just made some knee breeches

[willysjeep 10]

Ok, ok....I know that knee breehes aren't a part of the official uniform. I also know that according to the uniform police it is not OK to mix and match uniform parts.

 

That being said, I allways wanted a pair of knee breeches to try out. I took a pajama pants pattern and added a little bit to the outseam, and pretty much embelished them as close as I could to the example pictures I found on line. I figure for events like troop hikes and other places where 100% identical uniforms aren't required they might prove useful. I'm eventually going to make or assemble a uniform that would fit in in the 1920-1930's. Campaign hat, knee breeches, solid green knee socks and or leggings, a green older style scout shirt, and a canvas four button open collar coat. Anyways, this weekend I will have a chance to see if my knee breeches offer any advantage over modern scout pants. They may not be all that practical, but it was sure interesting researching and making them.

[Eagle1973 10]

I have a pair of BSA jodphurs, prob from the '20s, laying around somewhere. I ought to find them and see if they fit my soon to be Tenderfoot son.

[BPwannabe@137 10]

Bully for you. A man after my own heart.

 

I have a pair of WWI reproduction breeches that I wear with an original wool scout shirt and original WW1 leather leggings and repro WW1 boots. It looks really cool and I always found breeches more practical for the following reasons:

 

1. More room in the butt when you bend over

2. Stronger material (wool): provides better construction and is fire retardent.

3. Looks really cool.

 

Let me know how your experiment works.

 

PS-repros availble at AEF supplies http://www.aefsupply.com/

[Retroscout 10]

would the brown Em shirt on the site posted be the same one that the scouts used in the 10's and 20's?

[willysjeep 10]

Actually, mine are of canvas ducking, not wool, but they are still a lot better than the current BSA pants for durability. I want to eventually make both a 5 button stand up collar coat and mabey the later style four button open collar canvas coat too. I really like the idea of a heavy wind resistant and brush resistant canvas coat and pants for the type of scouting I do.

 

As I understand it the very first BSA uniforms were modeled after BP's design, with the shorts and bush shirt, but they weren't popular at first so the BSA went immediately to a copy of the official army uniform circa 1910, because one of the first national leaders owned a uniform manufacturing company.The shirts I believe were the army style half-button shirt. Once the "army look" phase was over the BSA toned it down with a full button front shirt again and open coat and made neckerchiefs standard. The nice thing is that there are so many WW1 uniforms around that I can easily do research for a uniform that would fit in to about 1930. After that, I would really need to see an example of the open collar coat to make a convincing copy. Old uniforms are just so cool. I want to eventually have one that would fit in from each era. the classic BP uniform, the doughboy, the revised 1920's, the 1950's and 60's......after that I'm not so impressed.

[VentureScoutNY 10]

BPwannabe@137:

 

Those WWI reporduction breeches, are they a good match in color to the current unifom pants? Hows the fit? Enough room to move ect, but not too much to look baggy I hope... Ever wear them with the new uniform shirt?

 

On the bottom cuffs, with the lacing, how does that look? Do you wear the wool duck leggings around them? or just the leather ones you mention. I couldnt find them on the site besides the picture.

 

How are the WWI repro Boots? Comfortable? Ever wear them in the field?

 

I'd love to find an older uniform I could put together for my collection. But some of this repro stuff looks good. Until than though...a little cheating and dodging the uniform police will have to do!

 

I also dig the old uniforms of the BSA..Can't beat the classics!

[willysjeep 10]

I just found a site with repro canvas 1912 army uniforms for sale. They wany $150 for the coat and breeches as a set. All I would need to do is replace the army buttons with a set of BSA buttons off of e-bay and I would be all set. $150 seems like a lot to spend on a hobby at this point for me, but I am considering it. After all, it would be about an almost exact copy, and I wouldn't have to worry about things like the seams coming apart in the wash, which happens to my homemade stuff occasionally. Mabey....mabey...

 

Until then, I get to wear my current "old fashioned" kneesocks and campaign hat and dream of getting more of this cool old stuff.

 

http://www.aefsupply.com/uniforms.htm

 

 

 

EDIT: Wow, mabey I don't need to spend that much! I just found the perfect thing to base a BSA 5 button coat off of. I just dug up my old marching band coat from highschool and lo and behold it appears to be based on the 1912 army coat. It has all of the seams in the same places and the same basic style. So, now I have a rough pattern to try to make a coat from! I'll get back to you in about a year and tell you how it turns out. Ha ha!(This message has been edited by willysjeep)

[BPwannabe@137 10]

VentureScoutNY:

 

The wool breeches are more of a brown color then green. They don;t match the current issue pants, but more closely to the 1960's leaders wool uniform (you can get these off of ebay) I have a 1940's (or maybe 50's) BSA leaders wool shirt and it matches perfect. The breeches really wouldn't look bad with the current issue tan shirt either.

 

I haven't worn the wrap arounds yet, but I will on our next camping trip. The leather leggings look good but are a little stiff for outdoor type stuff (the leathers were for officers-thus less manual labor). The bottoms lace up so you have to wear something to cover the legs. You also need high socks (stockings). I have original breeches stockings but any pair of high green socks would work. Also, take the current issue web belt, remove the buckel and find one of the older black buckels off of ebay (they are black metal with the full first class symbol in the face). The breeches do have belt loops. (and they come with very deep pockets both front and rear).

 

The breeches work out great for movement and comfort. I was very impressed with how comfortable they are. I just wore them this weekend at our July 4th parade in 80 degree weather with the wool shirt campaign hat (40's issue) and a full square neckerchef and was rather comfortable.

I did wear the repro WWI boots and they are painful. I only use them for parades. For actual use, I have a pair of lace up brown leather chukas that look good.

 

And before the uniform police say anything, I replaced the repro army tin fly buttons with original BSA fly buttons.

 

You know what cracks me up-here we are killing ourselves to be "offical" yet you are lucky to find a scout or leader with official pants.

 

What the hay, keep on scouting.