Shopping from Arthur Miller: Work Jackets

by Lesli Larson

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Readers of the online edition of the New York Times might have missed this 1950's era work jacket worn by Liev Shrieber's longshoreman character in the current revival of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge. The thumbnail image that accompanies the online review occupies a full half-page in the print edition. In this version of the production still, you can study the jacket's collar, cut, fabric (including wear marks), pocketing and buttons. (These details disappear into a generic, blue collar worker's garment on stage). I love the high placement of the slash pockets and loose fit of the sleeves (no cinch at the cuff). Another post could be dedicated to Scarlett Johansson's side buttoning wool skirt.

I'm assuming Schreiber's jacket was custom tailored for the Broadway production based on archival patterns and photographs. But if you're shopping for your own version, here are a few options in heavy duty Sanforized 8 oz fabric from the Ward's catalog:

Montgomery Wards

Economical, modern day option by Ben Davis

From the Times: Filson Tin Cloth Vest

From left, Richard Poe, Kristine Nielsen, Laura Benanti and Amir Arison in Christopher Durang’s new comedy at the Public Theater

On April 7, friend Brad W. and I both noted the stage right presence of a Filson Original Hunting Vest in a page C6 NY Times review of the play, Why Torture is Wrong, and the people who love them. Indoors, the tin cloth vest looks newly minted and out of place, like it just came off the shelf of a Filson flagship store.

In past blog posts, I've noted the presence of Filson and Barbour brands in David Mamet movies. I'm wondering whether Mamet's influence on Broadway now extends to dressing principal characters in American heritage clothing brands?

While I've tried to champion oil finished Filson tin cloth as an indoor fabric, I've rarely seen this practice adopted by anyone other than Tin Cloth Monday participants. The original tin cloth hunting vest works well for indoor wear given its extensive, purse-like pocketing and ventilating arms holes.

Several years ago I had a local seamstress add some additional upper pockets and a brass grommet to my own tin vest. As it were, I ended up selling it on ebay due to irreconcilable sizing issues (it wore more like an A-frame tent). A photo:

Refab Filson Hunting Vest

Early (198x?) Filson catalog