WORKING CLASS is in session

This week Vinntage and I worked with a gentleman who was a serious collector of antique and vintage workwear and related apparatus. His family came from a long line of pipe fitters that dated back to the 50's and he was raised in the trade and carried on a real sense of pride in the heritage of workwear. The conversation began because the bib overalls he was wearing were not a typical Craharrt, Dickies, BigSmith brand, they were ROUNDHOUSE brand and he was quick to let us know that they were the only workwear company still making bibs in the USA...Unlike L.L. Beijing he noted! He had a very cool book as well that documented the history of overall buttons that adorned denim bibs since the early 1900's up until about the 30's when the button was recrafted with a shaft pin that went straight through the denim that would replace the sewn on loop hook that held the old buttons on and would wear and fall off. This book was filled with simple iconic and witty slogans that we couldn't get enough of. I was familiar with these buttons but not to the extent of how many brands that were producing these dry goods, and the collector culture associated with them. I have seen the pics on tumblr pages of various buttons with familiar brands old logos, but this book really opened up a whole new world to me of what other rare brands were out there with that super cool logo and or slogan that has not resurfaced.




























This is the assembly were the button and shoulder strap clasp connect. Once sewn on now held on with a shaft post with much more durability to counter the constant stress of holding the bibs up and moving and working in them.