Union suit
Encyclopedia
A union suit is a type of one-piece long underwear
. Created in Utica, New York
, United States
, it originated as women's wear during the 19th-century United States
clothing reform efforts
, as an alternative to constricting garments, and soon gained popularity among men as well. The first union suit was patented in 1868 as "emancipation union under flannel." Traditionally made of red flannel
with long arms and long legs, it buttoned up the front and had a button-up flap in the rear covering the buttocks (colloquially known as the "access hatch", "drop seat", "fireman's flap", and other names), allowing the wearer to eliminate bodily waste without removing the garment. Depending on the size, some union suits can have a dozen buttons on the front to be fastened through buttonholes from the neck down to the groin area.
The garment remained in common use in North America
into the 20th century. As its popularity waned, it became chiefly working men's wear, increasingly replaced by two-piece long underwear
, also known as "long johns". It was not uncommon until the mid-20th century for rural men to wear the same union suit continuously all week, or even all winter. Normally, no other type of underwear was worn with it.
Union suits are still commercially available, but because of their association with "old fashioned" usage, and presumedly "unsophisticated" rural wearers, they are considered comical. The rear flap is also associated with humor, and in film and television the appearance of a union suit, viewed from behind, is a form of mild toilet humor. The 1999 movie adaptation
of The Wild Wild West
, the TV series Rugrats
, and the Family Guy
episode "No Meals on Wheels
" are among those that used the rear flap on union suits for comical effects.
The union suit makes an appearance in Louisa May Alcott
's book Eight Cousins
, as a preferred alternative to corsetry under the name 'Liberty Suit'. It also makes a presence in the 2003 film Cold Mountain
. The union suit is referred to several times in Laura Ingalls Wilder
's books about pioneer life during the mid-to-late 19th century in the United States, and in Harper Lee
's book, To Kill A Mockingbird
. In the expansion Undead Nightmare for the game Red Dead Redemption, the player begins play wearing a Union Suit and can choose to continue to wear it throughout the game, if desired.
In Britain
, this garment has often been known as "combinations". When made from the traditional wool as recommended by Gustav Jäger
, these are "woolly combinations" - sometimes abbreviated to "woolly coms".
Undergarment
Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by bodily secretions and discharges, shape the body, and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional...
. Created in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it originated as women's wear during the 19th-century United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clothing reform efforts
Victorian dress reform
During the middle and late Victorian period, various reformers proposed, designed, and wore clothing supposedly more rational and comfortable than the fashions of the time. This was known as the dress reform or rational dress movement...
, as an alternative to constricting garments, and soon gained popularity among men as well. The first union suit was patented in 1868 as "emancipation union under flannel." Traditionally made of red flannel
Flannel
Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fibre. Flannel may be brushed to create extra softness or remain unbrushed. The brushing process is a mechanical process...
with long arms and long legs, it buttoned up the front and had a button-up flap in the rear covering the buttocks (colloquially known as the "access hatch", "drop seat", "fireman's flap", and other names), allowing the wearer to eliminate bodily waste without removing the garment. Depending on the size, some union suits can have a dozen buttons on the front to be fastened through buttonholes from the neck down to the groin area.
The garment remained in common use in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
into the 20th century. As its popularity waned, it became chiefly working men's wear, increasingly replaced by two-piece long underwear
Long underwear
Long underwear, also called long johns, Granny pantys, or thermal underwear, is a style of two-piece underwear with long legs and long sleeves that is normally worn during cold weather. It offers an advantage over the one-piece union suit in that the wearer can choose to wear either the top,...
, also known as "long johns". It was not uncommon until the mid-20th century for rural men to wear the same union suit continuously all week, or even all winter. Normally, no other type of underwear was worn with it.
Union suits are still commercially available, but because of their association with "old fashioned" usage, and presumedly "unsophisticated" rural wearers, they are considered comical. The rear flap is also associated with humor, and in film and television the appearance of a union suit, viewed from behind, is a form of mild toilet humor. The 1999 movie adaptation
Wild Wild West
Wild Wild West is a 1999 American steampunk action-comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and starring Will Smith, Kevin Kline , Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek.Similar to the original TV series it was based on, The Wild Wild West, the film features a large amount of gadgetry...
of The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
, the TV series Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
, and the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "No Meals on Wheels
No Meals on Wheels
"No Meals on Wheels" is the fourteenth episode of the fifth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 25, 2007. The episode features the Griffin family opening a restaurant, and eventually become overwhelmed by Joe Swanson and his...
" are among those that used the rear flap on union suits for comical effects.
The union suit makes an appearance in Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
's book Eight Cousins
Eight Cousins
"Eight Cousins, or The Aunt-Hill" was published in 1875 by American novelist Louisa May Alcott. It is the story of Rose Campbell, a lonely and sickly girl who has been recently orphaned and must now reside with her maiden aunts, the matriarchs of her wealthy Boston family. When Rose's guardian,...
, as a preferred alternative to corsetry under the name 'Liberty Suit'. It also makes a presence in the 2003 film Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain may refer to:* Cold Mountain , by Charles Frazier* Cold Mountain , a film adaptation of the novel by Charles Frazier** Cold Mountain , the soundtrack to the film...
. The union suit is referred to several times in Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder was an American author who wrote the Little House series of books based on her childhood in a pioneer family...
's books about pioneer life during the mid-to-late 19th century in the United States, and in Harper Lee
Harper Lee
Nelle Harper Lee is an American author known for her 1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama...
's book, To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was instantly successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature...
. In the expansion Undead Nightmare for the game Red Dead Redemption, the player begins play wearing a Union Suit and can choose to continue to wear it throughout the game, if desired.
In Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, this garment has often been known as "combinations". When made from the traditional wool as recommended by Gustav Jäger
Gustav Jäger
Gustav Jäger was a German naturalist and hygienist.He was born at the historic Pfarrhaus of the village of Bürg, Neuenstadt am Kocher, in Württemberg. After studying medicine at Tübingen he became a teacher of zoology at Vienna...
, these are "woolly combinations" - sometimes abbreviated to "woolly coms".