Union Suits and Trap Doors

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Do you refer to the buttoned back side of your Union Suit as a trap door, a fireman's hatch, a flap, a drop seat or a window like the kids in Lynn Johnston's comic strip? Maybe you call that essential rear opening something else.

Regardless, many consider that their one, two, three, or more long johns' buttoned flaps to be indispensable. Grandpa and his boys certainly thought so on their late night trips in just their underwear to the two-holer outhouse. Union Suits were especially popular before homes had central heating and indoor toilets. Outdoorsmen beginning in the late 1800's through today take advantage of the rear opening in their Union Suits as well.

Except when camping and fishing in the great Rocky Mountains, I do not utilize the trap doors in my long johns since I wear boxer shorts under my Union Suits! How about You?

By the way, Michael, the boy in the comic strip, did not want to wear his dad's one piece long underwear on his trip to Ireland. However, I have a feeling that after he wore that Union Suit for a few days, he realized how warm, comfortable, and fun those long johns were. And, like you and me, probably became a Union Suit Fan!



Keep That Trap Door Buttoned

Union Suits - YesterYear

     Munsingwear Underwear:

1930 Munsingwear Union Suits

George D. Munsing wanted to invent a superior underwear with a better fabric. In the late 1800's, union suits were a problem for customers: they were woolen. Even though they were warm, the underwear was itchy and uncomfortable for the wearer.

The one piece suit of long underwear was essential for those who lived and worked in colder climates. George Munsing developed a method for "silk-plating wool." A layer of silk was woven over the surface of wool fabric. The result: underwear that was as warm as wool but much more comfortable.

Munsing had created "itchless" underwear. This textile process was quite innovative for his time. The technique was so popular he was able to start a new underwear company with Frank H. Page and Edward O. Tuttle. They named their new company the Northwest Knitting Company in 1886. The name was changed in 1919 to The Munsingwear Corporation. 

In their early years, the company's production was slow and they found difficult to meet the orders that they received. However, the business grew quickly after investments by Minneapolis businessmen, including Charles Pillsbury and Thomas Lowry.

Their Union Suits became famous throughout the world and the company sold millions to men and boys. Their advertising motto became: "Don't say Underwear, Say Munsingwear!"

Junior Hockey Players are Union Suit Fans 

Hockey Players wear Button Down Union Suits
More Suitable than Two Piece Underwear
Because they Don't Bunch Up
While Playing! 
Thanks to Spencer for Submitting this Photo



Added December 8, 2017:

This advertisement featured a Hockey Player Clad in his Long Handle Underwear: Penmans, a Preferred Canadian Combinations Manufacturer 

Me and My Union Suit

Here's a photo my mom took of me in long winter underwear
back when I was in High School.
I wore this "costume" of long underwear, boots, and cowboy hat
in a school play entitled "A Country Christmas Carol." 

I forgot all about this picture of me in my union suit until my sister, 
sorting through a bunch of old family photos, mailed this to me recently!

Merry Christmas Everybody!   .... Chris


This post of me in my Union Suit in high school received more emails than any other post I have done. Thanks to Paul, Ernie, Rich, and Sarah, among others. I appreciate all of you for responding! Sarah commented that me being tall, dark, and skinny I must have had the role of Slim Pickens. Well, no. Actually, "A Country Christmas Carol" was a take off on Charles Dickens' story about ole Scrooge. Ms. Dietrich, my English Literature teacher, had written an adaptation with a country bent. Instead of night shirts, she had us boys wear our long underwear! I was given the part of the "Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come" and wore the white Union Suit as shown in the post photo above. The boys that played Scrooge and the "Ghost of Christmas Present" wore red Union Suits and the boy that was the Ghost of Christmas Past" wore a grey Union Suit. All four of us, I believe, were at first reluctant to appear on stage in just our long underwear and boots. But we did and to our surprise the play was a big hit with fellow students, teachers, and our parents! An article and photos of us in our Union Suits made the student newspaper as well as the year book.
I guess for awhile we were local "celebrities."

Union Suits - YesterYear

World War II Poster of Long Red Underwear urging
U.S. Citizens to dress warmly and turn down the heat!

Rationing and Energy Conservation Office of 
                        War Information 1943

The image shows long red underwear ("union suit") in position of a man lounging advocating everyone to wear their Long Johns for the war effort. 


This Entry Added March 7, 2017:

Richard of Traverse City, MI sent me this 1946 political cartoon drawn by John Collins. It is about the same era as the Long Underwear Poster above. It is entitled "Uncle Sam's Union Suit."  Thanks Richard.

Added December 22, 2016:

Ty of Odessa, Texas, a retired oil field worker and a Union Suit Fan, saw my recent post of button down long johns on a World War II poster urging U.S. citizens to pull on their long winter underwear and turn down the heat. He remembered his copy of an old 1974 Petroleum Independent magazine featuring this very poster on its front cover. Ty said that he was so inspired after receiving this issue of the magazine, he immediately went out and purchased a couple of red Union Suits for himself to wear! He reports that he has been wearing them ever since. His two boys and a grandson wear them too. Thanks Ty for forwarding this photo of your magazine's cover.