fashionsfromhistory: Dressing Gown Harborow’s Outfitters 1925-1935 MET “As to Shirt

fashionsfromhistory:

Dressing Gown

Harborow’s Outfitters

1925-1935

MET

“As to Shirts, Scarves, Gloves, Handkerchiefs and Socks, a gentleman of taste cannot be too precise in making his selection. He should go to the very first authorities in London, among whom, HARBOROW, of 15, Cockspur Street (near Charing Cross), ‘makers to the Royal Family,’ and all the élite of the town, rank as the chief, and who alone 'keep touch’ with the best styles.”

–Charles Eyre Pascoe, 1892. (x)

–Men’s Wear: The Retailer’s Newspaper, Vol. 29, No. 2 (May 25, 1910), pp. 86-87. (x)

(transcription under the cut)

London Shop Windows.

The best furnishing houses here are not given to extensive window displays. In fact, those with the most exclusive goods make very little show to the public in general. Take, for instance, Messrs. Duclos of Conduit street (who hold several royal appointments); only about a third of an already small window is devoted to the actual display of goods. About a dozen handkerchiefs comprise the whole of their exhibit. The windows illustrated here (those of Messrs. Harborow, New Bond street) are rather an exception to this rule. This is one of the few select firms who, while keeping right up to date as to the prevailing mode, manage to introduce original ideas and a personal touch which are not to be found in the goods shown in the average store, where only the decree of the manufacturer and his enterprising salesmen is accepted as to what is and will be the correct thing for each season.

In the window to the left of the entrance are shown a dressing gown and two smoking jackets. The jackets are made of a handsome brocade of fine quality, lined with a soft silken fabric. They are the very last word in luxurious comfort. A few silk scarfs in rich dark tones complete the exhibit.

In striking contrast, the window to the right is filled with colored handkerchiefs of the finest lawn, delicately tinted in pink, blue, helio and green . These are shown alternately with light colored gloves in the softest of doe and chamois. Altogether it is a window at which one feels compelled to linger and admire.

In the new Piccadilly arcade, which has just been opened,I noticed one or two neat little hosiers’ shops. They are all of the doll’s house type and the room is exceedingly limited. The lack of space, however, is more than made up for by the excellence of the goods and the taste shown in exhibiting them. One of the tiny windows devoted to evening dress, waistcoats, ties, gloves, etc., is particularly good. In another, chamois gloves in their natural color, with an edging of black, are amongst the most dressy things of the season. American visitors this year should take a stroll through this arcade. It will not be wasted time. A straw hat of exceeding lightness, now being shown in some of the windows, seems aptly described as “The rainoplane.”

With the many excellent window displays, it is almost impossible to notice any that stand out boldly from the rest, but a “blue” window in one of our smartest houses seemed to call for more than passing attention. The whole scheme was in excellent taste, and the beautiful gradations of shade, from the palest of skies to a rich, deep, almost royal tone, were most pleasing.

Neckwear, socks, even braces, the latter in a beautiful watered silk, were to be had, either en suite, or in such delightful contrasts that the most exacting taste could not fail to be satisfied.

I was also struck by a very fine display of striped shirts in the premises of one of our leading shirtmakers. Some of the soft tunic shirts in white grounds, with stripes of either black, blue or green, were especially good and, while losing none of their comfortable negligee appearance, seemed to have assumed a dressiness not usually expected in these goods.