Presidential Underwear

Upon viewing my September 21, 2021 posting, "Presidential Underwear," Cory of Waterville, Maine sent me the following email:

"Chris, After seeing your Presidential Underwear posting of those in their union suits, I found this drawing of Abe Lincoln and his boys, Tad and Robert, in their underwear. And, also one of Warren G. Harding wearing his BVD's. I enjoy your blogs and look forward to each new one. Thanks, Cory"

He added... 

Cory:  Thanks for your contribution. Actually, I featured Ol' Abe in a previous "Presidential Underwear" posting way back in July 27, 2016. It was my opinion then that it was possible that Lincoln and his boys wore union suits but most probably they wore the two piece variety: undershirt plus drawers. Union Suits were not mass manufactured in the mid-1800's and, although, some women may have made union suits for their husbands and boys separately, Mrs. Lincoln probably didn't. But who knows for sure?

Here's a portion of my 2016 Posting...

Presidential Underwear

Abe Lincoln's Union Suit?

Regarding the image depicted here, Honest Abe and his four boys may possibly have worn Union Suit Underwear. But like most men and boys in the early to mid 19th century, Abe and his sons probably wore separate long-handled, ankle length "drawers" and long sleeved undershirts. Although Union Suits could have been made by wives and mothers on an individual basis in Lincoln's time, Mary Todd Lincoln probably did not have or take time to sew Union Suits for the five males in her famous family...

October's Hy Hintermeister's Boy and His Grandpa, What the?!

And more Union Suit labels. Several of these one-piece-rs come from Clem's Collection, just as we've come into Union Suit season:

If it's Sunday, you know Buckeye Mike is dressing for church. His latest email tells me he attends an old Gothic Catholic Church built in 1875 which stays cool in the summer and downright cold beginning about this time of year. So, how better to keep warm than wearing a union suit under his Sunday go to meeting clothes:  

Presidential Underwear

It is well documented that Calvin Coolidge and John F. Kennedy wore union suits in their day. Button-down, long one-piece underwear was probably worn by most other presidents in the mid-to-late 19th century and much of the 20th century, from Abraham Lincoln to George H.W. Bush. "Mostly brief" wearing Bill Clinton may not have ever worn a suit. Neither, I'm guessing, did boxer shorts wearing Obama, Bush the younger, or Trump. There's a good chance Joe Biden has worn union suits, him being older and from Delaware. We'll never know for sure who among U.S. leaders of the executive branch actually wore union suits. Yet, there's a good chance these men did:

Ulysses S. Grant

Woodrow Wilson

And most of the Roosevelts including Theodore (Teddy) and his boys, Theodore Jr.,  Archibald, Kermit, and Quentin: 

 

Kickin' off September brings us "the Boy and His Grandpa" once again. Grandpa wears his long red underwear year around!  My Nebraska grandpa's did, how about yours? Autumn and Union Suit Weather is just around the corner. So start singin'... 

by Hy Hintermeister

Get ready to jump into yours: