Kingdom of Yugoslavia: Sailor Shirt

Inv. No.: EP2859 P3561

 

Sailor shirt worn in the Navy of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1932

 

On the eastern Adriatic coast, blue-and-white striped sailor shirts were introduced in the navy of the Austrian monarchy in the second half of the 19th century. They were knitted from cotton thread, with a straight cut, a sailor collar, and short sleeves. According to the regulation from 1873, they featured thicker white stripes (2 cm) and thinner blue stripes (1 cm). These shirts remained in use by the navy until the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918. The same shirts were then adopted by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes—later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia—to which a large portion of the naval personnel of South Slavic origin from the dissolved Austro-Hungarian navy transferred. The shirts remained in use until the fall of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1941.
In the Royal Yugoslav Navy sailor shirts were prescribed for sailors and lower-ranking non-commissioned officers, as well as for cadets of the naval NCO schools. As part of the summer daily uniform, they were also worn by cadets of the Naval War Academy, which was located in Dubrovnik. Over the sailor shirt, they wore a white canvas or blue woolen naval blouse, and on top of it, a dark blue sailor collar. Under the collar, they tied a black scarf (called flor) and a white cord (gajtan), which they had to tie in a figure-eight knot.
The shirt preserved at the Maritime Museum of Piran was worn by Petty Officer Peter Klančič of the Royal Yugoslav Navy, who was born in Pula in 1913. It was made in 1932, as evidenced by the stamp on the back of the shirt. Sailors often modified the naval collar themselves to make it deeper for greater comfort. Peter Klančič’s shirt also features such a deepened collar.

 

Used in the Navy of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

 

Used between 1932 and 1941

 

Material: cotton knitwear

 

Technique: Knitting, sewing

 

Dimensions: width 57 cm, length 60 cm

 

Description: Striped blue and white sailor shirt with thicker white and thinner blue stripes. The shirt has short sleeves and a sailor collar.

Stamp on the back of the shirt: KRALJ. MOR 5 1932

 

Prepared by Bogdana Marinac