Lightning Magazine AMERICAN HERITAGE Special Issue Vol. 101, Part 3... 1950's POWR HOUSE Vent-Hole Chambray Work Shirts

1950's era Montgomery Ward POWR HOUSE Vent-Hole, Vat-Dyed Dark Blue Chambray Work Shirts. Seen in Lightning Magazine American Heritage Issue Volume 101.

Well worn with multiple holes and nicks, but holding up due to its true workwear design. Originally made to last twice as long and provide twice the wear. 
 Details include double fabric back, shoulders & elbows, triple stitched seams, vat-dyed to hold color after many washings and rust proof Gripper fasteners that were guaranteed for the life of the shirt.

Harder to find vat-dyed dark blue chambray with beautiful sun fade showing shirt was worn with overalls outdoors. 

Older MW POWR HOUSE • SANFORIZED • printed label.

Bare metal Scovill GRIPPER snaps.

Nice hand sewn primitive repair.

Green vent hole grommets or eyelets, either way...NICE!

Lower shirt tail rip-stop gussets. 

Same basic vat-dyed dark blue chambray vent-hole shirt as above only in deadstock condition with MW embossed  Scovill GRIPPER snaps and late 1950's early 1960's WARD'S Powr House label.   

More photos of this N.O.S. shirt can be found in a previous post here.

Great Shirts, Nigel Cabourn & The Rose Bowl

There was lots of interest in this great vintage 1940's era Par-Val chambray work shirt last month at the Rose Bowl Flea. One very nice gentleman with an obvious sense of style who liked it a lot and hung out for a while to discuss a few of it’s finer points was none other than Nigel Cabourn. As he convinced his friend Sam (who had a great pair of glasses hanging around his neck) to try it on I commented on how nice it must be to have someone pointing out great pieces and Nigel stated something to the effect that he was Sam’s personal dresser. I told Nigel that if the shirt fit a bit better that it would be a keeper and not for sale. Bet more than a few people out there would love to have Nigel Cabourn as their own personal dresser.

1940's BLUE TOP Broadcloth Work Shirt

1940's era BLUE TOP broadcloth work shirt.

Not quite sure if this is a "blue collar" or "white collar" due to various details including the single pocket & smaller shell buttons vs the lower side gussets & Blue Top loomed label.
I have known Blue Top for their work wear and have a few other pieces in current inventory including chambray work shirts and lined denim chore jacket, none of which feature such a detailed label.

Forties style pointed collar

Machine loomed BLUE TOP label

Quality detailing

Slant cuffs matching the slant front pocket 

Lower side gussets

1940's-1950's era Blue Herringbone Twill Work Shirts

The Cleveland Overall Co. 1950's era union made blue hbt work shirt in unworn, one wash condition

Neck tag with old style Cleveland script  

Washington "Dee Cee" 1940's era blue hbt sanforized cotton work shirt in deadstock condition 

Machine loomed neck tag

Nice 40's style pointed collar

 Original hang tag

Side gussets with selvedge edge

Another 1940's era "Dee Cee" hbt work shirt picked up at the same time as the one pictured above. Both were deadstock, this one had more obvious storage soil on the fold lines so I decided to wash it & wear it for work

Just starting to show some nice contrast after a few washes. Hoping that it will continue to fade with use (contrary to the claims on the neck tag) in order to better hide the fold lines 

Powr House Deadstock Chambray Vent Hole Work Shirt

I've been on the hunt for a shirt like this for longer than I care to remember. Time to check it off the list!

My new 1950's era Montgomery Ward Powr House workshirt. Features include MW Gripper snaps, double fabric back, shoulders & elbows, 16 ventilation eyelets at back & underarms and point of strain bar-tacks in green cotton thread, Vat-Dyed dark blue chambray, triple stitch seams with bar-tacks, interlined collar. Nice!