Figure 1.--Here are the various styles of Winter underwear offered by Sears in its 1966-67 catalog. |
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The winter underwear offered in 1966 was mostly warm shirts and pants in different lengths. We note, however, that union suits were still offered although little attention was given them in the catalog page. Here we see the two-piece underwear styles offered in the Sears 1966 catalog.
The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store
added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane the first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing
American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge
Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.
These union suits appeared in the Sears
Catalog 1966-67 (Fall and Winter, p. 152). It is interesting to note how the union suit, so popular up through the 1940s, was still worn by some boys in winter in the later 1960s, although the two-piece style of winter underwear seems now to be dominant. Union suits for men are still available and worn by some hunters and outdoor workers in cold climates. They are still sold in Canada under the name of "combinations", a term that was also used in Britain. But children's union suits have nearly disappeared in our
century.
The two-piece underwear is available up through age 20, whereas the union suit is available only to age 16. Overall, the boys' ages here range from age 6 to age 20, and the fabric used comes in both rib knit and flat knit versions.
The two-piece "long johns" are more or less the thermal style of underwear worn by men and boys today, although the short thigh-length knit shorts are seen less now than then. The style of the underpants with elastic band at the waist and a no-button fly front is just a winter modification of the Jockey-style underpants that were introduced in the 1930s and caught on in popularity
by the mid-1940s. This is p. 152 of the Sears Fall and Winter catalog for 1966-67.
Sears offered Winter underwear in both rib and flat knit.
The Sears ad copy read, "Rib Knit. 100% cotton . . . thick, stretchy and strong. 79 c. each. 2 for $1.50. Short-sleeve shirts, Mid-length shorts. (1 thru 5) Long-staple yarns in a winter weight knit make this underwear strong, long-wearing, comfortable and highly absorbent. Smooth flat-locked bindings, cuffs, support straps. Set-in gusset at legs, crotch. Smooth flat-locked seams. Elastic waistband that stays stretchy. White. Machine wash,
medium temperature. Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20. Please state size.
(1) Short-sleeve shirts 43 H 12222F 5 oz. 79 c. 2 for $1.50.
(2) Ankle-length drawers 43 H 12203F 7 oz. $1.07. 2 for $1.98.
(3) Long-sleeve shirts 43 H 12232F 7 oz. $1.07. 2 for $$1.98.
(4) Mid-length shorts 43 H 12213F 8 oz. 79 c. 2 for $1.50.
The Sears ad copy read, "Flat Knit.. 100% combed cotton . . . smooth, soft. $1.09. 2 for $2.00 Short-sleeve shirts. Mid-length shorts. (6 thru 8) Special inter-lock knit has a greater density of yarns to give a more smoothly textured, more closely knit fabric. Highly absorbent and extra warm . . . won't stretch out of shape. Ribbed cotton neck, cuffs. All seams reinforced. Heat resistant elastic waist keeps its shape and stretch washing after washing., wearing after wearing. Machine wash, medium temp. White. For
lowest prices, order two or more. Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, or 20. State size.
(6) Short-sleeve undershirt 43 H 12522F 6 oz. $1.09. 2 for $2.00.
(7) Ankle-length drawers 43 H 12503F 7 oz. $1.39. 2 for $2.70.
(8) Mid-length shorts 43 H 12513F 6 oz. $1.09. 2 for $2.00.
While not pictured in the illustration of the two-piece sets, Sears did also offer union suits on this catalog page. The Sears ad copy read, "(5) Union Suit. Rib knit as above. Long sleeves. Ankle length. One-button flap seat. White. For lowest prices, order two or more. Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16. 43 H 12290F--Shipping weight each 13 oz. Each $1.84; 2 for $3.50." Note the union suits were only done in sizes through 16. The other Winter underwear was made in sizes through 20.
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