<PAGE>   1



      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 22, 1998

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             Registration Statement
                                    Under the
                             Securities Act of 1933

                                BLAIR CORPORATION
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


          Delaware                                             25-0691670
  ------------------------                              ------------------------
  (State of Incorporation)                              (I.R.S. Employer ID No.)

                 220 Hickory Street, Warren, Pennsylvania 16366
                 ----------------------------------------------
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                 Blair Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                 ----------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                 Kent R. Sivillo
                          Vice President and Treasurer
                                Blair Corporation
                               220 Hickory Street
                           Warren, Pennsylvania 16366
                     ---------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (814) 723-3600
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Proposed              Proposed
                                                       Maximum              Maximum
  Title of Securities         Amount to be             Offering            Aggregate              Amount of
    to be Registered           Registered          Price Per Share       Offering Price       Registration Fee*

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      <S>                    <C>                     <C>                   <C>                      <C>
      Common Stock            50,400 shares          $10.50             $529,200                   $156.11
</TABLE>

 * Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h).

                          Page 1 of 7 sequential pages.
                       Exhibit Index at sequential page 6.

<PAGE>   2


                                       2

ITEM 3.    INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

The following documents filed by Blair Corporation (the "Company") with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement, except to the extent that any statement or information
therein is modified, superseded or replaced by a statement or information
contained in any other subsequently filed document incorporated herein by
reference: (a) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997; (b) the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1998; and (c) from the date of filing of such
documents, all documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, subsequent to
the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a
posteffective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all
securities covered by this Registration Statement have been sold or that
deregisters all securities covered by this Registration Statement then remaining
unsold.

ITEM 4.    DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of one class of 12,000,000
shares of Common Stock without nominal, or par, value (the "Common Stock"). As
of June 30, 1998, 8,890,793 shares of the Common Stock were issued and
outstanding and held by 2,668 holders of record. The Common Stock is listed for
trading on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "BL". The holders of
shares of the Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held by them
upon all matters presented for a vote of the stockholders. There is no
cumulative voting for the election of directors. Holders of the Common Stock are
entitled to dividends when and if declared at the discretion of the Board of
Directors out of legally available funds, subject to the provisions of the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation. In the event of the liquidation of the
Company, the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to share ratably in the
net assets of the Company remaining after provision for payment of liabilities.
Holders of the Common Stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or
conversion rights.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

Not applicable.

ITEM 6.    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware provides that a
corporation may indemnify its directors or officers and may purchase and
maintain liability insurance for those persons as and to the extent permitted
thereby.

The Company's Certificate of Incorporation requires the Company to indemnify its
directors and officers to the extent permitted under Section 145 of the General
Corporation Law of Delaware from and against all expenses, liabilities and other
matters referred to in or covered by Section 145, both as to action in their
official capacities and as to action in another capacity while holding such
positions.

Article XXIII of the ByLaws of the Company, relating to indemnification of its
directors and officers, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997
(File No. 1-878).


<PAGE>   3

                                       3


The Company maintains an insurance policy with total coverage of $15,000,000
that insures its directors and officers against damages, judgments and
settlements arising from, and defense costs in connection with, claims for
alleged wrongful acts in their respective capacities as directors and officers
of the Company, except to the extent the Company has indemnified the directors
and officers. The Company is entitled to reimbursements under the policy to the
extent it has indemnified the directors and officers for covered losses.

ITEM 7.    EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

Not applicable. No restricted securities are to be reoffered or resold pursuant
to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 8.    EXHIBITS.

The Exhibits to this Registration Statement are listed in the Exhibit Index on
page 6 of this Registration Statement, which Index is incorporated herein by
this reference.

ITEM  9.    UNDERTAKINGS.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

              (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
              the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

              (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
              after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
              most recent posteffective amendment thereof) which, individually
              or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
              information set forth in the Registration Statement; and

              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
              of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
              Statement or any material change to such information in the
              Registration Statement;

                           Provided, however, that paragraphs (l)(i) and (l)(ii)
              do not apply if the information required to be included in a
              posteffective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
              periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or
              section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
              that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

         (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each such posteffective amendment shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (3)  To remove from registration by means of a posteffective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.


<PAGE>   4

                                       4

         (4)  That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each filing of the Registrant's annual
report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (5)  That, insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the 22nd day of July, 1998.

                                                BLAIR CORPORATION


                                                By: /s/ KENT R. SIVILLO
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                    Kent R. Sivillo,
                                                    Vice President and Treasurer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        Signature                                    Title                                   Date
        ---------                                    -----                                   ----
<S>                                            <C>                                        <C>
 /s/ David A. Blair                            Secretary and Director                     July 22, 1998
 ------------------
 David A. Blair

 /s/ Steven M. Blair                       Vice President, Order Handling,                July 22, 1998
 -------------------
 Steven M. Blair                                    and Director
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   5

                                       5

<TABLE>
<S>                                            <C>                                        <C>
 /s/ Robert D. Crowley                        Vice President, Menswear,                   July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                              and Director
 Robert D. Crowley                                  

 /s/ Murray K. McComas                      President and Chairman of the                 July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                           Board of Directors
 Murray K. McComas                           (Principal Executive Officer)

 /s/ Thomas P. McKeever                       Vice President, Corporate                   July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                      Affairs and Human Resources,
 Thomas P. McKeever                                 and Director

 /s/ Michael J. Samargya                     Vice President, Information                  July 22, 1998
 -----------------------                       Services, and Director
 Michael J. Samargya                           

 /s/ Kent R. Sivillo                               Vice President,                        July 22, 1998
 -------------------                           Treasurer and Director
 Kent R. Sivillo                              (Principal Financial and
                                                  Accounting Officer)

 /s/ Blair T. Smoulder                        Executive Vice President                    July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                               and Director
 Blair T. Smoulder

 /s/ John E. Zawacki                       Vice President, Womenswear,                    July 22, 1998
 -------------------                               and Director
 John E. Zawacki
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   6

                                       6


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
            Exhibit Number                                                   Sequentially Numbered Page
            --------------                                                   --------------------------
                 <S>                   <C>                                                   <C>
                 4(1)                  Articles Fourth, Eighth and Ninth of                  N.A.
                                       the Restated Certificate of
                                       Incorporation of Blair Corporation
                                       [incorporated by reference to
                                       Exhibit A to the Quarterly Report on
                                       Form 10-Q of the Company dated
                                       August 1, 1995 (SEC File No. 1-878)].

                 4(2)                  Articles III, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI,                     N.A.
                                       XVII, XVIII, XXI, XXII and XXIV[1]
                                       of the By-Laws of Blair Corporation
                                       [incorporated by reference to
                                       Exhibit 3 to the Annual Report on
                                       Form 10-K of the Company for the
                                       fiscal year ended December 31, 1993
                                       (SEC File No. 1-878)].

                  23                   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP to the                     7
                                       use of their opinion with respect to
                                       the financial statements incorporated 
                                       by reference.
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "BLAIR CORPORATION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 16244}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BLAIR CORP", "cik": "0000071525", "assigned-sic": "5961", "irs-number": "250691670", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-59571", "film-number": "98669572"}, "business-address": {"street1": "220 HICKORY ST", "city": "WARREN", "state": "PA", "zip": "16366", "phone": "8147233600"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "NEW PROCESS CO", "date-changed": "19890507"}}
1

      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 22, 1998

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             Registration Statement
                                    Under the
                             Securities Act of 1933

                                BLAIR CORPORATION
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

          Delaware                                             25-0691670
  ------------------------                              ------------------------
  (State of Incorporation)                              (I.R.S. Employer ID No.)

                 220 Hickory Street, Warren, Pennsylvania 16366
                 ----------------------------------------------
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                 Blair Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                 ----------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                 Kent R. Sivillo
                          Vice President and Treasurer
                                Blair Corporation
                               220 Hickory Street
                           Warren, Pennsylvania 16366
                     ---------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (814) 723-3600
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Proposed              Proposed
                                                       Maximum              Maximum
  Title of Securities         Amount to be             Offering            Aggregate              Amount of
    to be Registered           Registered          Price Per Share       Offering Price       Registration Fee*

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock            50,400 shares          $10.50             $529,200                   $156.11
* Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h).

                          Page 1 of 7 sequential pages.
                       Exhibit Index at sequential page 6.
2

                                       2

ITEM 3.    INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

The following documents filed by Blair Corporation (the "Company") with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement, except to the extent that any statement or information
therein is modified, superseded or replaced by a statement or information
contained in any other subsequently filed document incorporated herein by
reference: (a) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997; (b) the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1998; and (c) from the date of filing of such
documents, all documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, subsequent to
the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a
posteffective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all
securities covered by this Registration Statement have been sold or that
deregisters all securities covered by this Registration Statement then remaining
unsold.

ITEM 4.    DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of one class of 12,000,000
shares of Common Stock without nominal, or par, value (the "Common Stock"). As
of June 30, 1998, 8,890,793 shares of the Common Stock were issued and
outstanding and held by 2,668 holders of record. The Common Stock is listed for
trading on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "BL". The holders of
shares of the Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held by them
upon all matters presented for a vote of the stockholders. There is no
cumulative voting for the election of directors. Holders of the Common Stock are
entitled to dividends when and if declared at the discretion of the Board of
Directors out of legally available funds, subject to the provisions of the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation. In the event of the liquidation of the
Company, the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to share ratably in the
net assets of the Company remaining after provision for payment of liabilities.
Holders of the Common Stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or
conversion rights.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

Not applicable.

ITEM 6.    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware provides that a
corporation may indemnify its directors or officers and may purchase and
maintain liability insurance for those persons as and to the extent permitted
thereby.

The Company's Certificate of Incorporation requires the Company to indemnify its
directors and officers to the extent permitted under Section 145 of the General
Corporation Law of Delaware from and against all expenses, liabilities and other
matters referred to in or covered by Section 145, both as to action in their
official capacities and as to action in another capacity while holding such
positions.

Article XXIII of the ByLaws of the Company, relating to indemnification of its
directors and officers, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997
(File No. 1-878).
3

                                       3

The Company maintains an insurance policy with total coverage of $15,000,000
that insures its directors and officers against damages, judgments and
settlements arising from, and defense costs in connection with, claims for
alleged wrongful acts in their respective capacities as directors and officers
of the Company, except to the extent the Company has indemnified the directors
and officers. The Company is entitled to reimbursements under the policy to the
extent it has indemnified the directors and officers for covered losses.

ITEM 7.    EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

Not applicable. No restricted securities are to be reoffered or resold pursuant
to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 8.    EXHIBITS.

The Exhibits to this Registration Statement are listed in the Exhibit Index on
page 6 of this Registration Statement, which Index is incorporated herein by
this reference.

ITEM  9.    UNDERTAKINGS.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

              (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
              the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

              (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
              after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
              most recent posteffective amendment thereof) which, individually
              or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
              information set forth in the Registration Statement; and

              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
              of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
              Statement or any material change to such information in the
              Registration Statement;

                           Provided, however, that paragraphs (l)(i) and (l)(ii)
              do not apply if the information required to be included in a
              posteffective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
              periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or
              section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
              that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

         (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each such posteffective amendment shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (3)  To remove from registration by means of a posteffective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.
4

                                       4

         (4)  That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each filing of the Registrant's annual
report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (5)  That, insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the 22nd day of July, 1998.

                                                BLAIR CORPORATION

                                                By: /s/ KENT R. SIVILLO
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                    Kent R. Sivillo,
                                                    Vice President and Treasurer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                    Title                                   Date
        ---------                                    -----                                   ----
/s/ David A. Blair                            Secretary and Director                     July 22, 1998
 ------------------
 David A. Blair

 /s/ Steven M. Blair                       Vice President, Order Handling,                July 22, 1998
 -------------------
 Steven M. Blair                                    and Director
5

                                       5
/s/ Robert D. Crowley                        Vice President, Menswear,                   July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                              and Director
 Robert D. Crowley                                  

 /s/ Murray K. McComas                      President and Chairman of the                 July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                           Board of Directors
 Murray K. McComas                           (Principal Executive Officer)

 /s/ Thomas P. McKeever                       Vice President, Corporate                   July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                      Affairs and Human Resources,
 Thomas P. McKeever                                 and Director

 /s/ Michael J. Samargya                     Vice President, Information                  July 22, 1998
 -----------------------                       Services, and Director
 Michael J. Samargya                           

 /s/ Kent R. Sivillo                               Vice President,                        July 22, 1998
 -------------------                           Treasurer and Director
 Kent R. Sivillo                              (Principal Financial and
                                                  Accounting Officer)

 /s/ Blair T. Smoulder                        Executive Vice President                    July 22, 1998
 ---------------------                               and Director
 Blair T. Smoulder

 /s/ John E. Zawacki                       Vice President, Womenswear,                    July 22, 1998
 -------------------                               and Director
 John E. Zawacki
6

                                       6

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------
Exhibit Number                                                   Sequentially Numbered Page
            --------------                                                   --------------------------
4(1)                  Articles Fourth, Eighth and Ninth of                  N.A.
                                       the Restated Certificate of
                                       Incorporation of Blair Corporation
                                       [incorporated by reference to
                                       Exhibit A to the Quarterly Report on
                                       Form 10-Q of the Company dated
                                       August 1, 1995 (SEC File No. 1-878)].

                 4(2)                  Articles III, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI,                     N.A.
                                       XVII, XVIII, XXI, XXII and XXIV[1]
                                       of the By-Laws of Blair Corporation
                                       [incorporated by reference to
                                       Exhibit 3 to the Annual Report on
                                       Form 10-K of the Company for the
                                       fiscal year ended December 31, 1993
                                       (SEC File No. 1-878)].

                  23                   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP to the                     7
                                       use of their opinion with respect to
                                       the financial statements incorporated 
                                       by reference.