OT: Farmer's clothing in the 40s, 50s, 60s ??

Am curious about what the "typical" choice/style of clothing (hat, shirt, pants, shoes, socks and hankie)was in the 40s, 50s, and earlier 60s. Have looked at some of the postings here (harvest brigade, etc.) but still looking for specifics. Also wondering what the cloth was wade out of, 100% cotton, linen, type of shoe, boot. Are their places that still sell them today?? ( I only know of a few stores in Cabo San Lucas, Mex. selling linen peasant clothing...!).
Thanks for any and all input.
Ralph in OK.

I remember my dad wearing blue denim overalls for everything except special occasions, His shirts were made by my moman dwere usually made from white cotton feed sacks, He wore the common Rockford (red heel) socks and common heavy work shoes. In wimter he wore a blanket lined denim jacket that he always called a jumper. In extremely cold weather he would wear a heavy wool overcoat that had been given to him. In rainy weather he wore rubber boots. I never remember him wearing low quarter shoes. For dress wear, not too often he had a pair of high top black leather "police" shoes. He seldom wore a necktie. His headgear was a wool cap much like a baseball cap and sometimes a cap of the golf type. In summer he wore a straw hat. He had a felt hat for dress and when it was okd he would finish wearing it for work. All clothing was worn until it was completely worn out.

I went into the Army in 1960 and after discharge I continued to wear Army field jackets until present.

Ralph,

I was born in 1944 so the 1950s were my "growing up" years. I wear exactly the same style of clothing today that I wore back then.

For work - bluejeans, cotton shirt with buttons and a collar, workboots (preferably from Mason Shoe Company), bandana handkerchief.

For dress - Suit with white shirt and bowtie, cap toe oxford shoes.

Hairstyle - traditional men's haircut like I used to get at Timmy's barbershop in Kent, Ohio.

I never got into Nehru jackets, leisure suits, bolo ties, goatees, etc.

I feel perfectly comfortable with my traditonal, old-fashioned appearance and don't care one bit about ever changing styles.

Tom in TN

I was born in the late 40's. Here in Michigan, my Dad alway's wore those grey striped bibs. Only when it got really hot, did you ever see him in just blue jeans and a green long sleve work shirt. I wear v neck t-shirts year round, with a flannel shirt in the winter. Carhart's when it's really cold.

Over the fifties and sixties I can remember my father and uncles wearing uniform type matching pants and shirts. I think that Dickies would be today's equivalent. My dad wore khaki, one uncle wore blue, another green, my cousin still wears brown and often matching coveralls. I wore a rental uniform for many years. It was just so easy to not think of what to put on in the morning.

My Dad, born in '27, always wore Dickies pants, white t shirt and a long sleeved cotton work shirt. Would skip the t shirt in hot weather. He treasured the almost worn out work shirts in his collection for when it was hot. They would fade from blue to light gray and were as cool as could be. Once they developed holes though my mother would put them in the rag bin.

i wore whatever got passed down,except boots then they were whatever was cheapest most of the time.

I was born in '49. Worked on farms since I was 8. What always mystified me - I would go without a shirt from May to October, but some of the old men would wear long sleeved shirts (with the sleeves not rolled up) out in the hay fields/sun all day long. They claimed the sweat would keep them cool. Made my skin crawl to even think of donning a shirt, much less one with long sleeves. That was long before all of the skin cancer warnings.

And what about the oldtimers who only wore bibbies over their birthday suit? With the side buttons unbuttoned? Gross. But cool, I guess.

People were more interesting back in the 50's and 60's. Those folks are all gone now.

how many clothes do those arabs wear out in the desert? ive never wore short sleeves if i could help it, and grew up when running around without a shirt was indecent. t shirts were underwear also,sort of like running around in your breifs.wife always buys those ones that have all the sayings and things on them expecting me to wear them,but it just ruins a good t shirt.do make good grease rags though!I guess it all depends on how where and when you grew up.

Thumbs up to the Tennessee lad! :>)

Allan

All my folks were farmers. So they all wore coveralls and work boots from Mason Shoes.On Sunday they wore slacks and a shirt with shoes from Buster Brown stores. Couldn't afford suits except to get buried in.

The kids got some new clothes for school. Plus what was handed down from the older kids. All worn until they feel apart.The youngest girls. Had dresses made from flour sacks.

My dad was born in 1918, and had real fair milk white skin, sandy hair and frekels. Just couldn't stand dust or sun on his hide, so he wore long underwear all year around, green work pants/ shirt sets with collar buttoned up and sleves down. And braces to hold up the pants, and police work boots, enginers cap for cold months ,peanut straw hat for warm times.I like Vee neck T or sweatt shirts, bid overalls or work pants with braces, never like a belt. Bruce

Born in 1940 so lived back then. Farmers all wore overalls with a long sleeve shirt buttoned at the collar while working in hay, or at the wheat thresher or shocking wheat and a straw or turtle shell hat on their head. Most did have a hankerchief around their necks while working in dirty conditions.

They also drank from the same dipper or stone water jugs too at workings. Don't remember anyone ever catching any dread disease from doing so either. Joe

Boy, did this thread bring back memories. My grandfather always wore Big Mac or Osh Kosh overalls, wide brimmed straw hat, blue chambry workshirt with the sleves down and the collar button buttoned. He wore high top lace up work boots. If going into nearest town to the Co-op he put on clean new overalls. To go to town on Saturday to do marketing and bill paying, clean slacks and shirts, best stetson hat and new lace up boots. My grandfather parallel parked on Main street and if he devined that the car parked in front or behind were too close, we would sit there in the heat until either party showed up to move their car then he would pull out. Sorry, just that memory was so much a part of it.

My Grandad had about 4 pair of Osh Gosh striped bibs, and as many blue chambry shirts.
The bibs were "Grease monkey" the ones used doing engine rebuild, lying under equipment , painting, any nasty job.
Then there was "Patches". Clean but patched by Grandma with the treadle Singer.
Then "Townboy" wear to town for shopping, or parts run.
And last "Luther" washed, starched and ironed bibbs for Sunday morning church only. As they wore out Grease Monkey would go in the rag bagNew Luthers bought and the rest move down a notch.
In the winter it got pretty interesting. There were no insulated Carharts then,so over his trap door union suit he would don as many pair of those bibs as necessary. Starting on the inside with the better bibs and ending up with grease monkey or Patches on the outside. On a cold Sunday he would start with Townboy first and Luther on last.
Yep, straw hat for work, snap brim Stetson fedora for church and go-to-meetin. Hi top shoes year round. Five buckle overshoes Nov to April.
Case pocket knife at all times. Pocket watch with a JD tractor Fob in bib top pocket along with pencil stub and a little notebook.. Abalone shell silver ring he got from a box of Cheerios, and a wedding band. Just wore the rings on Sundays or "visitin".
Red cotton bandana in right rear pocket, grease rag in left rear.
I really loved that old man.

My Dad was born in 1915 and with the exception of 4 yrs. service in WW II farmed all his life. He wore kaki long sleeved shirts and pants. In summers he would role the sleeves about half way to his elbow. In summer he wore various types of straw hats. He wore laced up work shoes. In winter leather coat and cap with ear protection.

I wear pretty much today what I wore then (born in 1943). - blue jeans and a tee shirt, unless my job required a uniform (4 years USAF, 25 years poiice work, also did mechanical work and truck driving which also required wearing a uniform, of sorts). I never wore a hat except when I was in the Air Force. About four or five years ago I purchased a couple of suits which I don't wear anymore than I can help.

Jack - I think you're right about how where and when. When I was a kid, it was unusual to see a rural boy with a shirt on in the hot summertime. Heck - I didn't wear shoes in the summer until I was 11 or 12 years old. Speaking of shoes - we had an old neighbor who went barefoot all of the time. Rolled his pants cuffs up about four turns. He must have been in his sixties when I knew him. I looked out one Christmas day to see Fritz walking down the road barefoot. No snow on the ground, but it was cold. He was a lifelong bachelor, for good reason, I suppose. Drove an Oliver 55? tractor for transportation. Hooked up the manure spreader if he was going to the store and needed to carry something home. I guess my description of him makes him sound like an idiot, but he was really a good old honest man. Played a fiddle like it was on fire. Those old interesting people are long gone and I miss them. I often wonder who the young folks will think back about when they get older. I'm afraid it might be me. . .

If it makes you feel better - nobody sees me in public without a shirt anymore. It wouldn't be a pretty sight. . .

Paul

Dad always wore tan khaki long sleeve shirts and pants, Dickies I think. Always a belt, never suspenders. In winter dou-fold long handles, summer boxers. He claimed hi-top shoes bothered his ankles so he wore work oxfords, with five buckle arctics in the winter if the snow was deep. If the snow wasn't deep then overshoes. Straw hat in summer, cap with ear laps in the winter, and a scarf if it was really cold. Pretty basic stuff, just keep layering up when it was cold.
Me, I've always worn jeans year around, with fisher stripe coveralls or carhartts in the winter. T-shirts in the summer, sweat shirts or flannels or both in the winter.I've worn Red Wing logger boots until the snow gets deep for 55 years, then switch to Northerners for the rest of the winter. Stocking cap in winter, baseball cap in summer. I've been pretty comfortable working outside in some fairly nasty weather so I guess the system works for me.

Bruce, what do you refer to when you talk about "braces"?? Suspenders?? Am just not familiar with that word....
Thanks, Ralph.