Golden Age lab coats?

[katon]

What were the details, and were they different than the sort worn today?

What fabric were they made of? Belted or non-belted backs? What kind of lapels? Was there a standard length?

Also, what's the story with the mandarin collar(?) labcoats with the shoulder-side buttons? The one typically associated with mad scientist depictions today?

Did they have a different purpose than the standard lab coat?

 

[Josephine]

You've been watching Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, haven't you! lol

 

[Dinerman]

I've got a vintage one- not entirely sure of the date, but it's somewhere between '30s and '50s. Mandarin collar, buttons along the shoulder. Pleated belt back, breast pocket, 3/4 length sleeves.

 

[The Wingnut]

Not all lab technicians used such a garment, here's grandpa's from his time at Hughes(yes, that Hughes) and Lockheed as an RF engineer and later laser physicist:

It's a bit large on me and I look as if I'm about to attack the camera...of note is that grandpa was just about my size, maybe an inch taller.

Buckle detail.

Button detail.

And the kicker...Sears Hercules brand, 'Nation-Alls'. Most would consider this to be blue-collar work wear. In a research environment like the one grandpa worked in, a white smock would be a bad idea. Note the stains in the previous photos! It's been dry-cleaned and they didn't come out.

 

[HDRnR]

I've found it alot easier to find high quality chef jackets for some reason the lab coats I recently got were all polyester crap cut two sizes too small.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I have a CC41 labelled lab coat that i use. it is very similar to the modern SB style, though there are holes for studs rather than buttons.

bk

 

[BellyTank]

I have a CC41 labelled lab coat that i use. it is very similar to the modern SB style, though there are holes for studs rather than buttons.

bk

Holes for "Bachelor Buttons"?
The type you can remove for laundering that have a swiveling metal shank on the button and attach with a split ring at the back?

You see them on WW2 era British Army clothing, normally the KD variety.

Is that what you have?


B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

No, real small holes like those on evening wear "formal" shirts.

bk

 

[BellyTank]

Sounds peculiar...


B
T

 

[LocktownDog]

You've been watching Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, haven't you! lol

I'll admit ... I have been.

 

[Josephine]

I'll admit ... I have been.

fftopic: It's great! I'm glad they put it back up.

 

[Edward]

Are there patterns available for the 'mad scientist' type?

 

[1930sam]

lab coats tend to be pretty standardized these days to look like 3/4 legnth sports jackets but many private dentists ie not part of a state health service continue to use the high collar type

its basically to do with ease of making alot less machining goes into one now-a-days because most of them get either contaminated and unusable or destroyed to prevent spread of dangerous material and they have to be cheap to replace earlier styles often included buttons on the sleeves etc

I dont think there are many patterns surviving

 

[Edward]

I must ask my dentist next time I'm in....

I do have on of the short-sleeve, 't-shirt' shaped shirts, acquired last year for an Orin Scrivello costume, but I do fancy the longer one....