HSM Archives: Big Men On Campus

Here are some more early collegiate images from the Hart, Schaffner & Marx archives. Check out the nonchalance of the guy in the chair above: college sweater with formal pumps — now that’s a juxtaposition. Below, “prep” clothes:

Back when college men were fastidious consumers of clothing.

27 Comments on "HSM Archives: Big Men On Campus"

  1. These are fantastic. Love pictures from that era. Yes those “college men” were well turned out. But then they were a relatively more elite group prior to 1940, even those attending state universities.

    The top picture is also interesting due to the “high water pants”. I wonder, did the style of having trouser hems so high above low cut shoes originate earlier when it was more common for the streets were much dirtier due to mud outside of large cities and horse by-product everywhere? The short inseams would prevent cuffs from getting soiled.

  2. I persnally find the 1920’s clothes quite ugly. The thirties were much better, IMO.

  3. Love the pictures too. Buddy in the last picture has horrible tackling form though, head up young man.

  4. Hello. You have got an amazing blog. I really like it. How are you today? I hope you’ve been enjoying the weekend. Take care. Have a great week ahead. Cheers!

  5. That comment is so nice I almost didn’t approve it.

  6. From what I can see of the tailoring in the first, my switch to bespoke can’t come soon enough (I’m even currently doing my own alterations on a pair of odd trousers in the same turn-up style). I’m also gauche enough to slack around in evening pumps if the mood takes me

    The second illustration is also special – great colours, ensembles and composition

    All best,

    B

  7. The guy lighting up the cigarette at the “workout” is hilarious.

  8. Michael_Mattis | December 8, 2009 at 8:58 am |

    I’m most curious about the fellow in the first image, the one with the “1916” jersey. He’s wearing slippers with bows. I usually think of these as opera slippers. Anyone car to enlighten me as to their use with sportswear circa WWI?

  9. As mentioned in the post, M2, it’s a pretty novel juxtaposition. I’ve never seen it before.

    Replace the pumps with velvet slippers and it’s very RL Rugby.

  10. I like the 1rst picture on top. Interesting, the guy with the formal pumps.

  11. EVAN EVERHART | August 22, 2018 at 2:10 pm |

    In the first picture; loafers before loafers were a thing. Glorious.

    Those opera/court pumps with (relatively) casual wear reminds me of that photograph of Cecil Beaton in seersucker with opera pumps and no socks.

    Thinking on it; opera pumps really are very comfortable, and they are designed with comfort in mind, once broken in; they are made for dancing, after all.

  12. elder prep | May 27, 2019 at 12:07 pm |

    Are any of the images the work of J. C. Leyendecker?

  13. What do you think the young man in the second picture is being told?
    Looks like the man in the overcoat is his father (presumably rushed up to the school for the meeting) and the headmaster in spats.

  14. Old School Tie | June 20, 2019 at 3:43 pm |

    A lot of latent homoeroticism in much the genre from that era.

  15. Boop McSnoot | June 20, 2019 at 4:01 pm |

    College men are just as much fastidious consumers of clothing today, it’s just different clothing.

  16. MacMcConnell | June 20, 2019 at 4:25 pm |

    elder prep
    I doubt any are Leyendecker’s. His faces always have rosy cheeks. The clothing is more rumpled like clothing actually looks when worn. Although many of his Kuppenheimer clothing ads are less rumpled than his Arrow and interwoven ads. He also did ads for Kenosha-klosed-Krotch underwear.

    I once photographed JCL’s Arrow head shot ads back in the early 70s. I found them in old magazines at the KU library. I enlarged and printed them in B&W for a friend’s Ivy men’s shop. I deleted the Arrow, but left the JCL signature. Yes I know it’s criminal. But then I wear regimental striped ties and the closest I ever came to military service was the Cub Scouts. 😉

  17. Old School Tie,

    Must be your personal issue… your perceptions. Whatever… as the youth of today say.

    Cheers, BC

  18. MacMcConnell | June 20, 2019 at 7:51 pm |

    BC
    There was no latent homoeroticism, there was just homoeroticism. J. C. Leyendecker was known for it, he was gay. That doesn’t disparage his art, he was a master.

  19. Indeed, and the above work isn’t Leyendecker.

    I’d like to sing old songs around a banjo with my arm draped on one of my buddies. Looks fun.

  20. Old School Tie | June 21, 2019 at 6:59 am |

    @BC – it was simply an observation, not in any way aimed at causing offence. Don’t be so easily triggered…..as the youth of today would say.

  21. @OldSchoolTie: one sees what they want to see, I suppose. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

  22. whiskeydent | June 21, 2019 at 9:00 am |

    @GB
    “Fat, drunk and stupid is the way to go through life.”

  23. ” … zero-point-zero …”

  24. Carmelo Pugliatti | June 21, 2019 at 10:13 am |

    “I persnally find the 1920’s clothes quite ugly. The thirties were much better, IMO”.

    I think that these fashion sketch are from 1910s.
    The “30s style” beginning in 1926 circa with more modern cuts.

  25. MacMcConnell | June 21, 2019 at 1:24 pm |

    elder prep
    While Christian has confirmed that none of those images are not J. C. Leyendecker’s. He did do commissions for HSM. I can’t find any, sorry.

  26. MacMcConnell | June 21, 2019 at 1:36 pm |

    Vogue June 12, 2017

    “Today the artistic and personal partnership of Joe Leyendecker and Charles Beach is being acknowledged and celebrated by PVH Corp., a sponsor of NYC PrideFest 2017, whose portfolio of brands includes Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Arrow. With the help of PVH Historian Suzanne E. Shapiro, the Arrow Collar Man is coming out of the closet”

  27. Henry Contestwinner | June 24, 2019 at 10:41 pm |

    Ah, spats! Such a shame that they got dumped.

    I did get to wear spats as part of my high school marching band uniform, though, so I didn’t miss out entirely.

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