Military 'woolly pully' sweaters

[ItnStln]

Back to Black with Epps today (in military terms Tanks, Subs or US Special Forces).

Good choice!

 

[Ticklishchap]

Good choice!

Thank you — and what was your choice?

 

[ItnStln]

Thank you — and what was your choice?

Today it was my USMC green, and tomorrow will be it's twin in black.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Today it was my USMC green, and tomorrow will be it's twin in black.

Absolutely perfect. For me it was Army green today ... tomorrow Navy blue!

 

[ItnStln]

Absolutely perfect. For me it was Army green today ... tomorrow Navy blue!

Awesome! Luckily it'll be cooler tomorrow so I'll have an excuse to wear another.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Awesome! Luckily it'll be cooler tomorrow so I'll have an excuse to wear another.

It’s ideal weather for WPs at the moment!

 

[Harp]

Favored my Celtic tried-and-true fisherman beneath the college Gloverall, a bit tattered but eminently serviceable.
Snow tomorrow. The wind wasn't as blustery this morning.

 

[ItnStln]

It’s ideal weather for WPs at the moment!

It is!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I am in Army & Raf today. Stay safe in this bad weather.

 

[mariner]

Serious floods up here and more rain forecast. Wearing my cream roll neck WP.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Serious floods up here and more rain forecast. Wearing my cream roll neck WP.

Good wishes to all affected by the floods. Wore Army WP yesterday and black ‘Sou’West chunkie’ fisherman’s sweater today.

I note that there’s a new 15% off offer from OKW.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Good wishes to all affected by the floods. Wore Army WP yesterday and black ‘Sou’West chunkie’ fisherman’s sweater today.

I note that there’s a new 15% off offer from OKW.

Yes, yes hope those affected can recover soon.

I think at 15% is to mark their new range of knitwear.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Serious floods up here and more rain forecast. Wearing my cream roll neck WP.

Hope you are ok and not flooded. There has been so much recently.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Yes, yes hope those affected can recover soon.

I think at 15% is to mark their new range of knitwear.

They’re new range is a bit rubbish I’m afraid. However the 15% can be used for their traditional military knitwear as well.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

They’re new range is a bit rubbish I’m afraid. However the 15% can be used for their traditional military knitwear as well.

OK, Handy to know and talking of traditional military knitwear, I was in RAF yesterday and Navy today.

 

[Ticklishchap]

OKW have today launched a 'Bond Sweater', based on the new movie: essentially their World War 2 version of the WP in Navy, with shoulder and elbow patches. I shall certainly consider adding it to my collection.

 

[ItnStln]

OKW have today launched a 'Bond Sweater', based on the new movie: essentially their World War 2 version of the WP in Navy, with shoulder and elbow patches. I shall certainly consider adding it to my collection.

That's tempting!

 

[seres]

OKW have today launched a 'Bond Sweater', based on the new movie: essentially their World War 2 version of the WP in Navy, with shoulder and elbow patches. I shall certainly consider adding it to my collection.

I'm not sure I like that "shock cord" or drawstring around the neck opening. Anyone have an opinion?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I'm not sure I like that "shock cord" or drawstring around the neck opening. Anyone have an opinion?

I Understand that the original UK Military Sweaters like these that seemed to first appear during WW11 did have those drawstrings around the neck. The neck opening on those very early sweaters, I think, was more "Boat Shaped/Oval", than the present Crew/Round necks of the sweaters which followed and which are still in use today. Hence the option to pull the strings and tighten around the neck for warmth/or loosen for ventilation. I think the original use was for the Army and they were more brown than green and of a more course knit, not even sure if the originals had shoulder and or elbow patches/epps, they may have come a bit later. I wonder when their use became more general in the Army, then in the Navy and RAF, I think upto WW11 the later 2 services tended to use versions of the White Roll Necks.

I shall have to see if my piggy bank will allow me to purchase of the new Bond OKW Sweaters.

 

[Ticklishchap]

I'm not sure I like that "shock cord" or drawstring around the neck opening. Anyone have an opinion?

I associate this type of sweater with the Army in World War II and into the 1950s/Korean War era and through to the mid-1960s. It was as Steve has said more a brown or Khaki colour (there was a black version as well I think) and the string was for practical rather than decorative purpose. This ribbed wool sweater gradually evolved into the modern Woolly Pully through the addition of shoulder and elbow patches, the replacement of the draw string by a reinforced crew neck and (by the mid-70s) the replacement of the reinforced cuffs with the turn-back cuffs we know and love today.

The Navy 'Bond Sweater' is a hybrid. It has many of the characteristics of the WW2 and immediately post-WW2 commando sweater, including the string as a nod to tradition. However it is not historically accurate and should not be seen as such. I have the OKW 'WW2' sweater (closer to the original) in black and although I like it I don't wan it nearly as often as my other WPs. The Bond sweater I actually quite like the look of, not least because of the elbow and shoulder patches. I might buy it as a curiosity and an addition to my WP collection.