Photograph: Man wearing formal business attire, Sutton High Street

Producer: unknown

Date: 1931-1935

Accession number: IN17105

A City gent, in the traditional formal business 'uniform', is suitably accessorised. In the early decades of the 20th century, the umbrella became more popular than the walking stick. The black bowler hat replaced the top hat in the 1920s. A black jacket, waistcoat and striped trousers or a dark lounge suit replaced the formal morning coat of previous years. The unknown photographer who captured this image used a 35-millimetre camera, and produced hundreds of photos of individuals walking along Sutton High Street. The photographer usually waited until the subject became aware of the camera before seizing the portrait.