French Peasant Workwear Trousers

[Desperandum]

Most workers change before leaving the workplace. The only people I can see wearing them casually are really old people. But they are very few.

For example, you won't see a firefighter in full uniform strolling around.

Work clothes are just that clothes for work [emoji16] at least in France.

Just look around instagram the only people wearing les bleus casually are foreigners, French people wearing them are either at work or they're going to paint a room or doing some crafts.

I take your points entirely, and can offer only this rationale.

It's always been the case that the clothes of one country are taken up for a different purpose or reason by the citizens of another. In the UK, the 1950s saw the adoption of American jeans as style rather than workwear, the 60s Afghan coats for cold weather in Helmand worn to summer rock concerts in England, and so on. The only USAAF D-1, A-2 and B-3 jackets seen here used to be ones given away during the war, but now they are popular and made throughout the world, and I guess the number of actual aviators wearing them is tiny (I do, and I'm not).
For me, bleus de travail are the epitome of French style and quality when applied to everyday working clothes (rather than high fashion), and unfortunately that's not something found in most UK clothes of this sort. Therein lies some of the attraction, and, being foreigners, the customs and constraints that apply to clothes worn in their country of origin, don't do so here. Please consider it an "hommage".

 

[SpeedRcrX]

I entirely agree with you, one of my last purchase was a work coat from pointer brand.

Here, no one look at me funny, but perhaps, it would be a different story in the US...

 

[augustwest]

Try the guy who runs "South Seas Berets" over on the Beret thread I believe he may have some sources for "French" workwear style garments.

 

[Tiki Tom]

This made me laugh. "French workman's jacket" for $268.

https://www.jpeterman.com/item/mow-6054/100102206/french-workmans-jacket

The gentrification of workwear. Somebody's missing the point.

 

[Desperandum]

This made me laugh. "French workman's jacket" for $268.

https://www.jpeterman.com/item/mow-6054/100102206/french-workmans-jacket

The gentrification of workwear. Somebody's missing the point.

It's all fashion nowadays, especially for "hipsters". The wealthier parts of the UK are awash with bearded, mostly young, men, in £250 lumberjack shirts, £650 Viberg boots and the other accoutrements so essential for office wear and city life. They wear on their backs the equivalent, for many working people, of a month or more's pay.

 

[Beast]

There's overkill and overkill, but it wouldn't be that hard to argue that we here are more like them than we think, with our >1000$ or € leather jackets and threads advocating custom shirts, suits and engineer boots (what's in a name )

Although I'd rather pay for proven quality than for a lumberjack shirt with a designer name in the tag!

 

[ReynardTheFox]

I take your points entirely, and can offer only this rationale.

It's always been the case that the clothes of one country are taken up for a different purpose or reason by the citizens of another. In the UK, the 1950s saw the adoption of American jeans as style rather than workwear, the 60s Afghan coats for cold weather in Helmand worn to summer rock concerts in England, and so on. The only USAAF D-1, A-2 and B-3 jackets seen here used to be ones given away during the war, but now they are popular and made throughout the world, and I guess the number of actual aviators wearing them is tiny (I do, and I'm not).
For me, bleus de travail are the epitome of French style and quality when applied to everyday working clothes (rather than high fashion), and unfortunately that's not something found in most UK clothes of this sort. Therein lies some of the attraction, and, being foreigners, the customs and constraints that apply to clothes worn in their country of origin, don't do so here. Please consider it an "hommage".

I remember loads of kids wearing the donkey jacket when I was growing up. That was a heavy wool based working jacket that was around here . They always looked cool. They are out of fashion nowadays.

 

[ReynardTheFox]

i ordered a black more fitted version of that french workers jacket. It looks pretty sharp TBH, nicely cut and suits me well enough (I think). It's not vintage though, but its a modern take on the same thing i guess.

 

[Desperandum]

I remember loads of kids wearing the donkey jacket when I was growing up. That was a heavy wool based working jacket that was around here . They always looked cool. They are out of fashion nowadays.

I still have one, and it was possible to buy (probably still is) one in wool and made in England. The very best were those that councils used to issue to dustmen, street cleaners and so forth, and which were also favoured by coalmen. They had real thick leather (not plastic) over the shoulders, with it extending down the upper arms. The nearest thing I can find at the moment is the Cabourn "gentrified" version https://www.endclothing.com/gb/nigel-cabourn-donkey-jacket-nc-w14-0w-03-ny.html . I don't suppose the councils paid that for them!

They used to be quite easy to find, both new and secondhand, but I haven't seen any for a long while.

 

[ReynardTheFox]

I still have one, and it was possible to buy (probably still is) one in wool and made in England. The very best were those that councils used to issue to dustmen, street cleaners and so forth, and which were also favoured by coalmen. They had real thick leather (not plastic) over the shoulders, with it extending down the upper arms. The nearest thing I can find at the moment is the Cabourn "gentrified" version https://www.endclothing.com/gb/nigel-cabourn-donkey-jacket-nc-w14-0w-03-ny.html . I don't suppose the councils paid that for them!

They used to be quite easy to find, both new and secondhand, but I haven't seen any for a long while.

I have certainly seen replica donkey jackets for sale. Normally on those retro mod type places. I'm quite a fan of 60s gear really so you sometimes get the skinhead gear sold alongside and the skins wore the donkey jackets.

i suppose most clothing had a practical beginning whether for work or whatever

 

[ReynardTheFox]

I still have one, and it was possible to buy (probably still is) one in wool and made in England. The very best were those that councils used to issue to dustmen, street cleaners and so forth, and which were also favoured by coalmen. They had real thick leather (not plastic) over the shoulders, with it extending down the upper arms. The nearest thing I can find at the moment is the Cabourn "gentrified" version https://www.endclothing.com/gb/nigel-cabourn-donkey-jacket-nc-w14-0w-03-ny.html . I don't suppose the councils paid that for them!

They used to be quite easy to find, both new and secondhand, but I haven't seen any for a long while.

Relco Men's Vintage Jackets - Relco London sell the version I remember. It was definitely a PVC back protector that my mates had as kids.

Not sure I want one TBH, channelling a 1950s binman is all a bit Mark Lamarr

 

[Desperandum]

Relco Men's Vintage Jackets - Relco London sell the version I remember. It was definitely a PVC back protector that my mates had as kids.

Not sure I want one TBH, channelling a 1950s binman is all a bit Mark Lamarr

For sure, and let's just hope that we don't all end up channelling a binman in order to get the things emptied.

 

[Edward]

I have certainly seen replica donkey jackets for sale. Normally on those retro mod type places. I'm quite a fan of 60s gear really so you sometimes get the skinhead gear sold alongside and the skins wore the donkey jackets.

I have a feeling that the skinhead association could be why they've not come round for a while, as sadly the only skinheads most of the mainstream are now aware of were the far-right, neo-Nazi types, as opposed to how they started out. Made In England seems to have in part reinforced that for some people as much as it did remind us all that's not how it started... Maybe that will change with time. For a long time I avoided the MA1 (being a shaven-headed old baldy myself) for fear of that sort of association, but those have come round in mainstream fashion so much of late that I think they've been mostly stripped of the negative associations, at least in and of themselves.

i suppose most clothing had a practical beginning whether for work or whatever

From the lounge suit to the bowler hat...

 

[ReynardTheFox]

I have a feeling that the skinhead association could be why they've not come round for a while, as sadly the only skinheads most of the mainstream are now aware of were the far-right, neo-Nazi types, as opposed to how they started out. Made In England seems to have in part reinforced that for some people as much as it did remind us all that's not how it started... Maybe that will change with time. For a long time I avoided the MA1 (being a shaven-headed old baldy myself) for fear of that sort of association, but those have come round in mainstream fashion so much of late that I think they've been mostly stripped of the negative associations, at least in and of themselves.



From the lounge suit to the bowler hat...

I totally forgot about the skins wearing them. British youth culture was totally tribal and quite a lot different to the US stuff. My best friend was the last mod in town here I reckon. He finally sold his old Lambretta a couple of years ago and his Vespa was one of those ridiculous ones with mirrors all over it and flags.

He still wears nothing but the proper Harrington jackets, dessie boots or Clarks Wallabes and whatever. I guess the old dress sense never quite goes away. My vintage searches start in the mod stuff of the 60s really as anything before that was basically my grandfathers gear, which was quality gear, but not what I'm wanting to cut around in. maybe the odd car coat or something but thats it!