The Stalin tunic (Russian: сталинка, romanizedstalinka) is a colloquial term for a type of tunic or jacket associated with Joseph Stalin (1878-1953); from the 1920s until the 1950s and beyond, it was commonly worn as a political uniform by government officials in the Soviet Union (and, after World War II, by officials in the Soviet satellite states as well).[1]

Joseph Stalin's tunic on display at his bunker in Izmaylovo District, Moscow.

History

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Stalinka evolved from the french (френч), a tunic of the Imperial Russian Army, which had appeared in the First World War; the difference was that the Stalinka had a soft turn-down collar. Its simplistic style came from Stalin's refusal to wear clothing of a more complex nature, as well as eventual tweaks made by Soviet fashion designers that tried to create an image for the leader.[2]

Influence

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This style of attire was chosen by Chinese, Vietnamese and North Korean Communist leaders.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Леонид Парфенов, «Сталинка»
  2. ^ Fedorova, Inna; RBTH, special to (2014-08-20). "Dressing like a dictator: Stalin's distinctive military chic". www.rbth.com. Retrieved 2019-04-09.