SMITHSONIAN
Navy Blue Military Double-Breasted Uniform Jacket
Wartime / Utility Fashion · 1950s · African American
Production
ready-to-wear
Material
polyester with cotton
Culture
African American
Influences
military dress uniform · 1950s business suit
A navy blue military-inspired uniform jacket featuring a structured double-breasted front with six buttons arranged in two columns. The jacket displays formal military tailoring with peaked lapels, breast pockets with flap closures, and gold braiding or trim details on the sleeves. The garment is constructed from a polyester-cotton blend fabric that maintains crisp lines and sharp edges typical of 1950s tailoring. The jacket is paired with matching navy trousers and a white dress shirt with bow tie, creating a complete formal uniform ensemble. The military styling reflects the disciplined aesthetic adopted by the Nation of Islam's Fruit of Islam organization during the Civil Rights era.
jacketregular fithip length
Connected To
Worn with·bow tieWorn with·dress shirt
SHARED30 years · cross-culture · cross-category
The navy uniform's crisp military collar and the detached wing collar are both engineered for the same purpose: to frame a bow tie with geometric precision. Where the uniform integrates its formal neckline into a complete power structure of brass buttons and regimental details, the wing collar distills that same authoritative gesture into pure white cotton architecture—those sharp, angled points that thrust forward like tiny shields.
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