Happy Father's Day and First Day of Summer, Union Suit Fans !!
This being the 20th of June, Father's Day, and the official kickoff of summer, I thought I would feature a favorite artist of mine, not quite as famous as Norman Rockwell, but nevertheless, a great painter in this own right. The man is Henry "Hy" Hintermeister (1897 to 1970). He was a superb illustrator and painter, signing many of his works as "Hy" Hintermeister. As a boy, he teamed up with his painter father, John Henry Hintermeister. Hy is believed to have struck out on his own in 1914 when he would have been only 17 years old. He became known as an "American Theme Painter." His whimsical art featured family values, dogs and horses, "Uncle Natchel," and, my favorite, a boy and his beloved grandpa.
The mischievious kid was always involving Grandpa in his mishaps. And there was Grandpa, wearing long red union suit underwear, revealed by his rolled up shirt sleeves. The paintings seemed to indicate that the old man never became too short-tempered with a boy that was always causing trouble. At least, there they would appear again and again with the boy tripping up the man he surely looked up to.
Hintermeister created at least twelve paintings of these two inseparable friends. Here's an example of his work:
Growing up, I was especially close to my two grandpas, even knowing for a time a great grandpa. He died when I was nine years old. All three men wore union suits. One grandpa and my great grandpa, farmers both, wore union suits year around. The younger of the two swore by red union suits, the only ones he would even consider wearing. He felt warmer having red "long handles" under his clothes and was convinced they kept his gout under control. He knew, and I tend to agree, that red long underwear keeps a man warm. I suppose, thanks to him, I include several red union suits in my collection of long, one-piece underwear.
Look for postings of more Hintermeister boy and grandpa paintings, one of which I hope to include each month over the next year in this blog.... Chris
It was real interesting hearing you mention about your grandfathers wearing union suits year round. That has always been a fantasy of mine to be able to wear long underwear regardless of the style, year round. When the temps are cool, cold or worse, yes I am in long underwear all the time. Sometimes in the summer I will wear the bottoms and I don't care how hot it is. They just feel good to wear and that does something for me. I was curious of those reading this post, if any of you are year round wearers of union suits or even long underwear?
ReplyDeleteMichael: Growing up in Minnesota on a dairy farm, I can tell you my dad and granddad wore union suits all year long, winter and summer. I wore them too and so did my three brothers growing up in the 1950's and 60's. I don't remember what my three sisters wore to keep warm. As a boy I did not wear union suits during the summer like dad and granddad. Nor did my older brother. In fact, I couldn't wait to take them off in the late spring. I would start grumbling about the first of April to take them off and wear regular underwear. My mom would not hear of it. I really began to protest by May 1st. But she made us boys wear our union suits through May even when we were in high school. You didn't cross mom. Plenty of other boys wore union suits back then with some wearing two piece long johns but union suits were still commonly worn. Finally, when shcool was about out, she would relent and let me and my brothers choose the underwear we wanted. Again, in the fall another fight to avoid wearing union suits too soon. We boys began protesting prior to October 1st. No go. We never changed mom's mind. On came those union suits weeks before Halloween.
ReplyDeleteToday, my older brother and I still wear union suits but we get to choose when to take them off and put them on. Funny thing, we wear them about the same time as mom made us. LOL. My two younger brothers wear long underwear too but the two piece thermals. They don't wear them all year... Tim
Thanks for your story Tim, That too was a real interesting story.
DeleteMy Dad never wore long underwear, but there were times I saw my two uncles have them on. I guess I was the odd ball in the house in that I wanted to wear long underwear almost all the time. When I was on my own as an adult, I would wear them a lot of the time. Then I was transferred to TX with my job and after retirement, moved to the Phoenix area of AZ. You don't get too many days that you can legitimately wear thermals or union suits in AZ and not be thought of as a nut. But on those days that I just needed them on, I would wear the bottoms and that would work for me. Now we are living full time in our RV and traveling the USA. We relocated or residency to South Dakota and I figure I will be able to wear them more in that state. Actually I am back in Wisconsin now, my old home state, and I am wear thermals today and feeling comfortable in them. I still dream of being in a location that would permit the year round wearing of them.
Hey, Michael: You know, my dad never wore long underwear either, well not until he was in his early-sixties when he finally decided to join us boys and take up skiing in the Rockies where we lived. Dad was a haberdasher (a dealer in men's and boys' clothes), owning and managing a clothing store in our small, mountain town. So he did not work outside. Yet, he sold hundreds, maybe thousands, of union suits and two-piece long johns over his many years. He furnished long underwear to my brothers and me but not union suits. But, I had granddads and uncles as examples for my coveting and the eventual wearing of union suits myself at age 14 and ever since. I don't remember arguing with mom about wearing long underwear. It was just something we did. So did all the other boys in my Idaho town...Chris
DeleteI too, never had to argue with my parents about wearing long underwear. In fact it was the opposite, I was told to take them off when it got warm outside. When it was cold outside, a lot of the time I would wear two layers of long underwear to keep warm. My mother just didn't understand why I would do that because it made more laundry for her. I collected quite a mass of long underwear and union suits over the years and have been accused of wanting to open up a long underwear store. Your dad, having a clothing store must have been quite an opportunity for you to try new styles. Of course you may have had to convince him to purchase the new styles of long underwear to try on. I was the oldest child of 6 and since Dad nor Mom wore long underwear I had to convince Mom to purchase it for me. I do remember looking through the Sears and JC Penney catalogs and asking for her to get me certain pieces. Sometimes successful, sometimes not. But when I got a job and my drivers license I would go do my own shopping. Then I moved out into my own apartment and the collecting began.
DeleteSo, Michael were you the only boy in your family who wanted to wear long underwear or did you brothers get your hand-me-downs. My dad owning a clothing store was great and not just for underwear either. His store was closed on Sundays so my brothers and me would work there afternoons after church, putting out new merchandise, straighten shoes, sweep and clean. But the Sunday before school started and just before Christmas, we could try on and select new shirts, pants, jackets. We boys thought it pretty great we could strip down to just our underwear, wander around the boys department at the store, try on what ever and not have to use the changing rooms like the customers. Ironically, I got my first union suit at age 14 while shopping with grandma at Sears. On clearance that union suit only cost $2. After that sale, dad finally got the hint I wanted union suits not two piece long johns.... Chris
DeleteI Like your story Tim. I grew up on a farm in North Dakota and wore longjohns from Labor Day until Memorial Day. Not that I wanted to but mom was the boss and see had final say. I would protest but to no avail. I still wear my union suits now during that time frame but usually put them on earlier each fall as I get older and wear them longer in the spring. It is the 21st of June and the temps today were in the 50’s today so I have my unionsuit on. I will be wearing as long as the temps are lower than 80. I think it won’t be long until I wear then year round.
ReplyDeleteMyron
Like you Myron, I find myself wearing my union suits earlier in the fall and later in the spring. Today is July 23 and I have worn a union suit to bed the last two night as the temps have dropped into the 50,s. This morning I took my car in for a tire rotation and since it was still a bit on the chilly side, I put on jeans and a t shirt over the union suit and was not at all too warm dressed that way. I even wore a union suit to work this month on a day that we mowed and the temp was on the cool side. I too might be wearing them all year as I seem to tolerate lower temps as I get older. It's nice to know I am not the only one that wears union suits more and more as the years add up.
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