Suit wearing on demonstrations. An historical note
I was intrigued by a picture posted on social media by the historian Shirin Hirsch who is associated with the People’s History Museum in Manchester querying when suit wearing on demonstrations ended.
She posted a picture of a 1933 Hyde Park protest where most were wearing suits (and hats). Of course the issue was and is gendered. The protesters were mainly men. In 2022 M&S has reported a significant decline in suit sales. While fashions by definition come and go there has been a significant drop off amongst the managers and professionals I represent as a trade union officer in suit wearing in recent times. In some cases they are just trying to avoid a stereotyped image, and not that many go on demos I suspect. Conversely women wearing work suits is now quite common.
However in respect of the left as Raph Samuel argued in the Lost World of British Communism, the CPGB aimed to be a party of respectable working men and women and sober dress- which often meant for men, suits.
I suspect the rise of CND from the late 1950s and with it the new left started a decline in suit wearing. Eric Hobsbawm who stayed with the CP one often saw in a suit, E P Thompson I rarely recall wearing one. The reality is that marches from or to Aldermaston did not easily lend themselves to suit wearing.
Marxism Today as Samuel points out caricatured suit wearing, beer drinking male trade unionists and even in 2022 many senior male union officials can be found mostly wearing suits, even on demonstrations. Their members often much less so.
It’s a reflection of wider changes to a less formal culture where how you appear dress wise may matter less than what you are actually good at doing.
I started going on demonstrations in the early 1970s and I’m still at it. Have I ever worn a suit on a protest? No…
Then there is this bellend. Peter Schiff on twitter
“I understand times are hard, but doesn’t the President of the #Ukraine own a suit? I don’t have much respect for current members of the U.S. Congress either, but I still wouldn’t address them wearing a t-shirt. I wouldn’t want to disrespect the institution or the Unites States.”
I was on a demo with Hitchens. He was dressed like Victorian dandy, and clearly regarded himself as a celebrity. This was during his visit to IS.
I think the 1945 demob suits lasted a while too, especially if not worn at work. My dad had his for mmany years.