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: