The siren suit is a one-piece garment for the whole body which can easily be put on or taken off, originally designed for use on the way to, and in, air-raid shelters. The suit solved the problems of warmth and modesty encountered when seeking shelter during nighttime air raids in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. It was roomy and could be put on over night clothes quickly when an imminent air raid was announced by the

sirens Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wisco ...

. The suit was worn by both children and adults when sheltering in either back garden or public shelters.

History

Winston Churchill during the Second World War in the United Kingdom H38661

Similar in style to

boilersuit A boilersuit (or boiler suit), also known as coveralls, is a loose fitting garment covering the whole body except for the head, hands and feet. Terminology The term ''boilersuit'' is most common in the UK, where the 1989 edition of the ''Oxfo ...

s worn by many workers, including mechanics, bricklayers, and tank crews to protect their standard clothing, the siren suit was invented by Winston Churchill as an original leisure suit in the 1930s. He played a large part in popularising it as an item of clothing during World War II, wearing it regularly, including when meeting other important people, such as U.S. President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

, General Dwight Eisenhower, and

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

leader

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...

. The advantages of clothing that could be easily and quickly put on over other clothing led to the adoption of this style of suit during the war by many who were forced to leave their homes to seek shelter during air raids. Warning of the raids was given by sirens, so these suits came to be known as siren suits. Wearing dresses or professional clothing while in an air raid shelter may not have been very practical.

Construction

Siren suits were constructed in a loose-cut design, with

zipper A zipper, zip, fly, or zip fastener, formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and other bags, camping ...

ed or button closures, an optional belt, and large simple pockets. The suits were made of many fabrics, most typically wool, cotton, or other materials available under clothing

rationing Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. Rationing controls the size of the ration, which is one's allowed portion of the resources being distributed on a particular ...

. Suits could be bought ready-made or could be hand-made with a pattern and available fabrics. Some suits had a panel at the back that opened to allow the wearer to use a toilet without removing the entire suit.

In popular culture

Winston Churchill was a famous wearer, having a pin stripe version, which he wore during the war years and then for portraits by

Oscar Nemon Oscar Nemon (born Oscar Neumann; 13 March 1906 – 13 April 1985) was a Croatian sculptor who was born in Osijek, Croatia, but eventually settled in England. He is best known for his series of more than a dozen public statues of Sir Winston Church ...

and Frank O. Salisbury in the 1950s. Another suit, made of bottle-green velvet, was created for him by Turnbull & Asser. Austin Reed also made him a suit. In 2002, one of his grey pinstripe suits was sold for £29,875. These suits form a common motif in descriptions of war-time childhoods.

Children's siren suits

Although early siren suits were fashionable, siren suits for children were more geared towards comfort for the children seeking shelter during an air raid rather than style. The children's suits were advertised as onesies "knitted with 10 ounces of 4-ply wool"; they were not marketed as being for protection during air raids like men's siren suits. The suits featured a fur-lined hood to keep the child's head and ears warm as they sought shelter.

Women's siren suits

In addition to being protective gear, siren suits for women were fashion statements and were marketed as such to avoid causing fear regarding the threat of raids. "Women are depicted as wearing highly fashionable siren suits but are not running to or hiding in an air raid shelter. The woman on the right even wears the hood over her hair and hangs her purse over her shoulder to complement the look of the siren suit". Some women claimed wearing the siren suit "protected their modesty" in a comfortable way.

History

Construction

In popular culture

Children's siren suits

Women's siren suits

References

Further reading