Vietcong “pajama” set

[Bamascvreb]

Looking for opinions on this recent purchase. Came out of an extensive mikitary collection. I’m not an expert on vc items and not sure what to look for on the uniform to verify its of the period. There are no marks i find on the shirt or bottoms. Not sure what to look for in the threads, hem or buttons. I have seen many pictures of vc wearing these though. Any thoughts or comments appreciated.

[rlimike]

I will tell you this....it would be difficult to prove that they were from a V.C. as black PJs were pretty much standard (blue collar worker attire) clothing over there and probably still is in the rural areas.
Regards,
Michael H.

[Blacksmith Life]

Agreed. Looks like standard rural farm clothes to me.

[IrishRebel]

Agreed. Looks like standard rural farm clothes to me.

Alot of the VC were farmers/ workers by day Killers at night.
They look the part regardless.

[Stahlhelm]

I agree that a pair of "pajamas," as they are called, would be hard to definitely attribute to actual Viet Cong use. Unless they have some provenance from a veteran (which would also be difficult to prove, even with a veteran holding a pair), about the most you can do is have a pair of original VC-type pajamas, correct for the period, and be happy with that - for a mannequin, a display, etc.

As for the pajamas still being worn in rural areas today, I will add information from my own experience. I have traveled to Vietnam twice in the last several years. Being with a Vietnamese woman the entire time, giving me a tour into some of the most remote areas of Vietnam, literally in rice paddies with working farmers (or villagers, as they were), I never once saw anyone wearing a pair of those pajamas...and I was actually looking for them. I was even in areas where villagers lived in houses with earthen floors and little more than thatched roofs over their head. Conical hats I saw in those areas! Pajamas, no. Are they out there somewhere still wearing them. I can't be sure of that. Maybe they are. But, I never saw any.

[Beezman]

Just a thought: on 99% of period pics showing black pajamas, the buttons are white. Black buttons are the exception.

[Stahlhelm]

Just a thought: on 99% of period pics showing black pajamas, the buttons are white. Black buttons are the exception.

Great point! There's nothing quite like period photographs for finding out how things they really were!

[pete]

Hi Guys.

I am working directly with the Vietnamese Army in the former Battle areas in two provinces. I've seen the village people sometimes wearing the black clothes yes, i've not seen it in the cities though as mostly they are always wearing more colored clothing.


Best Regards,

Pete

[relics2007]

This looks a typical pajama style of the Vietnamese peasants during the war. The "black pajama" is just a perception because a lot black pajamas were worn but men were also wore brown and grey and women wore some different colors as well. There is no way to prove if this was from a VC or not unless there's a paper trail.
It's hard to tell from the pictures, the color looks faded and beat up but the fabric looks too new for the clothes being worn and abused for many year under the sun. Especially the thread, the very last picture showing the thread was too new and uncut... personally, it gives me a red flag. Here is an example of the actual beat up clothes.

[Spikey]

I like the look of these PJs.

[jlh]

I think there is nothing wrong with the set and would be fine for a VC display.

[DennyB]

White buttons

The VC in the middle has white buttons but the others are obscured.

[kammo man]

The guy on the right has black buttons
Showing white and black buttons both being used together at the same time


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[Spikey]

Only high ranking VC had white buttons.

[kammo man]

Here’s a white button one from John.
It’s od
Probably a civilian one


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