I have a thread going about my son’s budding aweness of girls which has lead to a discussion of “gitch”/“gonch” and various permutations.
In another thread I mention having to take the hood down off my hoodie. I almost asked if anyone calls them “bunnyhugs”, although that’s mainly a Saskachewan thing. (I lived in Winnipeg for a while and worked with some transplanted Saskachewaners enough that I will call them bunnyhugs occasionally.)
I of course wear touques and Nipigon Nylons when weather requires. Every Canuck worth his/her roadsalt has at one time or another owned a pair of Sorrells or Kodiaks.
But surely not all our specialty clothing is soley for winter? Do we have other geographical names for clothing that call us out as Canadians.
Also, in the interests of multiculturalism, Australians, Kiwis, and others are welcome to chime in with names for clothes in their places.
Yep. Sorels are amazing; your feet never get cold or wet in those.
“Kodiak” may be interesting though. I know that Greb (which makes Kodiaks) makes winter boots, and sells some of them under the “Kodiak” brand name; but to me, Kodiaks will only ever be work boots: steel-toed, steel-soled, and CSA-certified. But while they satisfy the requirements for safety footwear, they aren’t really winter boots–when that steel gets cold, so does your foot. Nothing like Sorels, certainly.
So another question: which Canadians see Kodiaks as winter boots, and which see them as work boots? (And as per Anonymous Coward’s question, who has never heard of them?)
Sorels are amazing. Pretty sure everyone I know has either owned a pair, owns a pair, or aspires to own a pair after their current boots die.
It’s gitch/gonch interchangeably out here in the East as well. Although I’ve only heard it for men’s underwear. But everybody wears their toques in the winter!
And everybody owns a pair of Stanfields! At least one pair, if not several.
Kodiaks are hard core work boots as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never owned a pair of Sorels. We used to get the felt-lined boots from the New System Store in Brandon, and replace the felts every couple of years.
I loved my old grey leather moccasins, at least partly because it was like wearing a pair of skates indoors. Warm feet, but absolutely no traction whatsoever. ‘Ever wonder what the world would be like without friction?’ asked the classic Coronet film - nope, I’ve worn moccasins for the last 4 months; I’m wondering what friction would be like.
Oh, and it’s ‘gauch(e)’ where I grew up. Said like ‘gotch’, but spelled different.
I think that’s an Easty thing. In B.C., we call one of those a “Macintosh” or (more commonly) just a “Mac.” (This led me to some provincial confusion and inappropriate visualization, the first time I read Ulysses.) How can a Macintosh be brown, anyway?
Nipigon Nylons=Grey work socks, with red or orange stripes at the top.
Sorels are the best. Kodiaks are workboots to me but some call any winter boots Kodiaks. I think its a regionalism but not sure what region.
I like the Tofino dinner jacket. I have never heard the term but new instantly of what you spoke.
And Stanfields. Of course, Stanfields. McGregors… does anyone think of dress socks as such? My dad had certain patterned dress socks (not tartan or anything) that he always called his McGregors, and he always got a few pairs from my brother and I for Christmas when we were kids. Of course McGregors made many kinds of socks but does anyone else know what I mean?
I am continually confused by old farmers who wear both a belt and suspenders, and their beer guts still hang out over the pants. My dad is notorious for this. I think this combo needs to be named the ‘Ukrainian Underwear’ or something.
I learned from my husband just this weekend that wearing jean jackets is somewhat of a Canadian thing - I don’t think I have any name for them other than jean jackets, though.
Your big workboots are usually shit-kickers or clodhoppers, but I think that’s universal, isn’t it?
I believe the blue jeans plus denim shirt plus jean jacket combo is referred to as the “Truro tuxedo” out here. I have actually seen it in the wild. Once.
Yep, same here – gonch and kangaroo jacket (Calgary).
Reminds me of a fellow I once met with this affliction. The conversation went something like:
Him (patting his gut): Dunlop!
Me (playing along): Oh, I get it. It’s because it’s your spare tire, right?
Him (Texas accent): Nope. My gut Dunlop over my belt!
Does anyone remember Storm Riders? Levi’s made a blanket-lined jean jacket with a corduroy collar (or a leather collar if you were uber-cool). Perfect for winter.
Other items:
[ul]
[li]Woods jacket. Those puffy down jackets that came back in style a while ago. Somehow, the ones back in the day were much uglier. I believe “Woods” was the name of the company. Usage: “I’m gettin’ a Woods for Christmas.”[/li][li]“Snowmobile boots.” Cheap, clunky felt-lined boots with zippers and a string-tie up top. Kind of like this, but no fancy logo (unless Woolco counts as a fancy logo).[/li][/ul]
