1940s couples with men in uniform
Since the stock market crash of 1929 and the severe economic depression that
followed for most of the 1930s, fashion had been an escape. Looking to the
movies, women and men, escaped their difficult daily lives and imagined a care
free and very glamorous life in Hollywood. Fashion followed movie stars apparel
both on and off the set. Bias cut dresses were modest but feminine. Men's wide
shouldered suits mimicked the masculine physique underneath. Rich furs, white
paste jewelry, coordinated accessories looked like a million bucks. Fashion did
not reflect real life in the 1930s.
The tables turned in the 1940s. WW2 begin in july of 1939 and fashion took on a
new role. Men's fashion stopped progressing until after the war- a reflection
that most men were serving in uniforms instead of enjoying life at home.
Women's fashion echoed men's traditional clothing with man-tailored dresses,
coats and hats. These new serious looks were not about an idealized life but
about supporting the war effort through fashion. A woman's duty was
to take care of the homefront both her household and in jobs previously held by
men. He clothing reflected this practical and conservative time where
materials were limited, even after the war ended in September, 1945. It took
until the end of the decade for woman to adopt Dior's New Look that returned
women to an ultra feminine silhouette and for men to adopt a relaxed fit in
their clothing.
Let's begin the 1940s Style Guide series with a more detailed
summery of fashion history. First for women:
1940s Fashion for
Women
The 1940s were defined by a clean and slim silhouette with a somewhat
military feel. Jackets, blouses, sweaters and skirts were short and
close-fitting, all unadorned and with the requisite sharp shoulder pads. Long
sleeves were out, dresses were casual, and pants and 'playsuits' became
everyday attire.
Before World War II, Paris was the epicenter of fashion. All of the new styles
originated there. Anonymous American designers simply copied the looks coming
from France for their wealthy clientele or for stores. The 1930's will be remembered
for their glamour, despite the Depression. Hollywood starlets were clothed in
long, draped and flowing gowns made of satin, crepe, silk and velvet. Dresses
and gowns began to be bias cut, meaning the fabric was cut diagonally, allowing
it to cling to curves. Coco Chanel brought the day suit into fashion, with a
fitted jacket and a long skirt. Fur was the most wanted luxury item.
But after Germany took over Paris in 1940, many of the designers closed their
fashion houses, some fleeing the country. Those that did stay didn't see their
styles leave the country. The rest of the world was left to come up with their
own styles.
New York took over, creating a look that was
dominated by the war going on across the ocean. A lot of the materials normally
used for clothing became scarce during the war. Wool was used to make uniforms
and coats for the soldiers. Leather was needed for their boots. Silk, normally
used to make dresses, undergarments and stockings, was turned into parachutes
and waterproof maps. Metal and various chemicals were needed to make just about
everything for the war effort.
1942, a woman donates her silk stockings to be made into parachutes. She wears
socks instead.
Civilian clothing had to resort to using new materials.
Nylon,
created by DuPont and introduced in 1938, replaced silk for women's items until
it began to be used for the same purposes as silk for the war. American cotton
began to take over as a casual fabric of choice. Wool blends were introduced to
save wool for military uses, and the synthetic fabric rayon became the most
widely used fabric of the time. A softer, silkier version was used for day
dresses, and a thick version replaced wool for suits and coats. 'Vinylite'
could be used instead of leather, and other forms of plastic were used for all
kinds of applications.
Aside from breakthroughs in man-made materials, fashions of the day were most
affected by the governmental clothing restrictions put in place for the
duration of the war. The very silhouette that dominated the '40's was a
casualty of war. In Britain and elsewhere in Europe,
ration coupons for
clothing were given out on top of the restrictions, and they didn't go
far. The United States avoided the coupons by putting strict rules in place for
manufacturers. The only clothing item that was rationed were leather shoes
starting in 1943, and they were only available in black, white, navy and brown.
March 1943. New Orleans, Louisiana. Line at rationing board
The United States Production Board put into place 'Limitation
Orders,' order L-85 governing women's clothes, which were in effect until 1946.
These restrictions were much less severe than in Europe, but still greatly
limited what clothing was to look like. The length and width of blouses, skirts
and dresses was restricted, as was sleeve length and hip width. The amount of
pockets, buttons, pleats and seams was dictated, and most decorations were not
allowed. This came to be known as the 'no fabric on fabric' rule. The colors of
fabrics were set each season to conserve chemicals, so only a handful of
patriotically named hues were available. The heels on shoes could only be 1 ½
inches high.
All of this interference resulted in a slim, uncluttered look. Skirts were
shorter and tighter than anyone was used to, and shirts and jackets were plain
and practical. As the prices of clothes soared due to the shortages, they had
to last longer and go further. Pieces were extremely well-tailored and the
styles started to work for a multitude of occasions. Although evening-wear was
still made and worn, people began to dress more casually in restaurants and
theaters. Versatile separates and sportswear took over, and women began to wear
pants as a safety precaution in the factories they were working in.
Home sewing became popular. In Europe fabric could be had for fewer coupons
than a ready-made garment. In the United States, pattern sales skyrocketed.
Citizens were encouraged to mend old clothes, recycle old fabrics into new garments
and combine dresses to make new ones. Pamphlets with titles like 'Make and
Mend,' and
'Make It Do Until Victory' showed women how to fix
and care for their clothes to make them last, and to make them from other
household items like blankets and curtains. Here is a book on
Make-overs
from Coats and Suits.
The plain and functional styles lasted throughout the war. When U.S.
restrictions were lifted in 1945 and '46, women continued to wear their
war-time garb. Colors did return to wardrobes, softer and brighter, and skirts
got a little bit longer and flouncy. In 1947, Paris designer Christian Dior
showed his debut collection, soon to be dubbed the 'New Look,' which was the
total opposite of the severe styles of the war. The silhouette was soft, an
extreme hourglass figure achieved with a corset and bust and hip padding, and
the skirts were enormous confections of fabric.
The New Look didn't take off in the United States. Women felt
that Parisian designers had acted as though no war had taken place, while they
sacrificed their wardrobes for the war effort. However, most were also ready
for a change. As soldiers came back, women stopped working and returned to new
homes and cars in the suburbs. The economy prospered, and clothing manufacture
became cheaper and easier thanks to new methods devised for the war. New York
and California remained in the fashion game, and American designers started to
be known by name. Eventually women adopted the New Look that would become the
style of the '50s.
1940s Men’s Fashion
History
1937 men's suits
1930s
men's clothing, either for day, sport, or evening were styled to make a man
feel "larger than life." During the 1941-1945 WWII fabric rations
limited cloth to make suits but not style.
The Zoot Suit
with its bright colors, baggy legs and long jackets was a complete deviation
from the norm. However, that trend was only popular with the young, urban men
during the war years. Most men chose basic men's suits that haven’t changed
dramatically since the beginning of the century. There were, however, a few
features that made a suit style unique to the 1940s.
The war board placed restrictions on men’s clothing just
as they did for women. The restrictions were not as dramatic as they were for
women. Suit pockets could not have flaps, trousers could not be more the 19
inches around or be cuffed, and suits were sold without vests (waistcoats.) The
cuffed look was so popular that men quickly figured out you could purchase
longer length pants and cuff them at home. The double breasted suits were
forbidden during the war except for formal occasions such as weddings. Most men’s
kept their clothing from the 1930s and wore them through the early '40s war
years. Tailors became skilled at repairing or repurposing double breasted suit
jackets from the 1930s into single breasted jackets or sport coats. It was a
sign of support for the war to be seen in your pre-war suits.
In Britain the clothing restrictions were harsher. Jackets
could not have pleated backs, metal zippers or buttons, feature raglan sleeves
or have half belts. Zippers in flys, called front fly fasteners, were allowed
although button flys were preferred and easier to obtain materials. War time
clothing influenced men’s fashion design after the war by coping or modifying
uniforms into civilian clothes. Trench coats, bomber jackets, knit undershirts,
pea coats, chino pants and aviator glasses all have roots in WW2 military
clothing. With so much military surplus available after the war civilians would
buy and wear military clothing for several more years. The improvement in
machinery, textiles and manufacturing of military clothing made post war ready
to wear civilian clothing a booming industry. The quality and eventually
affordability of ready made clothing gradually put local tailors and
seamstresses out of business.
1948 Men's Semi Casual Fashion
The biggest influence war time restrictions had on men was the further
introduction of casualness. After the war the need for suits to be worn at all
times were replaced by more causal sporting attire. Collarless knit tee shirts,
open collar dress shirts, ascot ties, slip on loafers and sandals in summer
became the everyday man’s dress code. Men were tired of scratchy uniforms and
confining suits. The freedom casual clothes brought to men were a big sigh of
relief.
1948 Men's Suits Inspired by the Zoot Suit
Ironically the very clothing that caused such turmoil during the war years, the
zoot suit, was the single piece of fashion that influenced men’s post war
clothing. Longer, looser jackets, double pleated pants, big hats, and even wide
ties made their way into late '40s men’s fashions. Men were eager to put the
war behind them and embrace the clothing they were previously forbidden to
wear.
Fashion
History Resources
Fashions
of a Decade: The 1940's 1992, Facts on File, Inc. by Patricia
Baker
Vintage
Fashion: Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics by Emma
Baxter-Wright
20th
Century Fashion by Valerie Mendes and Amy De la Haye
Everyday
Fashions of the Forties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs JoAnne Olian
Decades
of Fashion Tandem Verlag by Harriet Worsley
More books in this list of
Vintage
Fashion History Books
