Has Anyone Seen Lee Sail Cloth Trousers Like These?

I'm trying to determine if this pair of Lee striped sail cloth pants/trousers are from the 1940s or later (the buttons on the fly closure are glass). I read that the company dropped "Mercentile" from its name in 1943 and changed to just H.D. Lee Company, Inc., so these pants wouldn't be any earlier than that. The stripe fabric is similar to their bib overalls and coveralls, but the pants have two stripes and a space, while the stripes on the overalls and coveralls are evenly spaced.

I haven't found another pair like them and have done the usual eBay and Google searches, also a Google image search of the various labels, a Lee website search and a live chat this morning, (they couldn't help, but said they'd send an email to others in the company and get back to me). I also sent an inquiry on Heddels website (which I just stumbled across), but haven't heard back yet.

So, I thought I'd post some photos here and see if anyone is familiar with this style of Lee sail cloth trousers and may know when they were made.

 

I forgot to include this photo. Maybe the "Sanforized Sail Cloth" only refers to the inside material for pockets and facings??

 

Those are so cool.

 

If tiny, since they're guy pants. Definitel desirable now regardless of size. There are collectors for the old ones.

 

Just my size ! In 1978 .

 

The internet says that SANFORIZED SAILCLOTH logo was used in the 1950s. If I had to guess... I'd say about the same age as the crew cut.

Debora

 

Thanks so much, Debora, for finding that information. I didn't think to search for the Sanforized sailcloth logo. I was thinking the pants were 1940s, but the paper label looks more 50s-60s than 40s. I remember it was kind of a big deal when my brother got his first "flat top" haircut in the late 50s and wore it until the early-60s, but I don't remember ever seeing any guys wearing pants like these. However, I just saw a pair of "light denim chino trousers" on eBay that were identified as 1950s-60s, and they had the same style waistband without a seam.

 

I think they're puzzling because they represent LEE's effort to line extend outside the jeans market. It would be helpful to see the entire pant from the front because the cut might help confirm/not era.

Debora

 

This is a 1958 ad. Notice it uses the same logo. Is the cut similiar to the cut of yours?

Debora

 

This is a 1959 ad. Same logo again. Wouldn't be surprised if yours weren't part of Lee's new 'Go' Clothes line.

Debora

 

It's possible the 1062 on the tag is a date code for October 1962 - you'd have to find some other tag examples to test the theory.

 

This is a bit later. 1969. Same logo. May well be part of this line or around the same time. (There was a late 1960s-early1970s trend to wear items of work clothes which might explain the fabric being so similar to that of Lee overalls.)

Debora

 

Thank you Debora for the ad examples. The cut is similar to both your 1958 and 1969 ads. The inseam is 36.5", so maybe they were meant to be cuffed especially considering the waist is only 28". The 1958 ad shows cuffs (I can't tell if the 1969 ad does).

 

Does the fabric reverse? If not, they were designed to be hemmed, not cuffed.

Debora

 

The fabric is different on the inside, but I meant the kind of cuff that dress pants have where you make a wide hem and then turn the bottom up to form the cuff. The leg seams on these pants have seam allowances that are pressed open, the bottom of the legs are just overcast, and the material seems to be able to hold a sharp crease, so I suspect they were meant to either have cuffs or a plain hem.

 

With just a waist measurement, they were certainly meant to be tailored to length. Any labels in the inside?

Debora

 

Just the one shown in the 4th photo (which shows size 28M).

 

Cuffs like this would still leave a 32" maximum inseam for the 28" waist, but tailored cuffs look a little strange on this type of fabric -- on the other hand, maybe not for the late-50s or 60s.

 

Yeah, that is odd. Fabric too informal to be finished with cuff. I'd think just hemmed.

Debora

 

I remember my mom cuffing our pants like that and then when we grew or they were passed own she let them out to lengthen them. Kids today would be horrified ! "Eeeeeww! those are USED!" I was always bigger than my older brother so he got the hand me downs from me !