Office Boy Robbed !! 

Union Suit Fans: After my last posting, I received an email from another Iowan resident:

Chris: Like R.K. Davenport, I'm a home grown Iowa boy. And like him and you, I wear union suits, for me about nine months out of the year. I'm also a history nut and a graduate of the University of Iowa. 

Recently an old advertisement in the University of Iowa student newspaper from 115 years ago got my attention. The newspaper began publishing in 1868, if you can believe that! The clothing ad is from the May 20, 1908 issue and titled: Wise Talks By The Office Boy.

The print is small and a bit difficult to read. Perhaps your viewers can enlarge. It's about an office boy, Muggsy, who has a "hard luck story" to tell. He related that he had gotten all dressed up in his new "brown, stylish suit, a college model, and $2.50 hat," which he purchased from the Coast & Sons Clothing Shop in Iowa City. Muggsy said he "looked the part of a swell dresser." 

On the way to pick up his girl, whom he had not seen in a week, he was confronted by four toughs who demanded his clothes, leaving him stranded on the street in his long underwear! He said "after they got me down to my union suit, a fellow put on the clothes..." Generously, the boys gave him a barrel to wear so he didn't have to continue on his way in just his underwear. What would his girl friend think?

Muggsy stood there hollering, drawing a crowd, until "a copper came up" and took him away. Cheerfully, he said, he's "not a quitter" and will get another suit just like the one he had.

This clothing ad is very different from those of men's clothing stores of today. I wonder if it really appealed to college boys back then. Did many of them relate to Muggsy running out to purchase a suit from Coast and Sons to wear over their union suits?! 

Sam Scott, Iowa City 

Thanks Scott. It's a small world what with Iowa, Iowa City and West Branch coming into such prominence in this blog after 100 years. You raise a very good question as to whether this appealed to the college boys who may have seen the ad in the student newspaper. That clothing store certainly appeared to think so. I appreciate you taking the time to share this unusual newspaper advertisement...Chris

Here's a copy of a postcard, front and back, that I found on-line featuring the Coast & Sons clothing store:

I'm always interested in receiving e-mails and photos from blog viewers like R.K. and Sam and the many others who have contributed over the years. I know you have a worthwhile union suit story to share, so don't delay in forwarding it to me. These make for a much more interesting blog when coming from you! ...Chris

                                                               cayersnd@gmail.com