Bush Jackets

[H.Johnson]

You're right - hard to get, but I'm very patient. Aertex still uses it although it's 'underwear' grade now...

Anyway, although I'm a big fan of Aertex for tropical wear, I wouldn't rule out making a 1950 Pattern bush jacket from another material, such as poplin. It's a good style in its own right. You think?

Aertex... good luck!


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Poplin would be good for that kind of jacket. Perhaps have a think about hemp canvas, too, as after washing this is soft and light, and it's durable and rot-proof: ideal for a tropical jacket.

Old Town, a great champion of Aertex, has reported that the light blue is now discontinued. It seems they're reducing the available range, perhaps to accomodate the needs of larger wholesale customers (?). I inquired last year about whether they'd be producing khaki Aertex again, but I received no reply.

On the subject of summer weight fabrics, but veering off-topic, I'm having trouble finding a supplier of the cotton modal I need to make a lightweight scarf. Any clues, HJ?

 

[H.Johnson]

Mr. Past,

Yes, Aertex is frantic to hide its traditional roots - look it its corporate website. No over-20s allowed! It still does the lighter colours and it takes a dye reasonably well, so there is at least the possibility of some yardage suitable for a bush jacket.

You have a point about hemp, but somehow I don't see it in a bush jacket - perhaps I'm influenced by seeing (and being disappointed by) Orvis's recent offering in a similar fabric. Thinking about poplin as a bush jacket material, wlthough I like the 1950 pattern jacket a lot, I can also see the merits of the current 'Number 6 Uniform' bush jacket, which already comes in poplin, is available in large sizes and has an ingenious method of suspending the removable belt (the fixed half belt is often not liked on the 1950 pattern jacket)

Cotton modal. Forgive me - I have a 'gap' in my knowledge here. Modal is (AFAIK) a processed cellulose fabric (like Rayon). Is 'cotton modal' a blend of the two or the latter woven to resemble the former? I always associate modal with er... ladies nether garments. Am I erroneous?

Poplin would be good for that kind of jacket. Perhaps have a think about hemp canvas, too, as after washing this is soft and light, and it's durable and rot-proof: ideal for a tropical jacket.

Old Town, a great champion of Aertex, has reported that the light blue is now discontinued. It seems they're reducing the available range, perhaps to accomodate the needs of larger wholesale customers (?). I inquired last year about whether they'd be producing khaki Aertex again, but I received no reply.

On the subject of summer weight fabrics, but veering off-topic, I'm having trouble finding a supplier of the cotton modal I need to make a lightweight scarf. Any clues, HJ?

 

[Edward]

Edward,

If you mean commercial as in, made in large batches third world 'sweatshops', advertised with spurious claims of derivation, sold over the Web with little or no customer contact? No. If you mean commercial as in planned by an obsessive (some would say) collector of the breed, hand made in limited quantities by a highly skilled seamstress who retired from the company that makes most UK police uniforms, sold face to face with the intention of making customers friends and the whole thing done as a hobby? Yes.

Thanks for the info on the buckles, I'll have to keep an eye out for something suitable. Getting harder to find a decent Army Surplus these days (I live near Silvermans, but they can be pricey, IMO). I used to use two or three regularly in Camden, but since Camden BC in their wisdom decided to make it a concrete and glass minime Covent Garden, rolling the good stalls out and filling the place with hippy beads and smelly candles, they're all gone.

Re your venture: I could have been clearer - when I said commercial, I simply meant something produced for sale to others as opposed to purely for your own wardrobe. Be interested to see the end result when you have the processes all in place.

 

[Creeping Past]

Mr Johnson,

Many thanks for your post of the 02:32 PM inst.

Yes, the Orvis hemp thing is appalling. I think they made the mistake of overwashing a lighter weight fabric that would probably grow soft and baggy with light wear, much like lightweight linen. I'm thinking of a heavier hemp canvas that retains its shape a little better and would stand the sort of use a jacket would get. I've a cap made of this fabric (natural colour, undyed) and it's both light and sturdy and not at all saggy.

You've mentioned the No. 6 jacket before. I've seen photos on Ebay of things that purport to be current British military bush jackets, and these have two breast pockets, no waist pockets and short sleeves. I don't know where to look to locate a photo showing precisely the style you mean. It might be a useful alternative to those searching for safari-style clobber. I use a British army surplus heavy cotton shirt in OD as a shirt-jacket: it works welll.

You're bang on with your description of modal and cotton modal (no surprises there!). It can also be blended with silk. Both ladies' and gents' undercarriage benefit from modal's soft caress.

Drakes make a fantastic silk modal scarf that they're asking £195.00 for. This very scarf is worn rather uncomfortably, with accompanying nervous grin, here. I like to think I'll be wearing my cotton modal version with a more raffish air. And my linen bush jacket will be much dirtier.

 

[Mike K.]

The Safari/Bush Jacket – What It Is And What It Isn’t

Long overdue, but the purpose of this post is to provide members of The Fedora Lounge and other researchers a useful and definitive reference to a classic piece of adventurous attire. Obviously this post is not an exhaustive thesis on the safari/bush jacket, but instead is intended to be updated continually with new, quality information by others. Enjoy….

The safari/bush jacket is, in many respects, the tropical cousin of the A-2 leather flying jacket. Although designed for functionality, with its clean military-inspired lines, sturdy materials, and dashing looks it is a jacket that also exudes timelessly classic style and a sense of adventure. Stains and tatters do not detract from its aesthetic but are a testament to that morning encounter with a leopard, high tea with the Raj, or that sunset balloon ride over the veld. “Like a thoroughbred filly…the Safari Jacket looks like it does, and does like it looks.”

According to the Banana Republic Guide to Travel & Safari Clothing, the venerable safari/bush jacket is “the crux and symbol of the expeditionary and internationalist spirit. The jacket takes its epaulets from the traditions of the French, its pockets from the practical genius of the British, its swagger from the confident swank of American bravos, and its fabric from the natural bounty of the Nile Delta.”

“…The heart and soul of the Safari Jacket has nothing to do with image and everything to do with function. The jacket is about survival and its younger cousin, comfort. It’s about mobility, ease, and pockets. It’s about morning chills, noontime heat shimmers, and sudden late-afternoon thunderstorms. That the jacket looks right is not a coincidence but arises from a probably instinctive appreciation of form in the service of function.”

I think that pretty well sums it up. So what defines the classic safari/bush jacket, and what is best forgotten?

 

[Mike K.]

A few historical jacket photos....

 

[Mike K.]

what it IS

Purpose

• function first
• thought to be of military origins it is outerwear intended for warm climates to protect against sun and wind
• popular with big game hunters and photographers as a work jacket
• can be used as an alternative sport jacket for casual outdoor events

Material

• commonly lightweight cotton drill, poplin, or ventile
• other natural textiles such as hemp or linen are perfectly acceptable
• have seen them in a rip-stop weave that is very practical (although less esthetically pleasing)
• heavier weight fabric for durability, lighter weight fabric for increased breathability

Design

• traditionally some variation of khaki/tan in color but also olive green
• belted and unbelted versions exist (belted more traditional)
• front and rear yokes
• usually has shoulder epaulets but can also be found without
• front typically has four gusseted/bellows pockets with button closure
• a rear “small game pocket” is uncommon but acceptable, as are supplementary sleeve pockets
• pocket flaps typically scalloped, angled, or square in shape
• firearm cartridge loops on chest or waist optional
• long or short sleeves (shirt-style button closure on long sleeve cuff)
• collar style variable but traditional point collar is most common.

Examples that can be purchased today:
Cover photo: J. L. Powell
From left to right: Beretta, Filson, What Price Glory

Ralph Lauren, Boyt, Cabela's

L. L. Bean, TravelSmith, Fatigues Army Navy

 

[Mike K.]

and of course a few choices for the ladies...

The third jacket is actually the most traditional design, while the first two border on the too-trendy side (not that I'm complaining...wow!).

Here are a few more ladies jackets produced today.
From left to right: WalkAbout.com, TravelSmith, She Safari

 

[Mike K.]

what it is NOT

Purpose

• not meant to be worn as a dress jacket - wear it to watch the game but not for dinner at the club house afterwards
• natural fiber construction and lack of insulation preclude wear in very cold and/or very wet conditions
• it is meant more for stalking man-eating cats of Africa or India than prancing the catwalks of Paris
• not meant as a fashion statement or billboard for designer logos

Material

• never never NEVER anything made of synthetic textiles (i.e. no polyester, nylon, microfiber, gore-tex, etc.)
• no colors - pink, yellow, even pure white is unacceptable (many of these non-earthy hues are nature’s warning colors, subtlety is what speaks so profoundly with the true safari jacket)
• if it is powder blue and comes with matching flair-legged pants (even if the sign claims it was actually worn by J. R. Ewing on Dallas) leave it be!
• no plaids, stripes, polka dots, enormous designer logos, etc.

Design

• if the collar lapels are large enough to generate aerodynamic lift, leave the jacket on the store rack
• there should not be so many pockets that you require a map to find items stashed in your jacket (now what pocket did I put the map in?)
• no use of noisy velcro anywhere (preferably no zippers either)
• fit should be trim, not overly baggy, comfortable and allow plenty of room for movement including reaching overhead without the sleeves riding up
• suede shoulder patches are okay but avoid the rhinestones, faux zebra hide, and theme park patches

Examples of what NOT to wear:

Too bad about the pink one from Orvis. Everything is actually good about this jacket except the color.
Honestly now Orvis...pink?!

 

[H.Johnson]

Mr. Past,

At your service, I'm sure. The No. 6 tropical uniform jacket is the standard...errr tropical jacket of the British Military. It has four flapped pockets (the lower ones without buttons), eppaulettes, removable buttons (makes fitting those leather jobs easy), a centre pleat in the back and a removeable belt that stows away inside. The sleeve end are plain rather than buttoning at the cuff.

I like them because they can be had for 10GBP unissued if you know where to look. But then, so can 1950 Pattern Aertex jobs, and they have more historical credibility. Suez, Malaya, Aden, Dharfur and all that.

Mr Johnson,

You've mentioned the No. 6 jacket before. I've seen photos on Ebay of things that purport to be current British military bush jackets, and these have two breast pockets, no waist pockets and short sleeves. I don't know where to look to locate a photo showing precisely the style you mean. It might be a useful alternative to those searching for safari-style clobber. I use a British army surplus heavy cotton shirt in OD as a shirt-jacket: it works welll.

 

[Creeping Past]

historical credibility. Suez, Malaya, Aden, Dharfur and all that.

Pardon my impudence, but I think you meant to type "Dofar" or similar phonetic variant.

 

[H.Johnson]

Yes, Dhofar is what I meant. Thanks for pointing out my mistake. An example of how current news corrupts history!

Pardon my impudence, but I think you meant to type "Dofar" or similar phonetic variant.

 

[H.Johnson]

Edward,

Silverman's do two types of trousers that may be of interest to you (OK, slightly off topic for bush jackets, but not too far). One is the Khaki drill 'cross-over' trousers (actually a reproduction of 1950 Pattern Trousers, Airmen) and the other is the legendary 'P Company' cross-over trousers that are basically 1950 Pattern SSI army trousers in Jungle Green. As reproductions the former are 90% accurate IMO. They have the same problems I am struggling to overcome - getting the buckles right - but at least I use NOS 1950 buttons.

Getting harder to find a decent Army Surplus these days (I live near Silvermans, but they can be pricey, IMO).

 

[Creeping Past]

Some photos of British 1950s pattern tropical jackets

The first example is described as a coarse kind of Aertex. The weave certainly looks cellular, but Aertex is not a coarse fabric. Perhaps you have to see that version close up to appreciate it.

CP

Edit: These are Canadian jackets, not British... (see below)

 

[H.Johnson]

They are Canadian, of course (and 1950s, rather than 1950 Pattern, which is a specific design) and Postwar Canadian stuff is very different from the British equivalent. I have a few Canadian items, so I find these interesting. I don't think that any Canadian jackets used real Aertex - I suspect it's used as a generic 'Hoover' term here.

The last example is something like the British No. 6 uniform jacket, with a lapels rather than a shirt-style collar.

Incidentally (going off topic) one of the un-noticed subtleties of 'Dad's Army' is that Captain Mainwaring wears Canadian battledress, which was much superior to British BD and was 'wangled' by senior officers. In a HO Home Guard officer this would have been a sure sign of pretentiousness - entirely in character.

 

[BellyTank]

Aertex-

A couple of years ago, I was in the "Moslem" canvas market, in Old Delhi and saw bails of Aertex bush jackets(He wouldn't sell them to me- I know not why). The cloth was actually quite "ropey"- a lot rougher than what you see on the modern shirts and repro WW2 shirts.
I don't have a WW2 vintage Aertex shirt to compare with but would it be true that there were 2 or more weights/qualities of Aertex- shirts/jackets?
I realise that "Indian" uniform manufacturers would have had different sources for cloth. My '50 Aertex bush jacket is surely of thicker stuff/stoff than Aertex shirts(?)

Please correct me...

The '50 pattern is very nicely styled, I think.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Aertex types and grades: another example of lost fabric knowledge. It's the cotton canvas story all over again.

Who holds this knowledge? How can we retrieve it and put it all in one place? Should we?

 

[H.Johnson]

BT,

You need no correction. There were different weights of Aertex (e.g. for underwear and outerwear, shirts and jackets) produced by the eponymous company. The Indian stuff was probably unlicenced copies of the trade protected item, do you think, and maybe that's why the seller would'nt deal with you.

In wartime, of course, such niceties were overlooked, so there is a wide variation in the material from which WW2 bush jackets are made. Many were made 'locally' in India. The collars are sometimes idiosynchratic when compared to British-produced jackets.

AFAIK all 1950 Pattern jackets were produced by the usual wide range of MOD-approved manufacturers but all the fabric appears to have been produced by Aertex and is identical.

An interesting 'aside' is the Aertex-type fabric used in Czech Army 'overhead' shirts (you know who sells those). I'd love to know where that material came from!

Aertex-

A couple of years ago, I was in the "Moslem" canvas market, in Old Delhi and saw bails of Aertex bush jackets(He wouldn't sell them to me- I know not why). The cloth was actually quite "ropey"- a lot rougher than what you see on the modern shirts and repro WW2 shirts.
I don't have a WW2 vintage Aertex shirt to compare with but would it be true that there were 2 or more weights/qualities of Aertex- shirts/jackets?
I realise that "Indian" uniform manufacturers would have had different sources for cloth. My '50 Aertex bush jacket is surely of thicker stuff/stoff than Aertex shirts(?)

Please correct me...

The '50 pattern is very nicely styled, I think.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

The Czech Aertex-style shirts are very good. I've been wearing mine non-stop for a couple of months and it's wearing well, despite being hard-worn in its previous life and having had an extended period in storage, judging from the folds ingrained in it.

In an attempt to remain on-topic, did the Czechs produce a bush jacket or a field jacket for warmer weather?