Military Surplus fashion in the 1940s and 1950s

[Dinerman]

Classified section of the Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE, January 24, 1948.

 

[Deacon211]

I can't speak for 1948, but as a kid in 1970's era NJ Army/Navy Stores were still pretty popular.

These weren't "Surplus" stores as such with the equipment that you might expect to find in one. Rather they sold fatigues, jackets, long johns, boots, etc....almost entirely clothing items.

I suspect that in the post WWII timeframe there were tons of these shops selling the stockpiles of military clothing that had accumulated after the war as work clothes, camping gear, etc. Certainly that was the impression that I got from my grandparents.

So, I guess I could see how access to cheap, well made "casual wear" started to find its niche in a post war world that had started with pilots wearing ties into combat but certainly didn't end that way!

As an aside, isn't that the origin of the "Khaki"...wartime officer's trousers? Or is that just old marketing hype?

Deacon

 

[Deacon211]

Whoops! That's what I get for missing the fact that the thread is five pages long and not one!

Deacon

 

[David Conwill]

Classified section of the Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE, January 24, 1948.

That is a really fascinating bit of history for a culture sorely lacking in physical records. Mind if I share that with some folks?

 

[Metatron]

Not exactly civilian fashion, as this was taken during WW2, but anyway:


Marlene Dietrich and Jean Gabin.

 

[Monsoon]

I remember my father telling me about giving a B-9 or B-11 flight jacket to his younger brother to wear while he delivered newspapers in a snow storm back in the mid-1950's.

 

[DesertDan]

I had an old Vietnam era Army field jacket (a coat actually) that I practically lived in throughout junior high and high school. I believe it was a hand-me-down from my stepfather, who was a veteran of that war.

 

[Dinerman]

From Two Types

 

[Dinerman]

1950s Civilian B-15

 

[EmergencyIan]

Not exactly civilian fashion, as this was taken during WW2, but anyway:


Marlene Dietrich and Jean Gabin.

Dietrich in an A-2. That's pretty cool.

- Ian

 

[Phantomfixer]

The vets turned protesters wearing uniforms.....as if to say "man I was there, I have the right to protest", their uniform was still a badge of honor deep down i think...

Cheap surplus...sure look what they were wearing..."modern M65s and 51s, modern utility uniforms" sure it was cheap...it was everywhere...same can be said, I think, of the new war surplus we face...modern BDU's and ABUs are a dime a dozen in any military town...go to any construction site in and around Dover DE and the workers have on the surplus BDUs and field jackets, boots, etc
60 year old surplus...now it gets pricey...no longer surplus but "collectible"

 

[Dumpster Diver]

The vets turned protesters wearing uniforms.....as if to say "man I was there, I have the right to protest", their uniform was still a badge of honor deep down i think...

Cheap surplus...sure look what they were wearing..."modern M65s and 51s, modern utility uniforms" sure it was cheap...it was everywhere...same can be said, I think, of the new war surplus we face...modern BDU's and ABUs are a dime a dozen in any military town...go to any construction site in and around Dover DE and the workers have on the surplus BDUs and field jackets, boots, etc
60 year old surplus...now it gets pricey...no longer surplus but "collectible"

Man, you dont have to tell me, I began my Surplus *collecting* when there were Shops Still Un-loading Stock lying around since the 70s. Stuff WAS a dime a dozen and it was all OLD corps surplus still.

Most of that was un-sold WWII Canvas and Bits, Now those stores are all gone.

Even military Antique shows Around here turn up one or two odd things, but now the market is a lot more SS repro type gear and High-end German Collectors peices.

Flight Gear has always been rare bird to my Generation.

but from what Info Ive been told, the US goverment owns WAREHOUSES stockpiled full of Surplus from WWII, every so often they open up the doors and liquidate a few Crates of gear, Like every 20 years or so they do this to make room for modern Stuff.

The Thriftstores around the Army bases here turn up some OLD and unusual Military items from time to time.

Rest assured Good Surplus comes in Waves.

 

[Dinerman]

Civilian B-9 Parka with Italian-made Emar zips

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ That's a beautiful jacket. I'm sure it's been asked before: do you operate a vintage store or something? or do you just collect 'everything'?

 

[Dinerman]

Thanks. This kind of military influenced coat fascinates me. I'd almost swear it was a de-milled one with civil tags added, but for the Italian made zips. Even the fabric feel like the real thing.
I've been selling vintage for the past nine years or so. There's a link to an archive of my collecting and selling in my sig.

 

[Doctor Damage]

The vets turned protesters wearing uniforms.....as if to say "man I was there, I have the right to protest", their uniform was still a badge of honor deep down i think...

I think that's exactly what they were thinking, and of course they were there and had a right to protest.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Thanks. This kind of military influenced coat fascinates me. I'd almost swear it was a de-milled one with civil tags added, but for the Italian made zips. Even the fabric feel like the real thing.

It was probably made by the same company that had its G-9 contract cancelled at the end of the war but which had a large stockpile of cloth, etc, sitting around, and (of course) the patterns. I don't know, but I doubt there was any legal issue selling military clothing to civilians in those days as there is today, at least after the war had ended.

 

[bentusian]

Mr. Dinerman or any knowledgeable fellow loungers -

I scored this mystery B-9(?) parka last year but couldn't find so much about it as to tell whether it's military or civilian.
Materials used imply it's a real vintage piece but any further info would be appreciated.







Interestingly, it has a detachable hood.

 

[DanielJones]

It's funny. Back in High School I used to wear my Pops M47 HBT trousers. He was in the army stationed in Germany from 1950-53. Also, used to wear his cooks whites trouser during the summer months. Sure wish I could find some of this m47 trousers. They were the best. Plus it was fairly normal.
In the colder months I wore his Ike Coat complete with his sergeant stripes & the Bloody Bucket of the 28th Infantry Division. Also managed to wrangle up his old army overcast. Had to modify it to a shorter length as a rat had chewed a hole on the lower back. Grandmother did an awesome job on that. Cut out that section and moved the seam to be hidden under the belt in the back. It was one of my favorite pieces and I wish it would have grown with me. Sadly I grew out of it. Would love to have another one of those overcoats. It truly was the best. Shed rain & snow. Kept me warm with minimal layering. Ike coat with the overcoat & his mustard wool insisted shirt. Warm & Toasty. Manufactured in the 40's, issued in the 50's, repurposed in the 80's.
One of my favorite jackets back then, that I totally wore out was a surplus M65 field jacket with the quilted liner. Even got the coyote trimmed wool lined hood for it too. Wore it to school, camping, traveling. It kept me warm & dry on several camping trips in the snow. It eventually just fell apart after 15 years or wear. And to think I almost got a fish tail parka instead. For a short time I even wore my Uncles M43 field jacket. It was WWII Army Air Corps vintage. Since he was a little fellow I outgrew it quickly.

The one reproduction I dig on is my M41 jacket. Really doesn't have a military feel to it. In this day and age it really has a classic civilian look to it.

Still to this day I have a hard time finding surplus trousers that measure up to those M47 HBT's. Perfect pockets, great style with the HBT, Button fly and the classic metal stud buttons with the 13 stars. We had what was left of his HBT shirt from that era, and used it to patch those trousers several times until the seams fell apart and I finally outgrew them in length. I suppose I could have converted them into shorts for a while. Sure wish I could find those M47's, even in a reproduction. Nothing about them today screams army surplus other than the color.

Yeah, I enjoyed wearing surplus clothing. It was sturdy & functional and looked great. Heck, I'd still wear surplus if it looked good and classic. Those are just hard to find.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[DanielJones]

And speaking of the venerable HBT M47 uniform, are there any places out there that even reproduce those items? Or is it just the M41 & M42 HBT uniforms that get reproduced? I have yet to find a good reliable source of any vintage surplus from the Korean War era that isn't eBay, and that has stuff in a real size that can only fit a 7th grader, or one pair of trousers that costs a more than the grand total of production of all the HBT uniforms for 1950.
Anyway, I like the M41 & the USMC P41 trousers put out by WWII Impressions. Would make some great everyday work trousers. And most people today wouldn't even associate them with military clothing.

Cheers!

Dan