yowie suit

n. a shaggy camouflage coverall or clothing outfit, also known as a ghillie suit. Subjects: English, Australia, Military

Editorial Note: Occasionally just yowie, especially in attributive uses. Here’s a good picture of a yowie suit. Etymological Note: The suit is said to resemble the yowie, a cryptid similar to a yeti or bigfoot that is part of Australian aboriginal legend.

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Citations: [1989 Bruce Hogben Advertiser (Adelaid, Australia) (June 17) “Aussie ingenuity keeps our soldiers safely out of sight”: Defence spokesman Major Klaus Boehme says the sniper’s outfit of hessian bags and appropriate camouflage paint evolved from a British idea of about 35 years ago. It had been developed in the mid-1970s when the Army started training snipers, and did not replace the camouflage uniforms worn when in the field. “Someone said about the first person who wore one that he looked like a “yowie,” and it’s been called that ever since,” he said.…Colonel David Oliver in his “yowie” sniper’s outfit and, above right, as he really looks.] 1995 D. Hamson Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) (May 21) “Mother’s Day Went Off With A Big Bang”: The show was designed as a sort of crescendo, beginning with two snipers dressed in Yowie suits, demonstrating the stopping power of the F88 Steyr rifle over 300m. The Yowie suits were pretty impressive too. 2002 Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) (Sept. 15) “Defending Afghanistan First look inside SAS base” p. 19: Beside the bed lies his combat vest, filled with magazines of live ammunition and festooned with grenades, while hanging next to the Girls of Ralph poster is a sniper’s camouflaged “yowie suit.” 2004 Townsville Bulletin (Queensland, Australia) (June 3) “In the crosshairs” p. 23: If they saw the pair in their “yowie suits” though it would be a different story. “They are itchy and hot,” Pte Wheeler said. Each sniper designs and decorates—or camouflages—his own “yowie suit” to suit his taste. 2006 [sixstitcher (Spears)] Spears Rock and Roll Heaven (Alexandra Hills, Australia) (Mar. 27) “my weekend”: It was a dress up as what you wanted to be when you were a child affair. So I dressed up as a soldier as you can see in the photos. I wore my yowie hat, youwie shirt, new army pants and my army boots. 2006 Gary L. Pierce News & Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina) (May 27) “Get bagworms early—like now”: Bagworms were the original inventors of the ghillie suit, the camouflage get-up hunters and snipers wear that makes them look like Swamp Thing. Another name for the ghillie is yowie. Fittingly, this is also what homeowners might say in September when they realize how many bagworms are eating on their Leyland cypress tree.

Posted 29 May 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend