WW2 pants to wear with your flight jacket

[Greg Gale]

Don't ask me why, but I'd love to have a complete WW2 USAAF pilot outfit. The only missing piece is the trousers.

I bought a pair of pinks from SoF, and they're great! The fit is perfect. Problem is, I don't like the pinks, and my shirts are pinks too, and in WW2 they didn't wear those with matching pants too often.

So I bought a pair of M37 mustard pants from SoF - they weren't great, they fit like modern pants, quite slim fit.

So I went online once again and ordered their OD51 pants - they're the same as the pinks but in different color, right? No...their size 32 OD51s fit more like a size 28, plus it was all very wonky...Sorry, it was so bad I didn't even take a photo.

Now I want to order from What Price Glory. Does anyone have any experience with those? The reviews on their site are good. It's not 100% accuracy I'm after, the fit and look are more important. I'm still not sure whether I should go for the OD51 or the M37. The OD51 looks sharper but looking at original photos, pilots mainly wore M37s around the base and on missions. At least the 4th FG did.

US Mustard Wool Trousers | What Price Glory

Reproduction of trousers adopted in 1937 and worn through all of WWII.

onlinemilitaria.net

US Army Office"s Trousers (Dark shade) | What Price Glory

Reproduction.

onlinemilitaria.net

 

[mulceber]

I notice the chinos haven’t been mentioned - is there a reason you’re avoiding them?

 

[Greg Gale]

I notice the chinos haven’t been mentioned - is there a reason you’re avoiding them?

Yes, I prefer something darker, and I don't see many pictures of the 4th/56th/352nd pilots wearing them. I reckon it was more of a MTO thing?

 

[mulceber]

slash-PTO yeah, I think. Have you considered original M-1937s? They show up on eBay at pretty reasonable prices. You could probably find a US intermediary here who would be willing to ship them to you.

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

Wool flying pant. Pic from 303rd

 

[Greg Gale]

slash-PTO yeah, I think. Have you considered original M-1937s? They show up on eBay at pretty reasonable prices. You could probably find a US intermediary here who would be willing to ship them to you.

I have, but they all have some sort of damage, the color is usually very faded too.

 

[Alliance507]

Now I want to order from What Price Glory. Does anyone have any experience with those? The reviews on their site are good. It's not 100% accuracy I'm after, the fit and look are more important.

Order up, and don't look back. I own several pieces from WPG.. They generally nail the period-correct fit as well as the material. For the price, the quality is excellent IMO. My WPG pinks trousers are very very close to my original pair. Their OD chocolate shirt goes great with those. Same goes for the mustard OD trousers -- the wool quality and thickness is solid.

 

[Greg Gale]

Order up, and don't look back. I own several pieces from WPG.. They generally nail the period-correct fit as well as the material. For the price, the quality is excellent IMO. My WPG pinks trousers are very very close to my original pair. Their OD chocolate shirt goes great with those. Same goes for the mustard OD trousers -- the wool quality and thickness is solid.

Thanks, just what I wanted to hear. How's the sizing?

 

[Alliance507]

Thanks, just what I wanted to hear. How's the sizing?

I went a size-up just to be safe, and they ended up being loose on me, so I'd say size is pretty accurate, but it might vary between pants styles. You could always send them a quick email just to make certain before you buy.

 

[Greg Gale]

They just replied to me saying I shpuld definitely not get my usual jeans size but measure my waist under the navel and go for that size. Is this how you did it too?

 

[Alliance507]

From that measurement mine were still a bit loose but nothing a good belt or tailor can't solve.

 

[ZuZu]

Don't ask me why, but I'd love to have a complete WW2 USAAF pilot outfit. The only missing piece is the trousers.

I bought a pair of pinks from SoF, and they're great! The fit is perfect. Problem is, I don't like the pinks, and my shirts are pinks too, and in WW2 they didn't wear those with matching pants too often.

View attachment 162667

So I bought a pair of M37 mustard pants from SoF - they weren't great, they fit like modern pants, quite slim fit.

View attachment 162669

So I went online once again and ordered their OD51 pants - they're the same as the pinks but in different color, right? No...their size 32 OD51s fit more like a size 28, plus it was all very wonky...Sorry, it was so bad I didn't even take a photo.

Now I want to order from What Price Glory. Does anyone have any experience with those? The reviews on their site are good. It's not 100% accuracy I'm after, the fit and look are more important. I'm still not sure whether I should go for the OD51 or the M37. The OD51 looks sharper but looking at original photos, pilots mainly wore M37s around the base and on missions. At least the 4th FG did.

US Mustard Wool Trousers | What Price Glory

Reproduction of trousers adopted in 1937 and worn through all of WWII.

onlinemilitaria.net

US Army Office"s Trousers (Dark shade) | What Price Glory

Reproduction.

onlinemilitaria.net

View attachment 162671

I know you said you "...don't ask me why..." but is there ever a time and place you actually wear this stuff? Back in the day (I know-) I used to buy all this stuff for real- dark brown or OD, pinks, OD wool pants; matching shirts to boot, khakis, goggles nad head gear etc. etc.

The problem is you can never wear the whole ensemble out without looking weird IMO- you just can't. Even just wearing the baggy pants and A-2 will get you a "Hey are you a pilot?!!" remark somewhere.

So the trick is to do what Grant (who I think has melding the vintage stuff into a seamless cool look) and others do which is to mix and match a bit. Vintage jeans and chambray, hats and boots- all in the mix but never as an unambiguous costume. The only time I ever wore the whole deal was at Halloween.

 

[ZuZu]

This by the way is that WW2 sort of feminine shape men had- not seen today:

 

[Cocker]

Go for WPG M37 trousers, they fit great! Follow their advise and take your real waist size, IE around the navel, not modern jeans waist size. If in doubt, go up one size.

 

[Micawber]

Just wear your own thing and don’t loose a wink of sleep over what anyone else thinks or says.

 

[Greg Gale]

I know you said you "...don't ask me why..." but is there ever a time and place you actually wear this stuff? Back in the day (I know-) I used to buy all this stuff for real- dark brown or OD, pinks, OD wool pants; matching shirts to boot, khakis, goggles nad head gear etc. etc.

The problem is you can never wear the whole ensemble out without looking weird IMO- you just can't. Even just wearing the baggy pants and A-2 will get you a "Hey are you a pilot?!!" remark somewhere.

So the trick is to do what Grant (who I think has melding the vintage stuff into a seamless cool look) and others do which is to mix and match a bit. Vintage jeans and chambray, hats and boots- all in the mix but never as an unambiguous costume. The only time I ever wore the whole deal was at Halloween.

Who said I’d ever want to wear this ensemble in the streets? Do you think I'm taking the bus to work wearing pinks and a crusher cap? Did you, back in the day?

 

[Greg Gale]

This by the way is that WW2 sort of feminine shape men had- not seen today:

View attachment 162761

‘Feminine’ is not a word that comes to mind about that look. More like ‘epic’ or ‘sharp’

 

[bn1966]

Chinos is about as far as I’d dare with any flight jacket I wear a fair bit of ‘country’ attire due to spending a lot of time outdoors with hounds …. Ensure I mix and match it with a bit of vintage so I don’t get mistaken for a gamekeeper

 

[CK90]

‘Feminine’ is not a word that comes to mind about that look. More like ‘epic’ or ‘sharp’

Have to agree with Greg here guys. In all these vintage photos, these gents look top drawer sharp.

Zu, I hear what you’re saying but come on man - these guys were the real deal and they look it! The elegance, the sharpness, epic!!

 

[Grant]

Just wear your own thing and don’t loose a wink of sleep over what anyone else thinks or says.

best advice yet! That's one thing cool about living in NYC - you can wear whatever you like and no one blinks an eye.