
<PAGE>   1

                                                                 Exhibit 23


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


Board of Directors and Stockholders
Blair Corporation


We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Form 10-K of Blair
Corporation and Subsidiary of our report dated February 2, 1996, included in
the 1995 Annual Report to Stockholders of Blair Corporation.

Our audits also included the financial statement schedule of Blair Corporation
and Subsidiary listed in Item 14(a).  This schedule is the responsibility of
the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on
our audits.  In our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to
above, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a
whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth
therein.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statements on Form S-8 dated July 7, 1995, Form S-8 dated July 6, 1994, and
Form S-8 dated July 2, 1993, pertaining to the Blair Corporation Employee Stock
Purchase Plan, of our report dated February 2, 1996, with respect to the
consolidated financial statements incorporated herein by reference, and our
report included in the preceding paragraph with respect to the financial
statement schedule included in this Form 10-K of Blair Corporation.


                                           /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Erie, Pennsylvania
March 15, 1996
