Suits - one

I don't think anything has changed as much in my lifetime as men's clothing.  In particular men's suits.  Now I know that in the UK suits are still worn in the business community, but out here in California, they seem to have completely disappeared from view.  I can hardly imagine how I would be greeted if I wore one to my local one evening.  But it wasn't always that way.
I still remember quite vividly having suits made for me.  It was at Wilde's of Edgware.  Downstairs the "front man" would help you choose the cloth, and measure you.  This was quite a long process as was the actual making of the suit.  Waistcoats (vests) would be sent out to a separate maker as too were the trousers, but it was the jacket that called for all the tailor's skills.  Mr Wilde himself upstairs would handle this.  He was rather deformed - I only met him once - and he made these wonderful garments sitting crosslegged on a table.
After ten days you would go back for a fitting and once again, the front man would check out the measurements and tear off the one arm that was loosely attached.  There were no lapels and the body of the suit was made up mostly of stiff sacking like material.  Another ten days elapsed and the second fitting would show something that more resembled a jacket.  The third and final fitting was pretty much the end of the process and the waistcoat and trousers would be tried on as well for any small adjustments needed.  Finally about six weeks after the order was placed you walked away with the suit wrapped up in brown paper and string.  Back in the sixties, the cost was about four weeks wages!