The first day of July is the real start of summer in my book, and we are promised our annual week of sunshine and heat to celebrate it. Time for polos, espadrilles, and cotton neckerchiefs and spectator slipon shoes, though I freely admit that I had the latter out for a spin in June.
One thing that is not seen much any more is a soft cotton jump suit like the blue thing in the illustration. Winston Churchill was famous for them of course but they have been rare on the ground since. Someone like Carhartt probably makes one, but who?
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14 comments:
It's not really a jump suit. It's a two piece with the shirt having a button waist.
I do recall the belted, leisure jump suits that Sears used to sell.
I think that outfit calls for the first appearance of the Kill it with fire meme in your comments page.
Well, in any event we must draw the line at that basket on the bicycle.
Seriously though, because of its two piece, button-bottomed shirt, beltless-trouser nature, I think you'd have to have made. Otherwise, you're probably stuck with Dickies jumpsuit stuff.
I believe they were sometimes called "siren suits" -- Churchill wore them during the Blitz and inspecting bombed-out sites. Wartime rationed London was probably a lot less warm and sunny than the places you're contemplating using them for summer wear, but I believe Turnbull & Asser made some of Churchill's (to order, pretty sure those wouldn't be something ever kept in stock).
Terry cloth do you think?
At least some of Churchill's T&A siren suits were velvet. One of his siren suits is on display in The Cabinet War Rooms, one of my favorite museums in London -- you may wish to check it out on your next visit to see what it's made of. However, terrycloth would be pretty heavy for something to wear around during the summer as opposed to simply using as a poolside robe, and I think one needs to be Sean Connery in 1965 to pull off a terry one piece jumpsuit anyway...
Etutee's description of the what the editors said about the illustration, perhaps in a happier time for some before the siren suit:
"This is the outfit imported then from Monte Carlo, and was described by their editors as being of the very best taste in Beach fashions. It started appearing in fashionable circles sometime mid-30s and from then onwards gained massive support from others as well. This is of the washable fabric with shirt being sung [sic] at the waistband creating a subtle blousy effect, combination brown & white Norwegian model moccasins with white part being of buck / suede. Note that the pants are plain front with no belt loops...& therefore no belt present. Pants have the natural turn-over, which basically means are straight hem but folded over rather than carrying permanent cuffs. Pocket Square in shirts pocket is maroon foulard."
"Other items are The Hawaiian cotton swim trunks in original native coloring and pattern, an unusual light weight necker-tie in a marine design, and goat skinned sandals observed at various fashionable southern resorts."
WSC's family called the siren suits his 'rompers'. On the subject of 'summer' Lord Byron said that the English winter ended in July to recommence in August.
I think Churchill had one i grey pinstripe, and one in green velvet.
Both from T&A
good close-up picture here:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_t2v3UEDpntc/StGGRIo0ecI/AAAAAAAAANk/NKW4XZ6BBVA/s1600-h/IMG_2122.JPG
It appears that we have already decided that it isn't a jumpsuit, but this is the first thing that came to mind:
http://www.myjumpsuit.com/
I've certainly been considering a chambray number over the last few weeks. Fitting that I would see such a post here :-)
I think that WSC had several of these outfits as he also had a red velvet one.
Want a smashing jumpsuit, eh? You'll have to contact Kim Jong-Il's tailor - http://theeconomist.tumblr.com/post/1204365448/kim-jong-il-clad-in-trademark-jumpsuit-receives. Kim himself favours the long-sleeved one, which can't be too comfortable in Pyongyang's muggy summer days, but he's the only one w/ aircon. To complete the look go with 10cm high platform cap toe blucher, size 5.
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