Long johns

I wore a liberty vest in winter as a kid. Long johns from Damart under my trousers in winter when I worked for the Police as a young women. I would not have got through winters in Toxteth without them.

I remember those red pantaloons, made is some stretchy man-made fibre with black lace around the bottom. I wore them under my school uniform around 1964/65. They were a wonderful warming layer to cover the gap between stocking-tops and knickers as I waited for the school bus in the vicious easterly wind that always seemed to be blowing.

My late Canadian friend (British Columbia) told me cowboys at rodeos wear womens' nylon tights under their breeches. In my opinion this demonstrates lateral thinking.

I used to buy my H thermal long johns which he wore over his normal “undercrackers” and under his trousers for golf in the winter.
I can never remember anything long for women.
I was too old and staid probably by the time the bright young things were wearing them.

I can remember everything being flannelette and winceyette during autumn and winter months, from bed linen to the lining of my knickers---in the 50's, " to keep the kidneys warm ".
Dad wore long-johns and mum had large silk bloomers ( she was a big girl ) large briefs in the summer. I don't remember having any fancy underwear ? Unless a vest with a bit of lace around it counts
All knickers were as someone described, Harvest Festivals.

Leggings as underwear is the modern equivalent. I once knitted two pairs of long knickers in double knitting wool for a cold winter in the north of Scotland. I still belief in keeping my lower body warm.

We are thinking of moving( whilst still reasonably healthy). Question is where? Do you live in a lively town close to water, possibly a river near by? Have you a Community Centre with active, friendly groups? Are amenities within walking distance? Do you live in a grand place?

My father had a pair for winter gardening/outdoor work but didn't wear them otherwise. My husband on the other hand wore them a lot in winter as we only had coal/log fires. The children and I wore wool or wool mix tights under trousers in the winter (both the boys and the girls) so they might as well have been long johns.

I was a teen in the 60s and even then directories knickers were worn AFAIk only by elderly women, and probably only a certain type at that - the ones my father would probably have referred to as ‘old flannel drawers’. (We had an OFD next door).

They were also known as Harvest Festivals, as in ‘all is safely gathered in’. (If you remember that hymn.)

My father didn't wear long johns except in the bitterest winters, and DH never wore them at all. He wore M&S Y-fronts, from 1960 on (I have no idea what he wore before that. I do know that his mother bought them)

One grandfather, however, who was born in 1891 and who worked mostly outdoors all year, repainting the outside woodwork of council houses, in all weathers, and having to turn up onsite even if it was driving sleet or snow, DID wear long johns. (If the weather was too bad to paint, the men were paid half wages for that day, but only after they had reported for work, then stood around in the sleet for several hours before being dismissed. This was so that they would be too late to get casual work elsewhere and be paid again for the day. Couldn't have them getting more for a day of not being at their regular work! Needless to say, that and having been gassed in the trenches meant he had bronchitis every winter.)

He was my teenage pash MissTree

he pushed me
He never pushed me, I am so jealous.

Puzzled I never wore directoire knickers in my life, and in 1960 I was 21. I think I would remember if I had - so would DH, who I met that year. I don't remember my mother wearing them either.

I remember him, Calli . We went to see him in a club and he came in from behind us and pushed me.
One of those silly things you never forget.

No.

The only long john I remember was Long John Baldry.

Thought that men wore long johns, and women, directoire knickers, (until the late 60's)
May have been warm, but not exciting!

I remember the "baby doll" outfits too, with matching knickers but mine were from the early 70s I think.

We knew them as 'pantalettes' in the early 60s. They were great protection from the cold wind off the North Sea in my time at St Andrews. Not a fashion that lasted for long, As skirts got shorter, presumably we didn't want the knickers on show.

Well, it’s probably a name thing then. At least People remember them, by whatever name!

Even mini skirts were given various names, eg 'pussy pelmet'.
That name always made me smile.

Yes I remember them but I thought they were called pantaloons. My mam bought them for me and her in all colours as well as tartan ones. They were so warm in the winter and looked good edged in lace.

I remember long knickers. I had a red pair with black lace edging. They came half way down the thigh .

They were called "Witches Britches" in Australia

They were called * beatnicks* and came to just above the knees. I had them in black, red and royal blue and they were popular in 1964/65. I wore them travelling to work during the winter.

I remember them, showing below mini dresses.
I don’t think they were called ‘long johns’, were they called bloomers?
I just can’t remember what we called them ...

When I read the title, it conjured up a picture of my father! ?

What I remember peeping below short skirts in the 60s were frilled and gathered bloomers. They were very popular mid-late 60s under 'baby doll' style dresses, i.e. gathered yoke, puff sleeves and peter pan collar. I can only vaguely recall the long johns, and can't really remember when they were in fashion, possibly the 70s.