Amy T Peterson, Valerie Hewitt, Heather Vaughan, et al
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Handbags
The 1930s was a transitional period for handbags, between the smallish bags
of the 1920s to the larger styles of the 1940s. Envelope-style pouchettes or
clutch bags were the most common of this time and were most frequently
made of leather for daytime use. Small, handmade crocheted or cloth bags
also reflected the romantic mood. Beaded bags remained appropriate for eve-
ning and fancy afternoon dress, although bags made of wooden beads were
used during the day. Metal mesh bags remained popular for evening, in addi-
tion to armor-mesh bags with floral or faux-brocade motifs.
Miscellaneous Accessories
Because of the popularity of sunbathing, the most necessary fashion acces-
sory for summer in the 1930s was sunglasses. Popularized by Hollywood
stars, tortoiseshell rims were particularly favored. Belts, too, drew atten-
tion, and, as the waistline was returned to its proper place, highly decora-
tive clasps featuring jewels, metal, and plastic became the norm. The late
1930s interest in romanticism brought an interest in long fingerless lace
gloves and floral print fans.
1940–1946,
W O R L D WA R I I
WWII placed tight restrictions on materials that were used in clothing.
Manufacturers and designers innovated to adapt to rationing and the lim-
ited availability of common clothing materials. Women’s more active role in
public life and the workplace was expressed in their masculine silhouette
and more comfortable clothing. This era is named after the war.
FORMALWEAR
Silhouette
Boxy and broad shoulders sloping into a draped bodice, down to a slim
waistline with floor-length skirt flaring just below the waist represented the
soft, understated feminine silhouette that remained dominant during the
224
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
war years of the 1940s. This
triangular silhouette was created
by large shoulder pads, the nar-
row waist, and the flared skirt.
As the war continued, the skirt
narrowed, and this look was
transformed into a slim sheath.
Waistless shifts reduced the use
of fabric by 50%, and straight
skirts falling from a slightly
gathered waist provided a slim
profile.
Skirts
Floor-length skirts were often
gored to add fullness. During
the war, few women invested
in floor-length skirts because
of
rationing
and
specific
government directives restrict-
ing the use of fabric. Short
WWII evening dresses feature narrow silhouettes and emphasized
skirts retained some fullness
shoulders. [Library of Congress]
until later in the war.
Bodice
During the war years, bodices were typically softly draped and fell gently
from the shoulder to a fitted waist or princess waist. The new bodice was
form fitting over a conical stitched understructure defining a pointy chest
with tiny wasp waist. Sometimes bodices were accessorized with bolero
jackets, collars, or rhinestone brooches.
Women wore separates for some formal occasions. Long, gored skirts
were paired with jacket-style blouses, rayon blouses with full sleeves, and
sweaters embellished with sequins.
Necklines
Most formal gowns featured V, round, and sweetheart necklines.
Sleeves
Sleeves that extended just above or below the elbow were pleated from
the shoulder pad and fell straight with little extra fabric. Puffy, short
sleeves were another popular style.
1940–1946, World War II
225
Decorative Details
Clothing was lacking in ornamentation throughout most of the 1940s as
a result of wartime restrictions. General Limitation L-85 Order issued by
the U.S. War Production Board was in effect from 1942 to 1946. This
order forbade nonessential details and outlawed certain garments.
Included in the forbidden items were woolen wraps, full evening dresses,
bias cut, and dolman sleeves. Sheath evening dresses replaced the long
flowing gowns of the thirties. American designers used eye-catching fabric
inserts and other creative measures that complied with the fabric-saving
regulations.
Rayon was commonly used in eveningwear. It came in various weaves,
including taffeta, velvet, satin, chiffon, and crepe. The jersey weave was
popular because the fabric hung nicely and draped well when walking.
Gowns were also made of velvet and taffeta. During the war, rayon became
the fabric of choice for wedding gowns because silk was in high demand
for parachutes and cotton was being used for duffle bags and uniforms.
Sleeves were long, often tapered with a wedding point to balance the
simple train of the dress. Trains were shorter during the war, but veils
from finger-tip-length silk tulle with beaded buckram crowns to floor-
length silk-tulle veils with wax flowers and silk ribbons completed the
look. Although wedding gowns were exempt from the government’s L-85
guidelines restricting the use of fabric, many brides were married in suits
because young men were soon to be shipped overseas and they did not
have time to plan lavish weddings.
BUSINESS WEAR
Silhouette
The silhouette established at the beginning of the decade effectively froze
during the war. Skirts extended just below the knee, the waist was natural,
and shoulders broadened.
Dresses
Dresses were very popular during the war. They were available in a variety
of solid colors and prints. Often they had a fitted bodice that buttoned up
the front. Square, V, or round necklines were common, as well as lace-
trimmed collars. The skirts were flat across hips, and the skirts were gored
to flare at the knee-length hem. Usually, there was a belt at the natural
waist, even if a dress had an empire-waist seam. Short or elbow-length
sleeves were popular, and they gathered into an elastic band. Long straight
sleeves were also common.
226
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
Suits
Early in the decade, man-tailored suits were fashionable. These suits had
fitted, hip-length jackets with padded shoulders and long straight sleeves.
The jackets had patch or slit pockets and a masculine, notched collar. The
skirts were narrow. This style of suit was available in typical men’s colors
such as navy, black, gray, beige, and pinstripes.
As the wartime clothing restrictions emerged, suits became more min-
imal. Two-piece suits usually had knee-length, straight skirts and jackets
that were twenty-five inches or less in height as American designers com-
plied with government restrictions on yardage and fabric. Lapels were
narrow, pockets were flapless, jackets were short, and skirts were straight.
Bolero jackets were popular short jackets the ended just below the bust.
The Eisenhower jacket, which slightly bloused and gathered into a fitted
belt at the waist, was modeled after military jack
ets.
By the end of the war, jackets had exaggerated shoulder padding and
peplums. The skirts no longer had gores; they had been replaced with vents
or pleats to ease movement. Typical solid suits had been joined by suits
made from patterned fabric, including herringbone, tweed, and plaid.
Decorative Details
Very little trim was applied, so detail was provided in covered buttons and
stitching. Simple, minimalist designs reduced the amount of fabric used
in length, fullness, and accoutrements. Everything was restricted, includ-
ing pleats, the number of buttons, use of metal zippers, cuffs, yokes, and
pockets.
Uniforms
Women had many opportunities to serve the war effort in uniform. Tasks
ranged from medical practice to office duties, coding, and transcription.
Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service and Women’s Auxil-
iary Corps wore feminine versions of men’s uniforms. Class-A uniforms
were navy or black skirt and fitted jacket with white blouse, with white
hat with dark bill and trim. Field duty required olive drab skirt and fitted
suit jacket with tailored tan blouse with short or long sleeves. A-line skirts
fell just below the knee and were worn with chunky black or brown
oxfords. Although women did not carry military rank, their jacket lapels
did carry the insignia of the branch served. Nurses’ uniforms were white
dresses with fitted waist and buttons down the front, similar to those
found in civilian hospitals.
Women could be found holding civilian jobs traditionally held by men
that required uniforms as well. With most able-bodied men going to war,
1940–1946, World War II
227
The garments of women volunteers in the Civilian Defense program reflect wartime
restrictions. [Library of Congress]
train and streetcar conductor jobs went to women. They wore a simple dark
blue suit consisting of an A-line skirt and fitted jacket with matching blue
hat that was copied from the men’s uniform. Stamped gold-tone buttons
were worn on the single-breasted jacket and on the sides of the billed hat.
CASUAL WEAR
Silhouette
The idea of separates was introduced by American designers during the
forties. Mix and match ensembles along with multipurpose and multisea-
son outfits were popular during the years of war restrictions because they
created the illusion of more outfits than one actually had. The silhouette
during this period included puffed or padded shoulders, a slender, natural
waist, and close-fitting skirts and pants.
Dresses
Early in the decade, two-piece full-skirted dresses were popular in cot-
ton with bright plaids, stripes, and gingham for summer, and heavier
wool suit styles for cooler weather. Skirts fell just below the knee before
the war, with full or pleated skirts. Culotte dresses were also popular.
228
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
They followed the lines of other casual dresses, but they had a split
skirt. Matching mother-daughter dresses were available. These youthful
cotton garments had close-fitting bodices with sweetheart or square
necklines and puffed short sleeves. The full skirt was often trimmed
with ricrac.
Separates
Blouses/Shirts. Typically, blouses had puffed sleeves or padded shoulders.
Sleeve lengths were short, three-quarter length, or long. Convertible col-
lars and round necklines were common. Floral prints and stripes were
popular prints.
Tailored halter tops that exposed the midriff were popular. They had a
V neckline and straps that crossed in back or tied. Another popular style
was the dirndl blouse. It was loose-fitting blouse made from cotton batiste
with puffed short sleeves. Typically, it was edged with lace and had a
square or low round neckline.
Pants. Women’s trousers were fashioned after menswear, with belted
waist, wide legs, and creased fronts. Some versions were cuffed and others
were not. Typically, casual fabrics were made from denim, cotton twill,
seersucker, gabardine, and wool. Overalls and shortalls became popular.
They had the same trim, tailored silhouette as pants. They were creased
and cuffed. The bib was fitted and had crossover straps in back. Culottes,
which were split skirts, were also popular. They were often paired with a
jacket.
Skirts. Casual skirts were designed for easy movement. A-line skirts
often had vents or pleats to allow women to move easily. A popular style
was the dirndl skirt, which was a full skirt gathered into the waistband.
Typically, it was made in floral prints, and the hem was often trimmed
with ribbon or ricrac.
Other Separates. Playsuits were popular for casual wear. They were
combinations of a blouse and shorts with an overskirt, which could be a
wrap skirt or a skirt with a bib top or suspenders. Another style had a mid-
thigh-length skirt with underpanties and a midriff-baring halter top. Play-
suits usually came in patterns such as stripes, checks, and floral patterns.
Coveralls were worn for work and chores. They were loose in the hip
and leg, and the legs tapered at the ankle. Although they were loose fit-
ting, the legs were creased and they had a fitted waistband. The bodice
usually had padded shoulders with a convertible collar and long straight
sleeves or full sleeves gathered into the cuff. They were made from dura-
ble cotton cloth or corduroy. Generally, they had work pockets at the
chest and front and back of the hips.
1940–1946, World War II
229
Jane Russell, in a pin-up pose much loved by
World War II servicemen, wears an unad-
orned but well-fitting dress from the 1943
film The Outlaw. [Courtesy of Photofest]
Betty Grable in one of her famous pinup
Pinup and Sweater Girls. Pinups were
poses, a favorite of American soliders.
[Library of Congress]
mass-produced photographs and draw-
ings of women. Although the term was
Pinup girls sometimes wore tight-
coined in 1941, these images existed
fitting sweaters that emphasized their
since the 1890s. With so many men
breasts. This style was copied by many
being off at the front and away from
young women. When the management
their wives and girlfriends, the pinup
at the Vought-Sikorsky plant decided
industry boomed. Men mounted these
that women wearing this style to work
images in their lockers and inside their
was too distracting for the male work-
helmets. Film stars were popular pinups,
ers, they created a company rule that
and some of the favorites included Betty
prohibited sweaters. The company sent
Grable in a bathing suit, showing off her
home fifty-three women who violated
famous legs, and Rita Hayworth, Ava
the rule, and twenty-two others walked
Gardner, Veronica Lake, Jane Russell,
out. Despite the company’s opposition
and Lana Turner, all looking rather
/> to the trend, women continued to wear
sultry.
the popular style.
230
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
Short-sleeve sweater sets consisting of a cardigan over a crew-neck
sweater were popular. Longer, clingy pullover sweaters made from soft
wool or spun cotton created the ‘ sweater girl’ look that was popularized
by Hollywood pinup girls. Wool pullover sweaters and cardigans with
crew necks and three-quarter or long sleeves were popular. Pink, yellow,
light blue, light green, red, and white were typical sweater colors.
Decorative Details
The casual American look was led by the designer Claire McCardell. Pio-
neering the use of unexpected fabric, her line included cotton denim,
gingham, calico, and striped mattress ticking. Both functional and com-
fortable, her designs had dolman sleeves, adjustable waistlines, and deep
pockets. Exploiting the U.S. ration exemption on sport shoes and ballet
slippers, McCardell asked a leading New York maker of ballet shoes to
create an outdoor version with stronger soles and heels, which launched
the popularity of ballet flats for casual wear.
OUTERWEAR
Coats
Most coats had large collars and lapels and noticeably padded shoulders.
Raglan and dolman sleeves were popular. In general, coat lengths were
just below the knee, whereas jackets were hip or waist length.
Belted trench coat styles in gabardine or all-weather fabric were popu-
lar for everyday wear. As the United States entered the war, the number
of buttons was reduced and the metal belt clasp disappeared for a tied belt
look. Wool double-breasted polo coats that extended below the knee were
replaced in 1943 by the rayon-lined wool single-breasted fitted coats with
slash pockets rather than the earlier pocket flaps.
Very little adornment was found on coats from 1942 to 1946. Stitch-
ing was simple, and fabric was limited. Luxury worsted wool fitted coats
falling below the knee were often found to have wide collars of silver fox
early in the decade. Fur coats and jackets were popular. Typically, fur jack-
ets had padded shoulders and wide sleeves. During the war, furs were col-
lected to be used for lining the vests and jackets of airmen.
SWIMWEAR AND SPORTSWEAR
When Paris fell to Germany in 1940, the Germans cut off French fashion
from the rest of the world. During this time, the United States emerged