necessary, labor. 1880's photos of cowboys on the northern range usually show the men wearing sack suits with the coats on or stowed behind the saddle. The key element of the sack suit was the sack coat, so see our glossary entry on "Sack Coat," as well as the entry for "Sack Suit" for more technical details.

Price: $725 (chest over 44 add 10%) + Shipping in continental US $30 (Please E-mail for available colors)

Below are swatch samples that you may choose to have your Sack Suit made from. We also offer solids in light gray, medium gray, charcol gray, and maroon.
002 009 016 022
008
WR
Gray
Dark Green Wool
012
011
010
009
016
015
014
013
021
020
019
017
022
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