Original 1940s 40s Vintage Green Blue Red Plaid Wool Skirt Suit By Billy Lewis

This wonderful skirt suit was made from a good quality wool plaid with a green background highlighted with blue and red lines. The unpadded jacket provides a slightly softer silhouette than we would normally associate with the 1940s hinting that this piece dates to the latter end of the decade. The lower placement of the buttons and the large lapels with tiny notches produce an informal more feminine look. These less angular design features suggest an influence from Dior’s New Look collection. A short line of three buttons extend down the waist and open to a notched front at the jacket hem. At the waist, there are a pair of shallow functional pockets and the sleeves end in a turn up cuffs. The high waisted skirt ends below the knee and is fastened using an original metal side zipper with hooks and eyes above. Inside, the jacket is lined in black crepe and has a National Recovery Board label as well as a maker’s label for Billy Lewis Ohio. 

Jacket

Shoulders: 15” seam to seam 

Bust: 38”

Waist: 30”

Skirt

Waist: 28”

Hips: 42”

Length: 30 3/4” plus 1 1/4” hem

The suit is in very good condition with only a well concealed darned hole as pictured. 

This garment is available to purchase with or without dress shields. These clever little contraptions have been made by our seamstress to an original 1940s pattern and can be simply attached to your garment by tack stitching at the corners of the underarm seam, pinning (we wouldn’t recommend that, it hurts if it goes wrong, so if you try this, it is at your own risk only) or inserting tiny poppers. They then stand ready to absorb any sweat and body odours as needed and you can simply detach and launder them instead of your garment, saving you a fortune in dry cleaning bills.

They are equally suitable for suits, blazers and dresses and come in two different options:

1. Pure cream cotton for your heavier weight dresses, blazers and suits

or

2. White cotton muslin for lightweight summer dresses (so they don’t show through the fabric)

They are universally sized and super easy to use even for a sewing novice as only a couple of tiny stitches are required at each side to secure them.

We sell Dress Shields as a standalone item or at a discount if you purchase them with a garment. We will select the appropriate type to match the garment you have purchased.

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