Hollywood Briefly: Steve Grand
Singer, Songwriter, Pianist and Union Suit Fan

Steve Grand born February 28, 1990 was raised in Lemont, Illinois and began writing music at the age of eleven. His first hit, All American Boy, was first seen on You Tube in a July 2013 music video. He became an internet sensation overnight.

A subsequent music video shows Grand in a white union suit climbing into bed with two cups of hot chocolate.

The Grand Flap 

All American Boys wear Union Suits

The town of Truro, Nova Scotia in Canada is the number one Union Suit city per capita in North America. After years of study, I have concluded that more Union Suits, or "Combinations" as they are referred to by our northern neighbors, are worn here than anywhere else. Until recently I believed the state of Colorado, Union Suit Capital of the U.S.A., had more wearers. But not any more. And why not? Because Truro is the home town of perhaps the best, most comfortable one-piece long underwear made anywhere. You've heard of them and likely own a few if you are a Union Suit Fan: it's Stanfield's. 

Stanfield's combinations are so popular among the local populace that they devote a weekend each year for wearing red one-piece long underwear in public. Not surprisingly, it's called the “Winter Long John Festival.” Last month was their tenth year of hosting this “community-wide celebration of all things winter with Stanfield's fashionable combinations the focus.”

Town folks, including the mayor, ice skate in their bright red long johns. People there go shopping and to the office in them. They even fight fires wearing red long underwear! Employees at the local library work in their red long-handled Stanfield's as do the Farmer's Market vendors. Every place you go you can find men and women, boys and girls in their underwear. And in February in Canada, that underwear has to be long. Combinations rule!

The city has a number of competitive events including most recently the coveted “Compete for the Golden Long Johns Challenge.” Apparently, one can earn a point for each photograph submitted when attending one of the various events. The person posing in their red combinations at the most events wins a gold medal. Who wouldn't want to win the coveted golden "suit of underwear" medallion?!

According to Statistics Canada, Truro has a population of about 12,300 people and nearly all wear long red union suits. The famous one-piece underwear has been around since the the mid to late 1800's when Charles E. Stanfield migrated to Canada and founded his company in 1870, then called Tryon Woolen Mills. His “drop-seat” long underwear has been keeping North Americans warm for decades.


Need proof as to just how popular combinations are in Nova Scotia and throughout Canada for that matter? Take a look:

Up and until I discovered the good folks of Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada wearing their long-sleeved, ankle length Combinations to work, play and all over town, I had believed that the State of Colorado had the most Union Suit wearing citizenry per capita in North America. After all, the Centennial State has any number of outdoor activities including skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting whereby union suits are commonly worn. Over the past couple of years, I have documented the long-handled underwear of Colorado wearers by posting numerous photos and stories. For instance, take the Manitou Springs fire department who win coffin races in their long red underwear:

And how about Mike of Lakewood who lost a wager and was required to go hiking in his union suit: 

There's the Crimsom Clad Leaping Lord of Nederland in his unmentionables:

And the bank robber whose pants were shot off at Buckskin Joe's near the Royal Gorge / Canon City. He was driven out of town in his long red underwear:

Karen of Leadville reported that her dad, husband and oldest son all wear union suits most of the year in their mountain town. And you remember the gold miners of Central City. They paraded around main street and ran bed races in their red long johns:

So it sure appears that Colorado and every other state, province, and community take a back (drop) seat to the inhabitants of Truro, Nova Scotia! What do you think Union Suit Fans?

Bored and Lonely Lumberjacks Seek Love in all the Wrong Places!

A musical union suit comedy collaboration between Fred Alley (Lyrics) and James Kaplan (music) resulted in the hilarious 1996 theater production, Lumberjacks in Love. 

Hardworkin' Moonlight, Slim, Dirty Bob, and Muskrat live in a remote 1912 logging camp in northern Wisconsin. Testosterone rules!

There was nary a woman within two hundred miles of these guys. Or, at least that's what they thought. Turns out one of the boys is really a girl disguised as a lumberjack. In reality he, I mean she, is a "lumberjill."  Now that would certainly complicate things enough.... 

but then one of the guys accidentally orders a mail-order bride. Good heavens! When she arrives, look out boys!

The Haywire Lumber Camp is the site of high jinks and unforgettable songs. The musical has proven to be a theatrical hit year after year, especially as performed in a number of northern venues. Did I mentioned that bath time is once a month?! And the boys never even bother to take off their long underwear! Just as well. 

This play would surely please Union Suit Fans everywhere. Go see this production if you get a chance. It'll make you laugh out loud. You'll wish you were a lumberjack in love!

From: Cory of Waterville, ME

             

Added November 1, 2022:  

Union Suit Fans:  my wife and I finally got to see this super delightable musical comedy recently.  It is truly fun and lives up to its fine reputation.  Go see it if you get the opportunity. ....Chris  Copy and paste this hilarious clip:

   https://youtu.be/ZKndwj0XqiQ