Help identifying military tunic / Soviet? Russian? Gimnasterka? Era?

[darksatellites]

Hey there, 

I really haven't a clue about this tunic I've come across.

The collar and the cinched waistline with the metal star waisthooks throws me for a loop.  What was attached? Any information would be appreciated. My guess is it's post WW2 Russian because of the stars on the buttons but really that's just a guess. 

[maxine*j]

I'll just cut and paste the answer I gave you when you posted this in January, since you give no indication of what research you've done on your own behalf in the eight months since then:

It might be an old Russian military uniform tunic, although they tended to have stand-up collars and hidden button plackets.  Or, what you have might be a reproduction, popular with re-enactors.  Or, for all I know, it might be from an American department store, from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s fad for the faux military; to my eye, it certainly has a bit of that look. 

Anyhow, if you want to research further along the Russian line, use гимнастёрка --  variously written in the Roman alphabet as gymnastyorka, gymnastiorka, gimnastorka, gimnasterka

There is also a Militaria Collectors Board where you might post this, as well, although it is rather quiet:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Militaria-Collectors/gp-p/g-100002210

Forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know, and I hope someone comes along with more useful info for you.

[maxine*j]

It might be an old Russian military uniform tunic, although they tended to have stand-up collars and hidden button plackets.  Or, what you have might be a reproduction, popular with re-enactors.  Or, for all I know, it might be from an American department store, from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s fad for the faux military; to my eye, it certainly has a bit of that look. 

Anyhow, if you want to research further along the Russian line, use гимнастёрка --  variously written in the Roman alphabet as gymnastyorka, gymnastiorka, gimnastorka, gimnasterka

There is also a Militaria Collectors Board where you might post this, as well, although it is rather quiet:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Militaria-Collectors/gp-p/g-100002210

Forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know, and I hope someone comes along with more useful info for you.

[darksatellites]

Thanks for your help! I didn't realize I had posted it before. I suppose that can happen when shuffling through a bunch of items. I apologize for your needing to waste your energy on me a 2nd time. Thanks again. 

[maxine*j]

Well, you must have done some research on your own since January -- because you're using as "tags" terms that I wouldn't have included in my original reply had you already been using them then.

So, what else have you come up with?  Have you determined if that drawstring is cotton or nylon or sonmething else, to possibly help you date this?  Have you looked at the backs of Russian or other military tunics to see if they have drawstrings?  Did Russian / Soviet military uniforms have buttons like that?  Et cetera. Tell us what you've done so far, so we don't just duplicate your efforts.

[melirena]

Check Chinese military attire.  They also use stars on their buttons. I never saw Russian military shirts - gimnastyorka - with drawstring.  I also don't recall Russian gimnastyorkas with painted buttons and shirt like collar.