Collections Online

Trousers of a demob suit issued to Robert Percival Chappell of Cardiff on his dembobilisation from the Army at the end of the Second World War.

At the end of the Second World War, men leaving the armed forces were issued with new clothes to ease their progression back into civilian life. Demob suits came in a veriety of different colours and sizes. If the full suit, including waistcoat and other items, such as shoes and hat, were purchased, the customer had bought the Full Monty (a term derived from Montague Burton, the main stockist for demob suits).

Grey wool/cotton mix with a white pinstripe running vertically down the fabric. The bottom of the trousers have a turn up of 5cm. The waistband is 4cm in depth, and the fabric runs in the opposite direction to the rest of the trouser fabric- the pin stripes run horizontally. There are six buttons stitched on the waistband for braces - four at the front and two at the back. Six buttons secure the opening at the crotch. The proper right has a buttoned pocket sitting just beneath the waistband, and one in a similar position but slightly lower on the backside of the trousers. There are two side pockets on the waist at either leg. The trousers are tailored to fit. There are two darts stitched into the fabric at the back waist and four pleats (two left/two right) at the front under the waist band. Creases have been ironed down the centre of both legs.