Drape suit

[1] The design of the athletic aesthetic of the drape suit is attributed to the London tailor Frederick Scholte.

[2] The new suit cut was softer and more flexible in construction than the suits of the previous generation; extra fabric in the shoulder and armscye, light padding, a slightly nipped waist, and fuller sleeves tapered at the wrist resulted in a cut with folds, or "drapes," front and back that created the illusion of the broad-shoulders and tight-waist "V" figure of the very fit.

[3] Introduced in the late 1920s, the athletic silhouette in suits "gradually and subtly refined into the drape cut".

[4] Frederick Scholte's distinctive V-shaped suit was developed through "discreet horizontal drapes narrowed across the shoulder blades from the roomy armholes down to the raised waistline".

[1] In addition, the American drape suit has a very tapered waist that helps to exaggerate the bulk in the chest and shoulders, and causes the skirt line to appear flared.

[1] The drape suit remained popular during World War II, being a familiar and stable piece during uncertain times.

[1] A man's shoulders remained broad, fluid and natural; his chest appeared full and muscular "with the deeply rolled lapels"; "his waist and hips were made trim with the raised coat waistline and ventless skirt".

[3] The Bold Look was the continuation of the English drape cut with greater emphasis on the coordination of the suit with its accessories and shirt.