Walter Mitty Shirt

“I-I think we’re lost, Mitty,” said young Shaw, shivering. It had been hours since they’d heard the comforting ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa of the forest service helicopter. Smiling, Mitty unbuttoned a shirt pocket and withdrew map, compass, and knife; from a narrow compartment in the pocket he produced a folding fishing rod. “Dinner.” He announced. Then, unsnapping the other shirt pocket, he pulled out two carob-date bars (“dessert”) and a double-wide hammock rolled into a ball (“bad”). Shaw’s eyes dampened. “You–you’ve saved our lives,” he blurted. “Pshaw, Shaw,” said Mitty, grinning his lopsided grin. “It’s all in ta-pocketa-pocketa…”

The copy from the Spring 1988 catalog for the Walter Mitty Shirt is not taken directly from the James Thurber story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” but is a clever play on the ta-pocketa-pocketa wording in the story to sell a shirt with super cool secret pockets. This cotton twill shirt has hidden pockets with snap closures behind the front pockets, with underarm gussets with small ‘button holes’ for ventilation. 

Photos courtesy Gary Pinkerton.