Even if you're not familiar with the name, you've probably seen a union suit before: It's that one-piece long underwear with a butt flap. It's typically associated with rugged working men of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but it actually has its roots in the mid-1800s women's suffrage movement. Women eager to ditch restrictive undergarments such as corsets, hoop skirts, and bustles tried switching to a flannel ensemble sometimes called a "chemiloon." The legs reached down to the ankle, eliminating the need for garters and stockings. Some models even had buttons for attaching layers of light skirts that could replace heavy petticoats. Although they were in use much earlier, the first of these garments was patented in 1868 as the "emancipation union under flannel," as it "emancipated" women from restrictive clothing. Later versions were advertised as thriftier and more hygienic alternatives to traditional women's fashion. The garments proved controversial at the time for women, but they were also very comfortable and easy on the wallet — so when a men's version emerged, it was extremely popular. |
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