Bib overalls and suit jackets

[cco23i]

I remember that when we went to town we were NEVER allowed to wear our bibs into town unless you were working.

Scott

 

[lci419]

Hi, when I started grade school those were the rules. Boys had to wear pants, no jeans...By my sign on, born in 1961.

This however I suspect is more a reflection of the era and area you grew up in rather than what was historical precedent. I'm a bit younger than you and growing up in rural Missouri (8 people in my class) there was no such prohibition on jeans. Similarly, my father who attended the same school during the 1930's wore overalls every day to school. So what happened between those years when he and I were in school?

I would suggest that in the 50's and 60's jeans came to represent the counter culture youth in many communities. Images such as the rebellious James Dean, or later on, hippies which had negative connotations associated with them. Though I will admit, I don't think this was by any means universal particularly since I know it was never a "bugaboo" in my community. In the world I grew up in denim was not a fashion statement as it has become, it was a cloth of utility. Overalls and denim pants were the signs of a working man, generally a farmer, and as such, someone who was to be respected. I suppose that perhaps in bigger communities such things were looked on with derision as being common laborers vs. upwardly bound professionals. I often jokingly refer to the overalls/blue chambray shirt combo as being my "official family uniform." My grandfather was buried wearing overalls, blue chambray shirt, and sport coat. All of my uncles wear overalls, though oddly enough my father hates them. Drives him nuts that I wear them and has always claimed that he didn't want his kids wearing overalls because he was forced to wear them as a youth. Secretly though, I suspect he is a bit proud that I wear them on a daily basis because he knows what it represents.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

Interesting idea. Dad told me that every year before school started, Grandma bought him two new pair of bib overalls. They would be dark, dark Navy blue and would be folder at least twice at the bottom. By Summer break, they would be sky blue and "high water" Dad was born in 1919, and grew up in Bluffs Illinois, then a big railroad town. He wore bib overalls to school probably until he was in high school. I'll ask.

Later

 

[Edward]

The image this always immediately conjures to mind for me is:

 

[1961MJS]

This however I suspect is more a reflection of the era and area you grew up in rather than what was historical precedent. I'm a bit younger than you and growing up in rural Missouri (8 people in my class) there was no such prohibition on jeans. Similarly, my father who attended the same school during the 1930's wore overalls every day to school. So what happened between those years when he and I were in school? ..

Hi

Mom was born in 1932 (Webster County Kentucky) and said that she grew up with school becoming more and more dressy as time went on. I forgot to post that here, but I swear I posted it somewhere on the sight.

Later

 

[Dan'l]

Nothing new to add here. I to love that look, for whatever reason. Maybe it's just knowing that's how they did it back in the day. Most old photos of my kin, especially in VA are seen wearing the bibs with the jacket, and most are sporting a tie. The addition of a shotgun and a dog really make the photos come alive.

 

[lci419]

I'd forgot about this thread :eusa_doh:

Anyway...came across these photos of my dad.

From l. to r. they were taken in 1943, 1936, and 1939. Note the overalls under the jacket in the 1936 photo.

This one is my dad's class in 1938. He is on the back row, far right. Apparently the hicks and rubes were forced to take the back row. lol

 

[Lefty]

Bump for a great look.

Off topic: Big Man - as an occasional reader of Reminisce, congrats on your article in the June/July issue. I enjoyed it.

 

[RBH]

Bump for a great look.

Off topic: Big Man - as an occasional reader of Reminisce, congrats on your article in the June/July issue. I enjoyed it.

Give us more info Lefty... or at least a scan if you can!

 

[Lefty]

Here it is. Again, it's from Reminisce Magazine.

 

[Fidena]

Here's a nice example. Is that a suede sport jacket, or just a thick wool one?

 

[RBH]

Thank you Erik.

 

[carouselvic]

c.mid-30's Grandfather 2nd from left

 

[wcbrown]

Reviving a dormant thread. I always liked this look, I play drums in a blues band, been doing it for 46 years. in the 70's I used to wear "bibs", painter & denim, to perform in. I stumbled on this thread and it got my juices flowing again. Since I now own a couple "Last Man Standing" fedoras I thought this may be a good look to wear to gigs. SOOOOOO this past Sunday my wife, who also does lead vocals for us, and I attended a charity event for the Pgh. Food Bank, 8 blues bands playing ( we sponsor our own later in the Spring). I thought it would be a good time to "sport" the look and see how it was received. Well, it went over just fine, it was the first time in a long I had seen a lot of my friends. I have been laying kind of low for the past 6 months, I was undergoing Chemo treatments and other than having a gig, have stayed close to home. By going to this it gave me a chance to see the reaction to the "lid" also. I didn't wear a sport jacket, just an older well broken in white oxford shirt I have. Lots of compliments on the "look". I was telling everyone it was the 30's bootlegger style, I'll hopefully have some pictures in the near future to add. Here is a link to the bibs I bought, I did a lot of researching looking for the "exact" style of bib and these are sweet......
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/bernereg;-mens-stone-wash-denim-unlined-bib-overall

 

[Big Man]

I'd forgotten all about this thread. Thanks for bringing it out and dusting it off.

Since I retired, I wear bib overalls most of the time while working around the house. My only problem with wearing an old suit coat, is any "orphaned" suit coat I may have is usually too small to fit me anymore. I've given a lot of thought about having a jacket made just to wear in this type manner. Finding a style and material that look the part of an every-day suit jacket of the 1920s to 1940s isn't easy. Today's styles look too "nice." I don't quite know what it is about older style jackets, but they do look different from anything today - even new jackets made to look like old jackets.

 

[wcbrown]

I'd forgotten all about this thread. Thanks for bringing it out and dusting it off.

Since I retired, I wear bib overalls most of the time while working around the house. My only problem with wearing an old suit coat, is any "orphaned" suit coat I may have is usually too small to fit me anymore. I've given a lot of thought about having a jacket made just to wear in this type manner. Finding a style and material that look the part of an every-day suit jacket of the 1920s to 1940s isn't easy. Today's styles look too "nice." I don't quite know what it is about older style jackets, but they do look different from anything today - even new jackets made to look like old jackets.

isn't that the truth? the old jackets actually look like they were meant to be worn ANYWAY you wished. these Berne bibs are very nice, comfortable and actually tailored a bit, the legs aren't as balloon like as I remember them to be.

 

[Renault]

Yup, pretty much uniform of the day for hog killing, fence building, brush burning, cotton choppin', meat smokin' and hootch drinkin' here on the place.

 

[Renault]

How the heck they get all them coyotes to stand still like that???

!!!!!!

 

[carouselvic]

How the heck they get all them coyotes to stand still like that???

!!!!!!

It was the result of severe lead poisoning from a successful wolf hunt.

 

[Big Man]

It was the result of severe lead poisoning from a successful wolf hunt.

I thought someone just said, "now, smile for the camera."