Original Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful example of a rather rare piece of US Naval uniform history, the famed “dungarees”. These lovely bell bottom trousers are featured on page 180 of the book U.S. Navy Uniforms and Insignia 1943-1946 (U.S. Navy Uniforms in World War II Series Volume 5.) by Jeff Warner. These are the pants pictured on the two lower left figures. They are offered without any extensive damage and even retain faint white stenciling making this a perfect candidate for research.

The Navy dress uniform, also known as “cracker jacks” are one of the most iconic symbols in the military today. Every piece of the uniform from head-to-toe has some symbolic or practical use, and the famous bell bottoms are no different. Although no one has been officially accredited with inventing the bell-bottom trouser, the flared outlook was introduced for sailors to wear in 1817. The new design was made to allow the young men who washed down the ship’s deck to roll their pant legs up above their knees to protect the material.

This modification also improved the time it took to take them off when the sailors needed to abandon ship in a moments notice. The trousers also doubled as a life preserver by knotting the pant legs. Years later in 1901, the Navy authorized the first use of denim jumpers commonly known as “dungarees.” This new fabric was approved to be worn by both officers and enlisted personnel.

The dungarees also featured the unique bell bottom look and are considered iconic in their own right.

This set of iconic trousers come more than ready for further research and display.