30s-40s British Workwear Influenced Style

[herringbonekid]

I was aware that modern flat caps weren't appropriate for the look, but not Bakerboy caps.

fear not, they had eight-piece caps in England in the 20s-40s period:







... they just weren't as common as the two piece / flat cap.
you'll see more as you go back into the late Victorian period.

 

[BootsNBraces]

I am very relieved to hear that.

 

[BootsNBraces]

Are button down collars period appropriate? I've read different sources which seem to contradict each other.

I keep on finding nice, thick cotton/linen shirts in chartiy shops which I feel would work well for the look only to turn them down based on the fact that they have button down collars as I assumed this was more of a modern trend (given the recent popularity of button down collars at least).

 

[herringbonekid]

they had button down collars in the teens, 20s, 30s & 40s, but they're not a style you would associate with a 30s-40s labourer.
you can't get more labourer than the collarless style.

 

[Edward]

I've recently been watching the re runs of 'All creatures great and small' and it's chocked full of all types of workwear from our chosen era, not just workmen per se but also farmers and obviously the vets in cords and tweed and with the obligatory plaid ties.....recommended viewing if you can find it.....I wonder how much of the clothing is original in the series?

I'd guess there's every chance a fair bit of it is - at least the stuff that looks accurate. (It's been a long time, but my memory suggests it was pretty good on the colthes and cars front, at least, in terms of histroical accuracy). Most of it was set if memory serves, in the forties, and the first series followed the 1975 film in, from memory, 1978 (the 70s was an era in which several British television series were flipped to the big screen, notably Dad's Army, On the Buses, and Are You Being Served?, while others, such as this, were derived from British films, often retelling the same story over again, but drawn out over a much longer period, and in more depth). That being the case, when they were costuming the show, a lot of original clothes would have been around in greater numbers and much more cheaply than today. In 1978, buying a mid forties suit would have been like buying a 1980s piece today. Then, of course, it was also the era of the '70s does 30s & 40s" stuff, so I'm sure a lot of bits (like Tristan's fairlisle style tops) were widely available in the likes of Marksies too!


(Interestingly, while the original novels and TV shows were set in the 30s/40s/50s, the events on which the real-life Herriot actually based them took place in the 60s and 70s, often).

Can also recommend Olney.

I've got one boater and a straw fedora type that are Olney; nice hats, not ridiculously expensive. I think Olney are about the only people left making boaters in the UK? Or at least, the only UK firm still selling them, wherever they make them...

The good thing about the British workwear look is that you can mix & (mis)match almost anything. So a pair of Swedish prison trousers with a collarless shirt, a silk scarf and a battered vintage jacket is just as much 'workwear' as £500's worth of selvedge Japanese denim reproduction 'workwear'. And a damn site cheaper.

Ain't that the truth! Last weekend, I went into that denim place we were all in in the Truman brewery when Flo was over.... Summer stock's in now. Found a gorgeous wabash workshirt.... a snip at GBP175(!!!).

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Received my RETRO SPORT cap from Mamie Blue Paris. Pretty nice! Pretty distinct, just trying to soften it up now. I'll post pics when I get a chance.

 

[BootsNBraces]

Please do!

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Fellow Workers
Here is me wearing the new 'Retro Sport' cap. I really like it, BUT I'd say it definitely has a 'European' look about it, rather than British. Paired it with some thick Danish army trousers and a nice wool tie.



(Sorry for the squint!)

Also, found some pictures that I look a little while ago of a book in Derbyshire Record Office while I was doing some research. Entitled 'Mining People', it was a HMSO publication in 1945 to give a little info about mining communities - to whom I'm not clear. An interesting read though, and of interest here for the 'British worker' look - especially if you're from the North or Midlands.








That last one (gent on the right) is a look I've tried to mimic here, with what I'd say is a much more British looking 'Olney' cap. I posted this one a while ago to the 'What are you wearing' etc thread.



Thanks for looking! Let me know what you reckon.

 

[Metatron]

Great look in the first picture. The octagonal caps seem to have been most popular in France, but it definitely works with your look.
What model Olney is that? is it a 'bond' cap?

 

[esteban68]

Great look Eddie ....the book looks excellent great find, I need to look out for a copy as all my family were colliers.

 

[Two Types]

Looking good there. I like the simplicity of that image.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

TT - Thanks! I don't like looks that are too fussy.

Esteban68 - Thanks! If you PM me your email I can send you the full book that I photographed if you're interested? I think there are copies on abebooks.co.uk too.

Metatron - Thanks also! Looking back through this thread I can see you also have a pair of the Danish Army trousers - they're a great standard pair of trousers that seem to go well with most things. As for the Olney, I'm not sure what its catalogue name is, but it is certainly in the same style of the 'Bond' range they do. It doesn't have the windowpane pattern, more a salt-and-pepper tweed. It's good, but requires occasional pressing to keep the wide look and stop it going too floppy. I'm waiting on my Sterkowski cap for hopefully the same shape but lighter-weight fabric.

 

[BootsNBraces]

I Love it, it'll be a while before I have enough pieces to replicate a look like that. Particularly like the trousers is the first pictures actually - I really should buy myself a pair, as well as a pair of those Swiss denim trousers. I also really like that Olney cap - I'll have to look into their headwear more!

 

[Nigel]

Looks good Eddie, can I ask what is the stripe shirt that you are wearing in the earlier pic?

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Joshua - Thanks! As ever with this sort of stuff, it's a matter of accumulating it. The trousers are knocking about online, and I'm currently on my third pair so I can heartily recommend them! What are those Swiss ones you mention? And I think Olney have their caps for sale online on their website - but I got mine from a friend's shop a couple of years ago, so I've no idea if they still do it or not!

Nigel - Thank you! The shirt is nothing special at all - an old BHS one I think, and i got it for like a £1 at a charity shop in town. It has a decent collar on it though.

 

[BootsNBraces]

These are the Swiss ones: https://www.varusteleka.com/en/prod...917-30s-40s-British-Workwear-Influenced-Style

All far too big for me as I'm 32" waist is about the biggest I can stretch to, unless they've put their sizing the wrong way round... hmm. Anyone else bought these before?

They say it is waist followed by leg sizes although it is the other way round on their other trousers.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Ah right. Postage can be costly from that website too.

 

[esteban68]

Can't find any Danish ones in a 36" waist online all small sizes currently!

 

[esteban68]

I've had some of the Swiss ones...very sturdy if you remove the pockets and dye them they make passable breeks.

 

[Two Types]

I thought postage from Varustelka was set as a flat fee, regardless of how much you buy.