Originally knit in white cotton threads, the idea to dye this beautiful sweatshirt came after unsuccessful attempts to remove tough spots on the sleeves. This 1950s Brent Hoodie manufactured by Montgomery Ward features a full garment thermal interior lining, raglan style sleeves, large frontside kangaroo hand pocket, and pointed hood construction. And after a good jet black dye bath, the results of my time dying were even more satisfying to see.

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Chanute Air Force Base was established by the U.S. government in the early summer of 1917. Leasing roughly 650 acres of land in agricultural Illinois to begin training operations for young WWI pilots. During the 1940s, Chanute Air Force Base would become one of our country’s leading state-of-the-art military facilities, strengthening thousands of ground troops and boosting air defense training techniques for the second world war.

Eventually, the base would see its final days in 1993 when it’s glory would be striped— and the site be deemed a hazard to the surrounding environment from decades of experimental testing and equipment waste.

Originating as the Navy's M-422A model in the 1930s and later revised into the G-1 model, this jacket is as iconic of militaria as you can get. The G-1 flight jacket features an all brown goatskin or cowhide leather shell, satin nylon liner, and a mouton sheep or synthetic fiber collar. It also featured notable details such as underarm gussets for ensured movement in the cockpit, a cropped waist fitting design with knitted cuffs, and heavy brass zipper closure. With numerous button-through pockets, the wearer was guaranteed adequate storage for belongings.

While all contracted versions of the G-1 Flight Jacket has perforated 'USN' or 'USCG' inside the wind flap, this particular jacket does not feature it, nor any sort of contract inscriptions or labels. This leads to believe this was a civilian model, made from the same manufacturers of the contracted models during the wartime. Special nonetheless.

This pair of 1950s Big Mac Sanforized coveralls by Penneys features chopped off legs and a reconstructed torso— turning it into a chore coat and utilizing previous hickory stripe scrap to create a round, finished hem. While coveralls can be useful, they can also be restricting. It’s littered with hand repairs, different color fades, and great distressing all around. The waistband allows for a more tailored fit, flattering the silhouette of the person wearing it.

Repurposing old garments to create a new functionality of them is special and a skill we should all try to implement into our everyday lives. Reject fast fashion and embrace quality garments instead.

Manufactured by E&W Clothing House, this 1950s ‘Polar Quality Outerwear’ gabardine jacket features a gorgeous faded orange material, vertical torso pleats with visible brown single-needle edge stitching, and a heavy quilted liner interior. The zipper pull is made by Crown and features a matching colored leather tassel pull for easier zipping.

E&W was established in 1889 in Freeport, Illinois. The first store was opened on the south side of Main Street between Walnut and Galina. The 'E' stood for Ennenga, named after the founder George Ennenga and the 'W' stood for Wagner, his father in-law and original business partner. Specializing in men's fine clothing, the store's initial inventory consisted of frock coats and top hats to knickers and Norfolk-style outerwear. After over a century in business, E&W would close its doors in 1990 but leave behind some of the best looking vintage garments today.

This beautiful ‘Weather Perfect’ gabardine jacket by Bantamac features a grey base color and an interesting collar/lapel weave featuring a yellow geometric patterned undertone. The brand of choice for the zipper used was Crown, sporting a spring activated pull.

Bantamac was a Canadian sportswear brand famously known for their high quality men's gabardine outerwear in the 1940s - 1960s.

The New Barbarians, or The Barbarians, were an English rock group formed by The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood to promote his solo album, ‘Gimme Some Neck’. The band played a mix of rock, blues, and funk, meshing sounds together with some Jagger tunes thrown in. The New Barbarians formed in 1979— playing two supporting act gigs for The Rolling Stones, eighteen regular concerts across the United States, and went on to be the opener for Led Zeppelin at Knebworth Festival. The band played two charity concerts in support of The Stones— one to benefit the CNIB, or Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the other to relieve the conditions for Keith Richard’s sentencing for heroin possession. While the groups reign was short lived, the gritty rock ’n roll moments that came from it are timeless.

This is one of their tour tees from 1979, featuring a double sided blood splatter graphic and wicked quotes all over the front. You can see a zigzag dotted line across the bottom where the buyer was meant to cut the shirt themselves. While I won’t be doing it, the idea is sweet. There is even a dotted line around the top blood stain to show off your jewelry.

Ledford Middle School in Thomasville, North Carolina was established in 1957 and opened originally as a high school. With heat from coal-fired boilers— it wouldn’t be until 1975 that the ‘old’ building would become the middle school and a ‘new’ building be constructed for the high.

This cotton sweatshirt cardigan features a water printed chest graphic of the school’s panther mascot, navy blue wool weaved front and collar accents, stagecoach detailed silver buttons, and soft 100% cotton material.

Local school spirit, this 1940s boat-neck collar letterman sweater is blended of heavy 100% wool fibers and features a large centered chenille 'H' patch for Hobart Indiana High School Brickies Football Team. Matching yellow stripes and the number '44' are sewn into the left sleeve, with a natural sun fade and distressing produced by over half a century of life drape over the garments whole. Labeled and manufactured by Wilson Sporting Goods of Chicago, Illinois, just over forty miles northwest of Hobart.

Here’s a special jacket coming out of Butler, Indiana... Marshall Clothing Manufacturing Company. Located at 101 N. Pearl Street– Marshall opened in 1929 and produced a wide range of both men's and women's garments including athletic sportswear, outdoor, and insulted apparel. Their ‘Gamemaster Sportswear’ line as seen referenced here (red jacket) was eventually sold nationwide and a huge hit among athletes everywhere.

During the Second World War, Marshall expanded to fulfill military defense contracts that would come to supply the U.S. army with over 25,000 field jackets. They also produced for the army and air force through the Korean war as well, manufacturing more field jackets and necessary items for wartime. Eventually the company’s employees would go on a labor strike in 1965, halting company productions, and resulting in a total closure only a year later.

Seen here is some of the cataloged clothing and apparel produced by Marshall Clothing, their outdoors gear, branding, and mill located in Butler, Indiana.

A beautiful 1944-1945 Undefeated K.V.C. football champions letterman’s wool cardigan— featuring early varsity chenille patches of a Native American chiefs head on the top of the right sleeve and a star on the left, with a large 'M' and football across the chest area. All woven in the ever-classic maroon wool blend. This sweater was tagged by Dic Neate, Athletic Outfitters of Chicago, Illinois and was discovered just south of the windy city.

This particular letterman was owned by one of the ‘44-‘45 Kankakee Valley Conference Football champions. K.V.C., which was a merger of already existing Northwest Indiana high school football conferences, ran its course from 1933 to 1967.