Activity / background on clothing terminology.

[Paul_B]

It seems to me that there's names for clothing types that have two different meanings. I guess this is about where you come from.

For example the classic smock. As a civilian who doesn't but military surplus it a smock is a word for an upper body coat that you put on by pulling over your head like a jumper. A half zip from the neck to allow this. Others from an ex military or surplus kit fans a smock is a kind of pocketed, full length zipped jacket.

As I understand it the modern word smock comes from old English and old germania languages and basically means slip on our creep into depending on which origin. Smock, smok, smock, smugan, etc.

So why the difference in what the modern word smock refers to? It seems to me the origin is over the head clothing, often thought of as undergarment, so what are the origins of military smock, full zip jacket? Are there two origins or sources that conflict? By that does the fully opening jacket smock have old origins too or is it a military term that was misused originally?

I only say this as I often get caught out by the military use. I read the thread looking at over the head garments to see jackets. So it got me looking into it, briefly, and thought others on here might know more. Both uses are valid so it's not about conflict between terminology but about why the divergence happened

 

[Pattree]

Until I arrived here on BcUK a smock was an historical garment worn by pastoralists ora protective garment like an overall apron with sleeves. I have seen a traditional linen one worn in general use by a Lakeland shepherd.
Agreed - an over the head garment usually down to the knees.

My 1935 Singer sewing machine has a smocking foot which gathers fabric into tight pleats and sews them down. We used to see it in children’s clothing. The idea was that it could be let out as the child grew. In my youth women would wear smocked blouses, again they were over the head garments. Maternity smocks could be let out at need.

A voice over my shoulder tells me that it is also a method of tailoring to fit without cutting into the material and having waste pieces.

I have no idea why a military jacket is called a smock.

 

[Toddy]

A smock is a working garment.

It can be a very fancy working garment showing the skill of the wife who made it, or it can be a very practical hard wearing piece of kit.....thus the army....but it's a working garment.

Smocking is the gathering that makes loose fabric fit to shoulders and bodice while leaving enough fabric elsewhere to allow for ease of movement.

That the word is occasionally used for a ladies undergown is simply because of it's loose shape.

 

[Stew]

The simple answer is that the military love renaming things.

 

[Herman30]

This original Denison smock looks to have only a half zip so it is an over the head smock.
I guess the name smock just lived on allthough modern military jackets have a full long zipper.

For me personally this garment here is an anorak.

 

[Toddy]

This original Denison smock looks to have only a half zip so it is an over the head smock.
I guess the name smock just lived on allthough modern military jackets have a full long zipper.

For me personally this garment here is an anorak.

To us an anorak needs a hood. It's an Inuit jacket kind of thing. My Canadian great Aunt sent them over to us when we were children.
Parka came from the same kind of folks but in Russia.

 

[MikeLA]

Strangely it’s SAS Smock, Para Smock, Arctic Smock but 85 ptn, 94 ptn combat jacket or at least that’s how I remember it. I think another one was a parka (longer, warmer with the quilted lining) but can’t remember what it was called

 

[Herman30]

Falkland parka?

 

[Ozmundo]

Yes the military term smock is a hold over from the over the head designs.

Standard Issue WW2 para smock was half zip. WW2 British Officers got their Denison with a full length brass zip. I believe this was often a tailors job. This was then brought in on the later issue para smock.

My Grandfather had a traditional Sussex smock and tied sting below the knees of his trousers when he started work as a lad, most farm stuff was still horse drawn then. Post WW2 mechanisation seemed to knock this tradition on the head. He always missed the shire horses though.