it's a "bib", believe it or not. you can see an actual picture of a fireman's shirt from the civil war here (http://www.myrtle-avenue.com/firezou/shirt.jpg). the one i drew here is a jacket, not just a shirt, but the bib part is pretty much the same ~ it's a panel that buttons over the front.
the point of having it was to put a shield over the front of the shirt for added protection against, flaming debris and water pouring down onto your skin. It was also usually wool or heavy flannel, so it helped keep the chest warm and dry. This is also why the style was adopted by cowboys: because they had to sit in the rain and wind and snow and watch cows and whatnot.
for firemen, you wore a full-length heavy leather duster with a high collar over this when you went into action. the shape of the hat was designed to guard the back of the neck and to channel water off the face and shoulders.
so far as i know, it was the style since at least the 1840s. once they started developing better flame-retardant garments, it became merely customary and is now pretty obsolete.
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thank you! and what a great question!
it's a "bib", believe it or not. you can see an actual picture of a fireman's shirt from the civil war here (http://www.myrtle-avenue.com/firezou/shirt.jpg). the one i drew here is a jacket, not just a shirt, but the bib part is pretty much the same ~ it's a panel that buttons over the front.
the point of having it was to put a shield over the front of the shirt for added protection against, flaming debris and water pouring down onto your skin. It was also usually wool or heavy flannel, so it helped keep the chest warm and dry. This is also why the style was adopted by cowboys: because they had to sit in the rain and wind and snow and watch cows and whatnot.
for firemen, you wore a full-length heavy leather duster with a high collar over this when you went into action. the shape of the hat was designed to guard the back of the neck and to channel water off the face and shoulders.
so far as i know, it was the style since at least the 1840s. once they started developing better flame-retardant garments, it became merely customary and is now pretty obsolete.
i agree ~ they're pretty hot. hahahahaha ~
: D