1940s Fashions
With the world at war, London crumbling, and time bombs being dropped a
stone's throw from its office,
Vogue put its faith in 1940s fashions and dresses fashion in the 1940s pulse beats with
imperishable vitality. As long as there is
desire for change and love of self expression, a sense of fitness and sense of fantasy
there will be clothes fashion.' Before the outbreak of war in 1940s
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decade,
fashion trends
was elitist and escapist. Now, clothes were part of the rallying cry for unity.
The 1940s fashion industry was frozen, fertile imaginations cut short for
fashion decade 1940s. Sketchbooks
were closed and fashion and 1940s clothing had metamorphosed into the unlikeliest of symbols morale booster and government
tool.
After decades of free reign and prolonged periods of decadence, the fashion industry
had to be creative
within the constraints of economic responsibility and social rules
and 1940s style dress code and dress form.
The new words austerity, rational
and utility were delivered in Churchillian
fashion the concept of common sense was new. During the 1940s women were in
uniform as 1940s day dress and men were taken aback by women in uniform and
soldiers and military fashion in 1940s. In 1940, in a two sided
argument on the subject of women in uniform skirts, Patrick Balfour talked about the downside
as a sociological fallacy called feminine
emancipation, followed by the ultimate insult Hitler is very probably a woman. In figure, in stridency
and in barbarous singleness of purpose, he is the equal of any Fraulein in military uniform.'
In fashion during the 1940s women's fashion were valiantly clinging to the last bastions of femininity.
For women's fashion in the 1940s, in 1941 Vogue pronounced that silk was
on its last legs for women uniform as soldiers fashion in 1940s.
1940s fashion women stockings were to be the sacrificial lamb of the ladies fashion clothes industry
including 1940s womens fashion dress, party and day dress and fancy dress. Fashion 1940s `Will it come to
this?' said Vogue, pointing a finger at a woman taking tea in a pair of frumpy Fair Isle stockings.
`The ban on silk stockings came as a great shock to feminine pride and dress code. It is a great topic
of feminine conversation. "What will we look like?", "Thick wool legs in the Ritz?", "I can only bear
sheer silk," "My dear, my ankles."'
While Britain was buckling down to austerity and clothing 1940s coupons, America alien to belt tightening
provided the glamour. Vogue trod the fine line between aspiration and reality, 1940s fashion ladies
reporting that American
women are wearing a revolutionary new silhouette with sloping shoulders ... shirt waist 1940s dresses.
1940s dresses, they always wore them they always will ... dressed up with jewelled buttons and a lyrical,
hysterical hat. On 1 June 1941 rationing of cloth, clothing and footwear was introduced.
1940s clothing requirements and 1940s dress code had been reduced to 66 coupons.
To add insult to injury, this was the same quota as margarine.
In 1942 Vogue had already coined the phrase `The New Look' to describe the current state of mind.
1940s fashion trends became the `Dressiness is demode. It looks wrong to look wealthy.
Understatement has a chic denied to overemphasis.'
Within the financial restraints, there was still room for creativity. Propaganda prints were designed to
get the message over `Dig for Victory', `Home Guard', `Happy Landing' and Vivien Leigh in a `66 coupons'
design illustrated with rare and rationed items. Necessity became the mother of invention.
`Clothes from Chemicals' was a new idea pioneered in America, as a way of making tough materials that
didn't deplete natural resources Nylon, a versatile chemical product which has already been proved
in hairbrushes, toothbrushes and the best wearing stockings in the world, is now being turned into soft,
woolly fleeces. These make coats with almost magic properties.'
In 1941 the British Government was desperately trying to keep the fashion industry,
and 1940s dress form alive.
The London Fashion 1940s Collection, representing nine British designers including Norman Hartnell,
Edward Molyneux, Lachasse and Digby Morton, toured Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and
Sao Paulo.
By 1942 the British Government was forced to take direct action closer to home, and leading designers
Hartnell, Molyneux, Morton, Hardy Amies, Victor Stiebel, Bianca Mosca and Peter Russell put their heads
together to come up with a Utility wardrobe.
Extract from “Twentieth Century Fashion”, written by Linda Watson. London: Carlton Books Limited, 2003.
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