Here are a pair of Red Kaps that I altered for a friend in H1 style (minus the sleeve split and buttons - etsy sent me the wrong buttons).
Alterations Completed:
-collar
-donut jean buttons added to collar
-front right pocket flap
-added elastic to the waistband
-lightly weathered (sanded knees, elbows etc., added black and brown acrylic paint)
Loved doing this project.
Anyone know where to get the correct sleeve buttons (anything but etsy, please)?
The problem with all of this is when you’re watching on your TV at home your colour settings could be 1 million different things it’s really hard to get everybody on the same page with what we’re all actually looking at. Never mind people who might be slightly colourblind or whatever too.
I’ve always understood they were more of a greenish tint that tended to look navy blue on camera, but that may have been something to do with blueish filtering and how the movie was shot in the evening lighting. Because in some lighting they looked kind of a charcoal black. Sort of like in the daylight scenes when he bumps into little Tommy. I dunno.
I’m sorry, but on this photo, I can see a hole in the fabric : the original coveralls were quite worn out and metal snaps tend to cut through the fabric after a while.
If coveralls fastening can differ from model to model, I own about ten different ones, and from at least four brands (Big Mac, Sears, Big Ben, Red Kap) and each of them have a snap on top of the zip.
Your converted Red Kaps are very nice and pretty accurate, though.
Man… this hobby can be frustrating… there are many knowledgeable people on here who have taught me so much, but this is so compelling, I am seriously on the fence. (“Calmly” ripping hair out of my head, lol). Mainly because the collar differs so much on those 78 Castle coveralls… I will go with that button for now…
It’s definitely a snap and nota button/hole there. That is very clearly a hole from the rubbing of the snap and if it was a hole for a button it would be larger, shaped more like a “slit”, and have a seam around the edges to prevent fraying. All features that are not present in that area you are pointing out. I’m also not sure where you see the collar being off?
I’m not debating it, I am simply going by the photos that have been provided to me (Castle pictures, which admittedly are somewhat poor quality) and Im constantly getting a lot of different information from a lot of different people. It’s frustrating to say the least. I have another pair that I am about to convert for myself. This time, I will only switch out that top button. Thanks for your photos!
The “difference” in the collar I was pointing out was a very minute one. In the new photos you show, it looks to be an exact match. Thank you for your input. Really.
Yeah man, I’m not trying to debate either haha I was just pointing out why it was a snap there is all. Make sure to post pics of your newly converted pair! Should be exciting to see.
Ahh. Yeah, the placement of that button appears to vary slightly on the few pairs that have surfaced.
The color is… the right one, in my opinion! We don’t know the exact model color right now or what ones were offered (still looking for the catalog that contains these specific coveralls to see what colors were offered). Once I find the catalog hopefully I will be able to narrow it down at least. I would describe them as definitely being primarily green. They change depending on the lighting of course, here are a few photos to show what I mean:
I have the Sears Fall/Winter catalogs from 1976, 1977 and 1978. The coveralls in the 1976 catalog have the same written description and specs as the 1977 and 1978 catalogs, but the picture shows a rounded pocket flap, not square as in the other two catalogs. The coveralls listed in the 1977 and 1978 catalogs are exact matches for the ones that have been identified in the forum, except for one detail: the collar has a snap closure. I believe this is proof that the coveralls used in the movie were indeed borrowed from someone who had purchased themwhen the collar still had a button instead of a snap, prior to at least 1976.
The colors offered in all three catalogs are the same: Tan, Dark Green, Navy, White, Charcoal Gray and Gray Herringbone Stripe.
Before anyone says that the colors listed are Olive Twill, Navy Twill and Blue Denim, those are colors for item 5, which is pictured on the opposite page and has tow angled, zip pockets, so it is obviously not a match to the 78 coveralls. Item 6 is the match to the coveralls both in appearance, and the description matches the packaging that has been pictured in the forums as well.
I had found the info below a while ago and neglected to post it, but I found the right catalog. It’s Sears 1973 fall and winter.
This was the first catalog to introduce the coveralls labeled as “Tradewear” (same spelling as the tag on all correct pairs). In later catalogs is spelled “Trade-Ware” amongst various other spellings. The '73 catalog also contains “One-piece Work Suit” which we know was on the original packaging for the correct coveralls used in Halloween 1978. You can see the coveralls in the second photo below, worn by the model on the right-hand side. Right pocket, no snap.
Colors available are: Spruce, White, Tex-Green, and Postman Blue. We know from my previous discovery in the catalogs that “Tex-Green” is described by Sears as a “Grey-Green”; that combined with the fact that other Sears items from the same years and onward show Spruce as a much brighter green all but confirm that the coveralls were Tex Green.
I was just pointing out why it was a snap there is all. Make sure to post pics of your newly converted pair! Should be exciting to see.
