1970s Red Ball Chambray Work Shirt – Embroidered Floral Folk Art

✨ MUSEUM-QUALITY 1970s WEARABLE FOLK ART ✨

This is an extraordinary piece of 1970s counterculture fashion history. This original lightweight cotton chambray work shirt was manufactured by the iconic American heritage brand Red Ball (a division of Ely & Walker), with its woven brand label fully intact at the collar.

I purchased this shirt second-hand from an old Army/Navy resale shop in the early 1970s and customized it extensively throughout the decade. It has been transformed into a breathtaking piece of wearable textile art, featuring incredibly dense hand-embroidered floral designs, delicate accent trim along the front placket, unique mismatched pink-and-white buttons, and a collection of beautiful calico print and corduroy patches across the body and sleeves. The cuffs feature exquisite, dense floral needlework that stands out beautifully.

Because this shirt was loved, worn, and naturally aged for over 50 years, it has reached a "perfectly thrashed" status. It is delicate and has significant historic wear, including a distinct area of splitting and disintegration on the back panel. It is being sold completely "as-is" as a historic collector's item—ideal for display, textile archives, or careful historic restoration (like Sashiko or visible mending projects).

DESIGN DETAILS:

• Brand: Red Ball (Sanforized, Ely & Walker, USA)
• Era: Early 1970s
• Style: Long Sleeve Customized Work Shirt / Chambray Button Up
• Features: Extensive hand-embroidery, custom fabric patches, calico trim border, authentic heavy distressing
EXACT FLAT-LAID MEASUREMENTS:
Vintage clothing runs much smaller than modern apparel and has often shrunk over the decades. Please check these measurements against a shirt you own to ensure an accurate fit:
• Chest (Pit-to-Pit): 17.5 inches (35 inches doubled)
• Total Length (Top of collar to bottom hem): 22 inches
• Underarm Sleeve Length (Pit to edge of embroidered cuff): 18 inches
CONDITION NOTE:
This garment is over 50 years old and is heavily distressed and delicate. It features prominent holes, fraying, fading, and a large tear/disintegrated section on the back panel. Please review all photos carefully. Sold strictly as-is to preserve its raw folk-art history.
Shipped with care from a smoke-free home. Cleaned and ready for your collection.