Can you guess what all this vintage clothing has in common? No, it’s not the stunning details, though they do have that going for them…. You have to look even closer to see what I’m talking about… Ah ha! They were all made by the ILGWU – the International Ladies Garment Worker’s Union. What?! What do you mean you never heard of it?? Alright, kill the headlights, put it in neutral and cue the music: For those who have a hard time making out the lyrics to music:

Look for the union label

When you are buying a coat, dress, or blouse,

Remember somewhere our union’s sewing,

Our wages going to feed the kids and run the house,

We work hard, but who’s complaining?

Thanks to the ILG, we’re paying our way,

So always look for the union label,

It says we’re able to make it in the USA!

Does the ILGWU exist today?  In my closet, yes.  In the world…no. The ILGWU shrank as American clothing manufacturing jobs got shipped overseas.  In 1995, they partnered with some other unions to form UNITE, which in turn partnered with HERE to form UNITE-HERE, which does, in fact, exist today. So, no, lady seamstresses no longer form a powerful enough demographic to carry on their own union…which really sucks because these ladies had an awesome history. The ILGWU was formed in 1900 by Jewish and Italian women immigrants in New York City at a time when “experts” did not believe that female immigrants had the wherewithal to unionize.  Experts were wrong and the ILGWU turned out to be one of the most powerful unions in our country’s history. The union’s heyday came in the 1920′s after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire got them fighting mad (er…agitated) and tons of workers came into the fold.  Eleanor Roosevelt’s support helped, too. Oh yeah, the hat? That’s not the ILGWU, silly…the hat was made by the United Hatters, Cap and Millinery Workers International Union. Groovy. I’ll leave you with the factory gals from the Pajama Game. Just so you know, there are no fatal fires in this movie.  In the end, the workers get their raise, but not because they sleep with the supervisor or nail the Bob Fosse choreography or rock fabulous costumes.   No, these girls get their happy ending because they hold onto collective bargaining for dear life.  The Union makes us strong…AND fabulous. Who knew?

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