Overalls, How it all started

Site Description

The subject of this site is my interest in coveralls or boilersuits. It's main content is pictures that I have taken of workmen wearing coveralls. These are real guys taken in real working situations. The site also has sections of scanned images of coveralls from magazines and brouchours. Theses sections are subdivided by type of coverall e.g. jumpsuits, flightsuits, hi-vis, PVC etc.

The site also consists of some user surveys and a contacts page, where other coveralls fans can place contact ads, in order to get in touch with like-minded people.

There are also links to other sites with a similar theme and manufacturures and suppliers of protective clothing and industrial wear.

Over the years I have built up a large collection of plain and branded coveralls: The branded ones are mostly from the motor trade, but any coverall with a distinctive logo or colour cobination interests me. You can see some of these at collection..

What is a coverall ?

I'm using the term coverall to distinguish them from the American bib and brace overalls. Ordinarily I would use the term boilersuit (as worn by people that used to stoke boilers) or overall. In the UK an overall is anything that protects your normal clothing:

They are many different types of overall One piece, Boilersuit or Coverall or Jumpsuit. *Unionall* (Australia) *Bib and Brace* or Dungaree Two piece (drivers) jacket and trousers Warehouse coats Hooded Coverall (used for fully body protection, PVC)
Coverall or Boilersuit	Unionall	Bib and Brace overall or Dungaree	Jacket and Trousers	Warehouse coat	Hooded Coverall

They can be made from may different materials

Cotton (tradional material)
Polycotton (modern material)
Nylon (hard to find these days)
PVC (foul weather and chemical protection)
Proban (fire resistant)
Nomex (fire resitant, flightsuits)
Denim (hard wearing workwear)

In the States an overall is what we in the UK would call a bib and brace overall or a dungaree.

The Australians have in between garment, called a unionall; This is an overall without arms, with a vest type top. Coveralls are called Combination or Combo overalls.

I am interested in the one piece variety, boilersuits or coveralls and jumpsuits as they are called in the States.

By any other name

England: Boilersuit, Overall
US: Coverall, Jumpsuit
Germany: Schlaz
France: Combinaison
Finland: haalarit

How it all started

My dad used to be the Managing Director of a large bread bakery. I had been there many times, and seen the workforce wearing coveralls. They all used to all wear khaki coloured, RAF style boilersuits. I remember going into a room full of coveralls, stacked as far as you could see. In the room were two old dears with sewing machines, constantly fighting the endless battle to repair them.

During the School Summer holidays, my dad got me a job packing rolls in the bakery. This of course involved wearing the khaki coveralls. I later found out that I was going to be working with a son of one of my dad's employees, who also had a Summer job there. I remember that I had seen him before, and that I liked him. Thinking about it now, he was very good looking, although I didn't consider that at the time. Anyway, we both had a good time, that Summer.

The next summer, the factory had moved to a new building. The coveralls were now coloured by department.				I got a job in the Maintenance dept. where I wore a maroon coverall. That's where I began to notice the attraction for coveralls, and the guys wearing them.
	Maroon	Green	White
	Maintenance	Garage	Bakery

While still at school, I saved up my pocket money to buy my first overall. I still have it, is a blue nylon coverall, with red re-enforcing stitching. The collection grew from there. I must have easily over a hundred now.
I also have about 10 hard hats, all different colours, ear defenders, goggles, safety glasses, gloves etc.