Overalls aren't for everyone...

My grandfather on my dad's side was an overall wearing guy.  Not sure if I ever saw him in anything else.  Many people wear overalls, as a matter of fact I have a good friend who prefers overalls to common pants, britches or jeans.  He has his everyday overalls, then on Sundays he wears his church overalls.  It works for him.

Back when I was in high school, wearing overalls to school became kind of a fad at Robert E. Lee High School.  They looked comfortable... no belt... seemed to be some pretty good positives to wearing overalls.  I decided I might get me a pair of overalls and give them a try.  Now bear in mind... I didn't take into consideration several factors about the people I was seeing wear these overalls.  First... they all were thin people.  Second... many of them were wearing trendy overalls made and marketed for high school age kids. It's a fact that thin people can look good in almost anything they wear.  Those of us of... let's say... broader proportions... well... a degree of risk is involved every time we try something new.

So as an uninformed buyer of overalls, I got my first pair.  Can't remember if I bought them at Sears, Army/Navy Store or where, but I unknowingly got the wrong product.  I didn't get my overalls at some fancy store in Broadway Square Mall.  I think the name of the overalls I bought was something like... "Big Smiths", which at the time were primarily for welders.  As I picked out my size I noticed how heavy they were... and stiff.  I figured there is probably some kind of cardboard packing tucked away in there somewhere.

As I put on the overalls, I realized I didn't look like some of my friends (who were thin).  I looked more like Junior Samples, only with good hair.  The front of the overalls were really stiff, almost like wearing a chest protector.  Life experience has now taught me these overalls were designed to defray sparks and molten metal particals.  I also noticed that when I walked in them, the legs made sounds like two giant canvas flags blowing in the wind... most likely because of more of the protective material.  I thought... what the heck... washing and wearing them will probably loosen them up.

A couple of days later I tried them out.  The overalls seemed to loosen up some, but not like I was expecting.  None-the-less I put them on and went to school.  After walking around REL for a couple of hours I realized I had the wrong kind of overalls.  These overall weren't made for a lot of walking around.  Also... I think I had the shoulder straps hitched a little too tight... every time I bent over I got a severe wedgy.  By fourth period I was uncomfortable, chafed from walking in the thick material and tired of the jokes and ribbings I was getting from friends.  Robert Kurt Gee turned to me and asked (in his traditional Spikoli-Fast Times at Ridgemont High voice)... "Hey Dude... have they started some kind of crazy welding class here or what?  I heard you flapping down the hall... it was wild."

Now that I'm older I considered giving overalls a try again.  Then I realized I'd probably just look like Junior Sample's Dad.  I'll stick with my Wranglers.

BR-549