Suits and Hats in March 1917

Again I had to guess at the date, but the Sunday before March 31st is March 25th, so I assumed that date. I seem to be missing a letter home on the 18th; that might be in another stack of letters somewhere.

I don't know who Steve Brodie is.... a tailor, obviously, but known to Oliver Lee or his family? Recommended by Herb's parents?

I looked up the Knox Hat Company and had the good fortune to come across a woman who has just this month begun her adventure as a milliner in Brooklyn. Here is her story with Herb's letter home following:

Newly arrived from London, I came across a dusty black box in a Brooklyn thrift store emblazoned with a gold Knox New York logo. I rushed home with my purchase to find out about this hatter who shared my new married name.

Once a corporate giant established in 1838 - making thousands of hats a day at its peak, Knox New York hats were everywhere, worn by every American President until JFK. Like so many hatters and milliners the company went under in the sixties when the demand for hats drastically fell, as they went from being considered everyday necessities to optional luxuries.

So more than fifty years on I decided to start my own Knox hat company, inspired by vintage styles, creating high quality hats like those Knox New York were known for. The new Knox Hats is just a tiny acorn. Just me, Julia Emily Knox, fairly new to both being a Knox and to New York, working with traditional hand methods in my tiny studio in Bushwick.

You'll find a selection of ready made hats through the retailers listed on the locations page, but my real love is the custom hat, no head is too big, no head is too small, no color, style or era is out of range, talk to me and let's create your dream hat together.

Sunday (March 25), 1917

Dear Family,

Sunday again and a perfectly glorious day.

I took Harry’s coat to the tailor’s and was welcomed by Steve Brodie himself. He saw at once what was the trouble so he marked the places where it was to be taken in and said he’d have it fixed and send it up in a few days. I had him measure me and ordered a suit made from that cloth no 6344, a gray worsted for 19.50. I had counted on paying only about 16.50 but the only decent things at that price were blue and I’m a bit tired of blue. So I wish Harry would send me that twenty he offered to loan me sometime within the next week. I also invested in a new brown soft felt hat for 2.50. It’s really a very good hat – second of a Knox hat which sells for five dollars. A haberdasher on Tremont Ave gets all the seconds from the Knox factory.

Edith has taken a little flat up Westchester way. It’s really a very nice little place on a very quiet respectable street and the rent is only seventeen dollars so it was quite a find. Charlie and I went over Friday night to help her out a bit with the furniture which came that afternoon.

Next Saturday is the Phi Delt banquet in Syracuse. Perhaps I told you. The other boys are going and of course they urge me to join them. I should like to go, too, but it’s out of the question of course. I can think of a good many better ways to spend that money. Besides I’d much rather wait and come up home along in May, when I’ll perhaps be feeling the need of a little change.

As I told you, Charlie + Grace went down to Long Island last week. They found Aunt Ida looking and feeling very well indeed.

There’s lots doing down town these days what with all the excitement on the other side.

Thank Olive for her letter. It was very nice. The writing on the envelope quite fooled me at first. I couldn’t think whom I knew in Troy that wrote like that.

I hope Harry will find his coat all right when it reaches him.

With love,
Herb




And on a personal note, Happy birthday, Mom.