"Only as long as things looked tough..."

[pvpatty]

"We asked her if she could name us any obvious evidence of the war as shown by clothes."

"Well, the clothes the leaders wore", she said thinking. "Roosevelt's cape was military and that sort of tunic of Stalin's, and then there was Churchill's siren suit. That last was most typical of all because he didn't keep on wearing it. Only as long as things looked tough. While the war was in the balance, he wore the siren suit...But as soon as it began to to be pretty certain that the axis was losing... back he went into the old familiar, conservative statesman's dress of trousers, shirt and coat."

http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/arti ... mmary=1479

[storeynicholas]

This is an interesting and perceptive observation which, on examination, appears to be true. WSC's success was at least partly owing to the fact that he was a great showman - much more than that of course - but certainly it was an element. Who could tire, even now, of listening to the recorded speeches (actually mainly re-enacted by an actor) - but for the the sounds and the effects?
NJS

[pvpatty]

Another good photo of the ubiquitous siren suit (I wonder if anyone [probably of Churchill's ilk] still wears one?):

[storeynicholas]

Turnbull & Asser used to have one of his on dispaly. I did once see similar items for sale readymade - in fact it isn't really very far off a boiler suit - and we know how proud WSC was to have his bricklayers' union badge!
NJS

[pvpatty]

It seems to me like a rather practical garment, useful for cold days around the house.

[storeynicholas]

Well, you could have it in any weight - I believe that he even had velvet ones for the evening - like a one-piece smoking suit - rather a good idea!
NJS

[dopey]

Thanks for the article. I have an excellent book written in 1939 by the interviewee in the article, Elizabeth Hawes, called Men Can Take it. It is delightfully illustrated by James Thurber. Ms. Curtis has lots of theories of men's dress and seems to think her mission is to liberate men from the oppression of clothing chosen by others. Nonetheless, the book is a good read and some of my favorite pieces summarize her discussions with undergraduates at Yale and Princeton and law students at Harvard about the clothes they wear and what they mean.

[storeynicholas]

And it's General Smuts again with WSC - former hunter and hunted!!
NJS