Embroidered Navy Tunics?

[Lauren]

Hi.
Does anyone know the history of embroidering Navy tunics with motifs? I just got one that is embroidered on the inside back with a large anchor and the cuffs have a simple wavy design. Was this popular during WWII, and are they valuable to collectors, or did I just find something that seems pretty neat to me? And info would be great! I always thought they were pretty neat, but that's about all I know.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

My dad's blues from the Vietnam era were silk lined and then embroidered inside...likely done in Hong Kong.

Not sure when the idea or trend started....so unhelpful there...

 

[cco23i]

If I remeber correctly it started in the 20's with the Navy during stints in China. I have also seen Marine dress uniforms with Chinese ebroidery inside the cuffs and such.

Scott

 

[poggleberry]

Embroidered Navy Trousers

I bought a pair of Navy trousers this week at The War & Peace Show, Beltring, UK. I have been looking for a couple of years for a pair but they were always too small, I was very pleased when I found these. They struck me as unusual as they are silk lined, not wool, with all seams bound and some lovely embroidery, I'm having trouble dating them but believe they are tailor made possibly 1940's, any ideas?
I like you was fascinated by the embroidery and wanted to know more, hopefully by posting some pictures we'll get some answers.

 

[Subvet642]

Hi.
Does anyone know the history of embroidering Navy tunics with motifs? I just got one that is embroidered on the inside back with a large anchor and the cuffs have a simple wavy design. Was this popular during WWII, and are they valuable to collectors, or did I just find something that seems pretty neat to me? And info would be great! I always thought they were pretty neat, but that's about all I know.

Those are called "Liberty Cuffs and Collars". When I was in during the '80's, they were quite popular. They were typically patches that could be sewn on, and when you were on duty, they would be turned down and out of sight, but on Liberty (after work, not to be confused with Leave), the cuffs were turned up, exposing the cuff designs (I had dragons in about 7 or 8 colors) and the wind would occasionally show the collar design, often at inopportune times. Other embellishments would be a little knife pocket in the back of the collar for a boot knife and some guys would roll up a roll of dimes in the neckerchief to use as emergency funds or a sap like weapon. I also had a zipper installed in the side of the jumper top to make it easier to put on and Velcro behind the trouser flap with the buttons sewn to the flap itself; 'cause it's a lot easier than 13 buttons when you're drinking.

EDIT: Removed too large image.

 

[BellyTank]

Just to add to what he said- that Steve McQueen film, The Sand Pebbles, was set in China, 1926. It's part of the serviceman abroad/in Asia thing, like the '40s and '50s Japanese, Korea, Vietnam souvenir/tour jackets, loaded with exotic embroidery- cheap Tailors and lots of silk. The "Liberty Cuffs" thing has become popular recently, due to the general vintage/retro/uniform/workwear thing and more specifically, due to designers, like Mister Freedom, who had a collection based on vintage USNavy/Merchant navy clothing.

Quite well known in modern, popular and fashion related culture.



http://www.selfedge.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=74

http://sailorjackbones.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/mfsc-cpo-shirt/

http://www.navydp.com/NavyCollector/Navy_Traditions.htm

http://www.madametalbot.com/4tattoo.htm


So, if your piece is "quite old"- it is, a) worth keeping, b)worth selling,
c) worth keeping longer, perhaps because of point (b.


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