Hi, I'm Ameko from the American casual select shop HELICE.
When it comes to American casual, many of you are probably really into "military wear," aren't you?
This time, we're going to delve into the history of how military wear came to be!
＜Table of Contents＞
Part 1: The Birth of American Casual in America
Chapter 1: What is American Casual?
Chapter 2: The Pioneer Era and the Birth of Jeans
Chapter 3: The Golden Age of Workwear - Part 1 & 2
Chapter 4: The Birth of Military Wear ← You are here!
Chapter 5: Movies, Music, and Youth Culture
Chapter 6: Ivy, Preppy, and Hippie Culture
Part 2: American Casual Becomes a Culture in Japan
Chapter 7: GHQ and the Inflow of American Culture
Chapter 8: VAN and the Ivy Boom
Chapter 9: Shibukaji and Vintage Clothing Boom
Chapter 10: How Magazines Fostered American Casual Culture
Part 3: Japan Becomes the World's Leading American Casual Nation
Chapter 11: Okayama Denim and Kojima
Chapter 12: The Birth of Replica Brands
Chapter 13: The Philosophy of Japanese American Casual Brands
Chapter 14: Made in Japan, Valued Worldwide
Final Chapter HELICE's Message on American Casual Culture
The Representative Colors of Military Wear
Military wear is a type of "equipment," just like weapons.
Just as workwear evolved from the "experience of laborers,"
military wear evolved from the "experience of soldiers."
When the performance of machine guns, long-range rifles, and cannons dramatically improved,
conspicuous uniforms would put soldiers themselves at risk.
In fact, the French army, who prioritized tradition and wore highly visible bright uniforms of red trousers and dark blue tunics,
became easy targets for the enemy. *Tears*
They suffered devastating losses, with nearly 30,000 soldiers killed in a single day,
and subsequently, their uniforms were changed to an inconspicuous "horizon blue (bluish-grey)."
Uniforms transformed from a symbol of "national honor" to more practical "camouflage,"
adopting colors like khaki and olive drab that blend into nature.
Clothes Needed for Air, Sea, and Land
While we say "battlefield," the environments vary greatly.
Pilots flying in the sky.
Sailors working on the decks of warships.
Infantry soldiers walking through muddy battlefields.
The environments they face are completely different.
It was precisely because of these unique environments that specialized military wear was born.
Let's look at some beloved jackets, one by one, that are still popular today!
Soldiers of the Sky: The A-2 Flight Jacket
In the 1930s,
airplanes were not yet as comfortable as they are today.
Cockpits were not sealed, and as altitude increased,
temperatures dropped rapidly, often to -30 to -40°C or below.
Fierce winds battered their bodies, and the metal aircraft were thoroughly chilled by the outside air.
Thick sweaters alone couldn't protect them from the cold, and soldiers carried out their duties battling frostbite and hypothermia.
It was in such an environment that the A-2 flight jacket was born, adopted as the standard flight suit for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
It used durable leather such as horsehide or goatskin, featured a structure that prevented cold wind from penetrating, and had a silhouette that conformed to the body.
Ribs were provided at the cuffs and hem to prevent wind from entering.
The chest pockets were placed in a position where necessary items could be easily retrieved even during flight.
Today, the A-2 is synonymous with leather jackets.
Its origin was as equipment to protect the lives of soldiers flying in the sky.
Even after more than 80 years since its birth, its design continues to be highly regarded as a perfect form.
The N-1 Deck Jacket Chosen by Seamen
Meanwhile, the navy had its own harsh environment.
On the deck in winter, sea winds blew relentlessly.
Clothes soaked in seawater would chill, and body temperature would rapidly be lost due to the wind.
Furthermore, the deck was always slippery, and the work of transporting heavy ammunition and equipment continued.
Navy soldiers needed clothes that could withstand getting wet, block the wind, and allow for easy movement.
The answer that emerged was the N-1 Deck Jacket.
The outer fabric was made of densely woven jungle cloth to block cold winds.
The lining used alpaca-blend wool, which provided excellent insulation and supported long hours of work on deck.
By standing up the collar and fastening the chinstrap, cold air from the neck could be kept out.
Today, the N-1 Deck Jacket is popular as a "rugged and cool jacket."
It is the result of accumulating the functions sought by soldiers working in the harsh conditions of the sea.
The Army's Pursuit of "Movable Clothing": The M-43 Field Jacket
For soldiers fighting on land, the greatest enemy was not just the cold.
Rain, forests, urban areas...
The battlefield constantly changed its appearance.
For this reason, the army developed the concept of "layering," allowing for garments to be worn in different combinations depending on the situation.
Four large pockets.
A relaxed silhouette.
Designed to allow warm inner layers to be worn.
It was not a garment meant to be complete on its own, but rather an idea to combine pieces according to the environment.
The M-43 field jacket made it possible to unify the military uniforms that had been developed for different missions.
Military Uniforms Did Not Disappear After the War
In 1945, World War II ended.
Soldiers returned home, and many munitions factories switched to producing goods for civilian use.
However, military uniforms themselves did not disappear.
Mass-produced military wear flowed into the market as surplus goods, appearing in surplus shops at affordable prices.
Durable, functional, and cheap.
Not only former soldiers but also students, laborers, and outdoor enthusiasts began to incorporate military uniforms into their everyday wear.
Military uniforms began to change their role from "clothing for fighting" to "clothing for daily life."
Fashion: From the Battlefield to the City
In the 1950s, American society regained its prosperity with post-war reconstruction.
Young people became attracted to the rugged functional beauty of military uniforms, not as symbols of soldiers.
Eventually, military wear spread worldwide through Hollywood movies and magazines.
The A-2 became a staple leather jacket, the N-1 was embraced as a winter work style,
and the M-43 was succeeded by the later M-51 and M-65.
Summary of Chapters 1-4
Jeans were created for working people.
Workwear supported the people who built the nation of America.
And military wear evolved to protect the lives of soldiers in extreme conditions.
And these clothes, after World War II,
transformed into fashion when young people, who had achieved prosperity, began wearing them as a form of "self-expression"!!!
How movies, rock and roll, and Hollywood stars
spread American casual to young people all over the world,
Let's trace that story from the next chapter!
