# Brooks Brothers oddities



## katon (Dec 25, 2006)

Inspired by the thread on Brooks Brothers mermaid t-shirts. :icon_smile:

Brooks Brothers has put out a lot of funky things over the years, so I thought I'd start a thread for cataloging them. If you have ads or photos of the original articles, post them here! :icon_smile_big:

I'll start:









(1976)

The Brooks Brothers denim leisure suit. :icon_smile:
















(1979)

The Brooks Brothers velour lounge suit. :icon_smile_big:
















(1981)

The flannel-lined safari suit, for all your winter safaris.
















(1984)

The Brooks Brothers track suit, pictured here with the Brooks Brothers hoodie and Brooks Brothers chambray bush shirt. This one's inclusion is a little unfair, as folks do need good-quality exercise clothing, but I was surprised when I noticed that Brooks had made it, so I figure it can count as a Brooks "oddity". :icon_smile:


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

I like the denim leisure suit. Can we get Cruiser's and silverporsche's opinions on it? 

andy b.


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## maximar (Jan 11, 2010)

In my travels, I see many people from different countries who still don those safari shirts and bush jacket with matching pants. The 70's is still alive and funky in many countries!


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## leisureclass (Jan 31, 2011)

Good point Katon, any brand this big has always deviated from it's established brand to sell to trends. See the Abercrombie styled Brooks hoodies in the other thread.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Looks like we can't complain about all their recent fashionable stuff now.


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## Brooksfan (Jan 25, 2005)

Jovan said:


> Looks like we can't complain about all their recent fashionable stuff now.


Somehow, as Claudio del Vecchio and his team peruse the Brooks' archives, I'm guessing these items won't be reintroduced anytime soon. I hope.

Remember-this was the 70s and the University Shop gave way to Brooksgate. As President Ford said on another historic occasion "our long national nightmare is over."


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

maximar said:


> In my travels, I see many people from different countries who still don those safari shirts and bush jacket with matching pants. *The 70's is still alive and funky in many countries!*


There is a reason for that, because in many countries 70s fashion didn't actually happen. e.g. China. Which was busy with the Cultural Revolution and Gang of Four during the 70s. Although jackets with four buttoned pockets have always been popular here.

Last summer I remember seeing a safari jacket in a Hong Kong branch of Zara, not dissimilar to those BB funky 70s safari and leisure jackets.
https://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/sto...011/61165/342528/TWO-TONE+LINEN+SAHARA+JACKET

...jacket looks a little small on the model here though.


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## 12345Michael54321 (Mar 6, 2008)

andy b. said:


> I like the denim leisure suit.


 While the denim leisure suit certainly has its place amongst a man's wardrobe staples, for all 'round versatility it's tough to beat a lime green polyester leisure suit. Worn with the right shirt and a pair of Super Soles shoes, it'll be an appropriate choice for anything from fighting off a group of mercenaries out to steal the secret of your bionics, to a night out at the disco/carwash with one's special lady and/or automobile. And dressed up a bit - for example, by substituting multiple gold chains for one's puka shell necklace - it could even serve for attending a Brady bride's wedding.
-- 
Michael


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Jovan said:


> Looks like we can't complain about all their recent fashionable stuff now.


No one complained in the 70's and look at the devastation that was wrought!!


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I'm sure somebody did.


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## tonylumpkin (Jun 12, 2007)

I've always found these to be a rather strange item for Brooks Brothers.

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCa...olor=BLACK&sort_by=&sectioncolor=&sectionsize=


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## mjo_1 (Oct 2, 2007)

^The lone review for those beasts sounds awfully fake as well.


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## Steve Smith (Jan 12, 2008)

mjo_1 said:


> ^The lone review for those beasts sounds awfully fake as well.


LOL. "When I first saw online I was thinking how great it would be to have these for the winiter."


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

tonylumpkin said:


> I've always found these to be a rather strange item for Brooks Brothers.
> 
> https://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCa...olor=BLACK&sort_by=&sectioncolor=&sectionsize=


ROFL 'Moon boots' .... they're awful .... as worn by Niel Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin?

This thread is in the 'trad' section of AAAC? ... just checking.


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## Ekphrastic (Oct 4, 2009)

mjo_1 said:


> ^The lone review for those beasts sounds awfully fake as well.


I think I may have worn a pair of those in the snow when I'd visit my grandparents as a child. Whoa...


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

I saw a Brooks Brothers fringed suede vest on ebay a while back.


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## leisureclass (Jan 31, 2011)

Having been skiing in Italy a few times, I can report that these things are EVERYWHERE as soon as you get near a ski mountain here, especially at Cortina. So, since the internet seems to be so into Italian style right now, sorta makes sense BB has Moon Boots. Not saying I would buy them.


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## katon (Dec 25, 2006)

Do oddities from Japan count? :icon_smile_big:


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

Vintage, yet ugly.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Oh, there are many such things. Like clear nylon braces from the '40s.


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## Wisco (Dec 3, 2009)

leisureclass said:


> Having been skiing in Italy a few times, I can report that these things are EVERYWHERE as soon as you get near a ski mountain here, especially at Cortina. So, since the internet seems to be so into Italian style right now, sorta makes sense BB has Moon Boots. Not saying I would buy them.


Growing up in Minnesota in the 1970's, Moon Boots were cheap. lasted one season and hated by most kids. We wore them because our mother's made all the decision on what we wore. I melted a pair while sitting to close to a camp fire in the winter... and now they are high fashion in Cortina. Sigh....


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Hey, I remember Leisure Suits! And thought they were a good idea - the slimming, heightening look of a suit, but totally casual wear. I miss them!!!


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Andy?!


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Especially sharp were the leisure suits with the gigantic houndstooth pattern, though I don't think BB had them; but I'm pretty sure Brooks offered a nice selection of raw silk Nehru jackets, ca. 1968 that were actually quite good-looking.


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## Mannix (Nov 24, 2008)

Patrick06790 said:


> Vintage, yet ugly.


I would buy that. Stuff like that is "cool" now...this is coming from a college student for the record.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

The Rambler said:


> Especially sharp were the leisure suits with the gigantic houndstooth pattern, though I don't think BB had them; but I'm pretty sure Brooks offered a nice selection of raw silk Nehru jackets, ca. 1968 that were actually quite good-looking.


Rambler?! :icon_pale:


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## Regillus (Mar 15, 2011)

Looking back on it; I can't believe the stuff we wore in the '70's. Particularly the shoes with the really thick soles.


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## Jim In Sunny So Calif (May 13, 2006)

Jovan said:


> Andy?!


Lets hope someone else is driving. I don't think his score on a Breath-O-Lyzer would be favorable.


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## SconnieTrad (Mar 16, 2011)

This is from the Black Fleece Spring 2011 collection, among other oddities to be found there:










Looks as bad as anything I've seen from the seventies.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
LOL. From the neck down that fellow looks a lot like one of those black and white cartoon images I can remember watching on Saturday mornings during my childhood!


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## JLWhittington (Aug 20, 2008)

I'm still catching my breath over Brooks introduction of _jeans...._


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## mjo_1 (Oct 2, 2007)

Speaking of Brooks, is the spring sale underway yet? I'm a regular customer and used to get an annoying number of emails from them, but they suddenly stopped a couple months ago.


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

mjo_1 said:


> Speaking of Brooks, is the spring sale underway yet? I'm a regular customer and used to get an annoying number of emails from them, but they suddenly stopped a couple months ago.


Friends & Family is going on right now. Website code is 06FRIEND.


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## frosejr (Mar 27, 2010)

SconnieTrad said:


>


Nice flood pants


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Perhaps it was in the '70's (time does fly, you know) but I remember an article in _Smithsonian_ in which a woman gushed that even an overweight accountant with thick glasses somehow looks dashing in safari gear. However, I must warn anyone who is impressed by the idea that in five safaris, I've never seen any client or professional hunter actually wear that sort of thing.


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## SconnieTrad (Mar 16, 2011)

frosejr said:


> Nice flood pants


His sleeve length compensates


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