• Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
  • Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin
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No Brand - Size W29 L30 - Fair Condition

Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin

Vintage 1930s–1940s French Workwear Trousers – Cinch Back Buckle – Button Fly – Black Moleskin

£103.00
£103.00
Sale Sold out
Taxes included.

European workwear trousers from the early twentieth century, probably French, dating roughly from the late ’30s to the early ’40s. Classic pre-war details: metal cinch-back buckle, button closure, internal suspender buttons at the waist and a neatly finished striped cotton lining.

The fabric looks like a dense wool or wool-blend work twill (possibly an early moleskin-type weave), with the slightly textured surface typical of interwar utility clothing.

The lining and metal hardware show aging and oxidation consistent with the garment’s age.

Size - fits like W29 L30 Waist 36 cm · Length 100 cm

Suggested size: W29 L30
Label size: Not determinable

Measurements

Length
100 cm · 39.4 in
Waist
36 cm · 14.2 in
Thigh
31 cm · 12.2 in
Leg opening
24 cm · 9.4 in
Size Guide
  • Suggested size → the size we recommend based on the actual measurements.
  • Label size → the size printed on the label (if there is one).

On vintage pieces the label may not reflect today's fit: go by the measurements, taken flat from seam to seam. For more info, see the dedicated page.

Condition - Fair Condition

The condition of our garments is classified according to the following scale:

  • Deadstock: Like-new condition, no defects. Fabrics and trim are practically new.
  • Excellent: In excellent condition, with any minor imperfections shown in the photos.
  • Good: In good overall condition, with signs of wear or obvious defects shown in the photos.
  • Fair: with obvious wear and visible defects shown in the photos.

Since they are vintage items, they may still have small imperfections or signs of wear that are not always shown.

All items are washed, sanitized, and stain treated before being put on sale. For more information, please visit the dedicated page.

Shipping and Returns

Orders are processed within 1-3 business days and entrusted to the most suitable courier based on the destination and type of package.
Shipping is free for orders over €100 in Italy and EU countries (zones 1-2) , while in other cases the costs are calculated automatically at checkout.

The right of withdrawal can be exercised within 14 days of delivery . Items must be returned in the same condition in which they were received and as described in the listing.

  • Returns must be requested in advance via email or the contact details indicated on the dedicated page;
  • The refund is issued within 14 days of receipt and verification of the package , and is made net of shipping costs ;
  • Unauthorized returns will not be refunded.

For further details and complete information, please refer to the pages dedicated to Shipping and Returns and Refunds .

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Story Time

The Origins of Work Pants

Before modern work uniforms existed, “work pants” were simply whatever could stand up to the job: heavy wool, canvas, fustian or leather protection worn over everyday clothes. As industrial labor expanded between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (mines, railroads, docks, factories), pants started being designed specifically for the work: a high waist for more coverage, a roomy cut for crouching, reinforcements at stress points and pockets designed for tools. In the United States the big leap was engineered durability: in 1873 Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss’s riveted “waist overalls” solved the problem of torn pockets and failing seams for miners and railroad workers. In Britain and parts of Europe, different solutions took hold: corduroy and fustian trousers for navvies and construction workers because they were tough, warm and good at hiding dirt; waxed “tin pants” for loggers because they held up against rain and brambles; white drill or canvas for painters because stains were less visible.

France developed one of the most recognizable workwear identities of the pre-World War II period through the bleu de travail, a standardized two-piece work suit (jacket + high-waisted trousers) common in factories, workshops and railway depots. A key element was moleskin (a satin-weave cotton, very densely woven and then brushed), prized because it combined flexibility with extremely high abrasion resistance. Unlike denim, with its diagonal twill, moleskin has a smooth, compact surface that resists tearing better and holds up better to friction and small sparks — useful qualities for mechanics, metalworkers and workshops. Pre-WWII French work trousers typically had a button fly and a straight leg and were made to be worn with suspenders (buttons at the waist), often with a rear adjuster tab or cinch to fine-tune the fit.