BMOC, 1961

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Source:

The Daily Princetonian - 9/15/61

Odd Quad Whipcord, 1961

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 As always, the trousers are tailored with classic simplicity, tastefully trim -- with regular pockets, pleatless fronts, and belt loops.

Source:

The New Yorker - 8/5/61

Rush, 1961

Rush

Source: University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill Yackety Yack Yearbook, 1962

Muted stripes, 1961

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Source:

Yale Daily News - 1/11/61

Exceptionally interesting colors, 1961

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Source:

Yale Daily News - 10/23/61

Social Register Worsteds(?), 1961

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Source:

The New Yorker - 9/9/61

Brooks Brothers Number Two(s), 1932-1964

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Three new styles of ready-made suits have been added to our stock for this Spring. The familiar Brooks Brothers' models are continued unchanged and are supplemented by these three new styles, which are both single and double breasted - some with plaited trousers - the coats more closely fitted and with squarer shoulders.

Source:

The New Yorker - 2/27/32

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Furthermore, there are five different models which include our new close fitting, square shouldered coats in addition to our older models with natural shoulders. All models have soft rolled lapels.

Source:

The New Yorker - 4/23/32

The ready-made dealers, in fact, have taken several leaves from their custom brothers' books this year, both in unusually smart cloths and styles. The latter are generally giving more breadth to the shoulders and slightly less to the waist, and the best of these suits are so expertly cut and made that they achieve the desired effect without any shoulder padding. In any event, it's a style that has far more individuality than the usual ready-to-wear garment.

A somewhat surprising thing in connection with this trend is the way Brooks have taken the style up. Of course, Brooks still have their tables piled with the good old soft-roll, high-lapel sack coats that have been the accepted college and bond-salesman uniform for so long, but up on another floor, where the more conservative Brooks customer will never find it, is a whole new assortment of clothing hung on hangers in showcases, with two-button coats, peaked lapels, and pleated-waistband trousers! The models are single and double-breasted and show a nice refinement in design. This is especially true of the peaked lapels; they have a rather square cut that does not distract from their smartness, and also does not put your eye out any time you bend your head. From $50 up.


 Source:

The New Yorker - 4/16/32

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Brooks Brothers' ready-made suits for Spring include double and single breasted models in two different styles... one with natural, the other with squarer shoulders.


Source:

The New Yorker - 3/9/35

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 The Brooks Brothers staff unanimously deplores the later Number Two line, with fitted waist and square, padded shoulders. It was introduced as a concession to the Depression, and is now, they hope, on the way out.

Source:

The New Yorker - 5/7/38

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There never was a No. 2. For a few unhappy years, there was a No 222. It had a two-button jacket and pleated pants. Eventually, the pleats were banished, leaving a two-button suit called, inexplicably, No. 3.

Source:

"The suits on the Brooks Brothers Men" - New York Times - 8/15/76

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Source:

The New Yorker - 3/21/64

1966, "Our Newly Redesigned No. 2 Suit"

[Note: Their 1961 two button suit is also sometimes known as the "Number 2".  According to Esquire, the Fitzgerald model is a modified version of this suit. -katon]

Our British Stripes, 1961

Source:

The New Yorker - 10/21/61

Batik Jackets With a Difference, 1961

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Source:

Yale Daily News - 3/16/61

J. Press Stock Clearance Sale, 1961

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Source:

Yale Daily News - 4/24/61

Flawless natural shoulder suits, 1961

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Source:

The New Yorker - 5/16/61

Ivy League Look and the CIA, 1961

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Source:

The Evening News, Newburgh, NY - 5/4/61

And in related news...


Source:

Charleston (SC) News and Courier - 2/21/63

JFK and Fenn-Feinstein, 1961

JFK and Ribicoff, 1960*

"Officials at Frank Brothers Fenn-Feinstein aren't talking but from our Washington sources we hear the New Haven clothing firm is now making all of President John Kennedy's suits after he dumped his previous tailor for cashing in on the publicity. We understand the president chose the New Haven establishment after admiring the attire of Health, Education & Welfare Sec. Abraham Ribicoff who has been a Fenn-Feinstein customer for years. The president's brother-in-law, Sargent Shriver, is also an F-F steady..."

Source:

Sunday Herald (Bridgeport, Connecticut), Stamford edition, "Night and Day in New Haven" column - 5/7/61

*Obviously before JFK wore Fenn-Feinstein (if he ever did, that is; I've never seen any other reference to JFK having suits made by Fenn-Feinstein).

Images from Google's LIFE image archive

Our New Two-Button Suit, 1961

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"...for the man who desires slimmer lines and a slightly more tailored look"

Source:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 9/6/61

Well Suited for the White House, 1961

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"As the fashion designers noted with dismay, his business suits fail to conform to current Ivy League fashion in several respects."

"The Kennedy suit is, says Harris, "modern conservative." There is no padding in the shoulders, partly because padding is no longer in style but mainly because the President is broad-shouldered and needs none. The jackets have two buttons instead of the usual three because John Kennedy prefers to wear them that way (and also, says Sam Harris, because Sam Harris prefers to make them that way). Recent reports indicate that two-button suits are coming back into style anyhow, probably owing to the President's example. Harris insists that the presidential lapels are neither too wide nor too narrow; they are, he says, "medium conservative." They are definitely not in the skinny Ivy League mode, however. Neither are the trousers, which are just slightly on the narrow side."

Source:

LIFE magazine - 10/13/61

Source:

Reading (PA) Eagle - 3/31/63

Robert McNamara, 1968

Robert S. McNamara, 1916-2009

Source:

Google's LIFE photo archive

McNamara with John F. Kennedy, Hyannis Port, MA, 1961Source:

The Washington Post

Ivy Down Under, 1961

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Source:

The Sydney Morning Herald - 9/5/61

McGeorge Bundy, 1960s

April 1961, National Security Advisor to JFK

August 1962

December 1965, Presidential Assistant for National Security Affairs

Source:

Google's LIFE photo archive

George Peppard, 1961

George Peppard in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

(with the hope that there might be one person that hasn't seen this before; or maybe this one...)

H. Freeman & Son, Naturalaire, 1961

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Source:

Cornell Daily Sun - 11/28/61