Amy T Peterson, Valerie Hewitt, Heather Vaughan, et al
Page 36
as the sportswear capital of the world.
1940–1946, World War II
231
Swimwear
Bathing suit designers were careful not to reveal cleavage and modestly
covered the hips with a skirt or half-skirt. Made of rayon jersey, rayon taf-
feta, or rayon with cotton, suits had colorful floral designs, tropical prints,
pinstripes, or appliques. One-piece suits came in a swim dress style that
had a loose skirt and the half-skirt style that stretched the suit fabric
across the front of the hips. The bodices of suits were held up by thin
straps or a halter neck.
In 1943, the government ordered a reduction of 10 percent in the
amount of fabric used in women’s swimwear. This helped popularize
two-piece suits. They had a gored skirt with a waistband that covered
the navel and underpanties with elastic around the leg. The bra provided
full coverage of the breasts and had darts to ensure a gap-free fit. In
1946, a new style of two-piece suit was introduced by Jacques Heim and
Louis Reard. They called their creation the bikini after Bikini Atoll,
the site of atomic bomb testing. Few American women adopted this
skimpy style, because they preferred the coverage of their more modest
two-piece suits.
Some suits were made from a new yarn, called Lastex, that was made
from a rubber core covered by another fiber. Suits made from Lastex were
form fitting and free from wrinkles. The yarn stretched, making Lastex
suits comfortable for swimming.
Golf
When women golfed during the 1940s, they did not wear a specific style
of outfit. Typically, they would wear a tweed skirt designed for active
endeavors. Usually, this was paired with a blouse and a pullover sweater.
Tennis
White continued to be the traditional color for tennis clothing. Pull-
over and cardigan sweaters, as well as full-cut sports jackets, were com-
monly worn. Tennis dresses were usually sleeveless and collarless and
extended to the mid-thigh. Separates were also popular. Women would
wear short-sleeved, loose-fitting, collared white blouses with shorts or
culottes.
Skiwear
Skiwear consisted of full trousers with a matching jacket and a sweater.
The pants usually gathered at the ankle, often into zipped knit cuffs.
Sometimes they had elastic stirrups to keep the pants tucked into the
boots and suspenders to keep the waistband tucked under. Jackets were
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WOMEN’S FASHIONS
narrow waisted, had padded shoulders, and often had belts. Both single-
and double-breasted styles were common, and buttons and zippers were
typical closures.
Other Activewear
When horseback riding, women wore tweed jackets with jodhpurs and
high riding boots. When ice skating, they wore a gored wool skirt, a
close-fitting short jacket, and wool stockings.
UNDERWEAR AND INTIMATE APPAREL
Undergarments
Undergarments helped create the silhouette of a woman during WWII.
Undergarments emphasized a woman’s curves by nipping the waist and
lifting the breasts. Corsets extended slightly above the waist and shaped
the body with elasticized panels. Rigidly boned corsets continued to be
worn by larger women.
Younger women wore tighter underwear, known as briefs, which
allowed them to easily wear sportswear. Older women continued to wear
drawers, which were looser, bloomer-style underwear. Wealthier women
could afford silk underwear, but most American women wore underwear
made of acetate, cotton, or rayon.
Finding appropriate materials for undergarments was difficult. Rubber,
nylon, silk, and even wool were all diverted to the war effort. One-piece
corsets made of cotton with molded and seamed cups provided foundation,
and attached garters held up stockings. The corset had a lower panel
across the front of the thighs, allowing leg movement. Slips made of
rayon satin or cotton lacked any adornment because they were simply
foundation garments and their embellishment was considered nonessential
in wartime. Women were now wearing slacks regularly, increasing popu-
larity of the camisole rather than a full slip, which was worn beneath a
dress or skirt and blouse outfit.
Sleepwear
Nightgowns followed the silhouette of daywear with a slender waist. They
were floor length and often sleeveless. Often they would come with a
matching robe that had thickly padded shoulders. Fancy nightgowns and
robes would be made from layers of sheer material and lace. Women also
wore pajamas in masculine styles and feminine styles that had blouse-
like tops.
1940–1946, World War II
233
HEADWEAR, HAIRSTYLES, AND COSMETICS
Headwear
Accessories, like hats, were fashion essentials throughout the forties but
were harder to come by during the war years because many of the materi-
als were rationed or unavailable. Hats of every shape and size were fash-
ionable and not considered excessive. Hats allowed women to make a
fashion statement during the war and perk up an otherwise drab outfit
without appearing to be unpatriotic.
The Department of Agriculture’s Extension Service taught women
how to make their own hats from remnant material as a cost-saving and
material-saving activity. Ladies would choose the hat styles they wanted,
then frames were purchased from New York, and the ladies would finish
their hats with feathers, small pieces of remnant fabric, and trim. When
felt, tulle, and feathers could not be found, braided paper and even cello-
phane was used for decorative trim.
Throughout the 1940s, hats came in an amazing variety. In the early
years of the war, berets were popular. They were commonly made from
felt. Sometimes they sat toward the back of the head, and other times
they were slouched asymmetrically over one ear. They usually had some
form of bow on them.
Architectural-looking hats were also popular during the early war
years. These hats consisted of felt molded into a skullcap for the base, and
then more molded felt would be sculpted into brims and other projec-
tions. Sometimes this style would be tilted forward on the head and held
in place with a felt strap at the back of the head.
Many women wore hats with broad, wired brims. This style was usu-
ally made from straw and had a shallow crown. The crown was accented
with a ribbon and bow.
As the war progressed, most hats became smaller. One trend involved
small boater-style hats worn tilted forward on the head. These hats would
be trimmed with ribbon bands, chiffon scarves, and even fur.
By 1945, open net veils were often worn over smaller hats, and feath-
ers were a popular trim. Bonnet-shaped hats also became popular. Usually
made from felt, these had an upturned brim that resembled a bonnet from
the nineteenth century.
Women now working in factories had safety issues to consider. Long
hair getting tangled in machinery could be life threatening. Turbans,
snoods, and scarves were d
onned to keep the hair out of the way and
clean from the industrial environment. Snoods made of fabric, knitted
or crocheted, were worn to hold long hair in place at the nape of the
234
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
neck. Princess Elizabeth popularized
wearing
a
headscarf
tied
under
the chin.
Hairstyles
Special emphasis was placed on hair-
styles and makeup because clothing
and accessories were in short supply
(Mendes and De La Haye 1999). Hol-
lywood divas Rita Hayworth, Betty
Grable, and Bette Davis continued to
project ideals of beauty with upswept
hair in glamour photos. Rather than
cutting the hair short, women would
arrange their hair in a pompadour, vic-
tory roll, or French twist. Pin curls or
soft waves on the sides and top kept
the pulled-back hair from looking too
severe. Although the hair was up, it
still had volume and style. When hair
was worn down, it was generally parted
Betty Grable, left, sporting an upsweep hairstyle as was very
on the side without bangs, shoulder
popular at the time. [Courtesy of Photofest]
length with a page-boy curl at the base,
making a neat under curl all the way
around. Veronica Lake, a Hollywood actress famous for her sultry long
blond hairstyle, joined the war effort by pulling her hair back and encour-
aging other women to do the same. Joining the war effort, beauty journal-
ists encouraged women to get a healthy shine in their hair from brushing
rather than using Brilliantine and buffing their nails rather than using
varnish, which was in short supply.
Cosmetics
Results of a U.S. War Board survey of American women revealed that
women agreed that face powder, lipstick, rouge, and deodorant were very
crucial. Bath oils were essential, although bath salts were not (Baker
1992). With most of the foundation components used in the production
of makeup scarce during the war, emphasis was on the lips. Deep-red lip-
stick was advocated as the sensual look for cheering up the soldiers
returning home from war. By the end of the decade, new products became
available with postwar expansion, and the emphasis began shifting from
lips to eyes. Eyeliner and mascara made the transition into the fifties.
1940–1946, World War II
235
Lipsticks were now softer pinks, and eyes were popping with black liner
and long lashes.
FOOTWEAR AND LEGWEAR
Footwear
During WWII, materials were rationed and designers had to be creative,
using every imaginable material for shoes. Chunky cork and wood were
used to make wedges and platforms. Sisal, composition, and plastic were
all used as materials for soles.
With leather in high demand for military items, uppers were often
made of canvas. Adults were limited to two new pairs of shoes a year, so
women had to be creative with making their shoes work with different
outfits. Women would adorn their shoes with anything they could find,
including pipe cleaners and feathers. Taking advantage of the exemption
of play shoes and ballet slippers from U.S. restrictions, American designer
Claire McCardell asked the maker of ballet shoes to create a ballet shoe
with a sturdier sole and heel for outdoor use.
In the early 1940s, oxford-style pumps with high vamps were popular.
Wedge heels were considered fashionable as well. Around 1943, platform
soles became more prevalent in pumps and wedges. Slingbacks were also
common.
Legwear
Silk stockings had long been the norm for women. They had seams that
ran up the back of the leg, and women were forever adjusting the seams
to make sure they were straight. When nylon stockings were launched at
New York department stores in 1940, women lined up to buy them. Each
consumer was limited to purchasing two pairs, but they cleaned out the
city’s 6,000 dozen pair stock. Although nylon stocking had been intro-
duced a couple of years earlier, DuPont, the patent owner of nylon,
allowed stocking manufacturers to purchase nylon without a license (Time
Magazine 1940).
Soon, however, DuPont was forced to divert its nylon production to
war-related materials. Nylon and silk were unavailable for stockings dur-
ing the war so women were encouraged to wear ankle socks. This solution
was not appropriate for a dressier occasion, so women turned to leg
makeup. It was available in the form of lotion, cream, stick cake, and pan-
cake. Women even painted lines down the backs of their legs, giving the
illusion of seamed stockings.
236
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
Younger women often opted for ankle socks. Heavy woolen stockings
were worn in winter, and many women chose to go bare legged in the
warmer summer months. Cotton and wool stockings were worn with
sportswear.
Eight days after Japan’s surrender, DuPont announced a return to pro-
duction of nylon stockings. ‘‘Nylon riots’’ ensued throughout 1945 as
women mobbed the stores. Fights broke out when stores ran out of sup-
ply. By March of 1946, finally back up to pre-war production capacity,
DuPont was producing 30 million pairs of nylon stockings a month, and
the ‘ nylon riots’’ came to an end.
NECKWEAR AND OTHER ACCESSORIES
Jewelry
Brooches were a common accessory because wartime made necklines more
modest. They were worn on both day and evening outfits. Flowers, natu-
ral motifs, and knots were popular, and some included colored glass,
enameling, or precious stones as embellishment.
Collar-style necklaces and other styles that were worn high up on the
neck were fashionable. Bracelets were usually worn over gloves or on
unadorned wrists. Bangles and linked bracelets were both popular. Many
women wore drop earrings.
Handbags
Early in the 1940s, clutches and small handbags were the most fashiona-
ble. They were available in clasp and fold-over styles. Larger handbags
with long straps and shoulder bags made their way onto the fashion scene
because women needed to carry more to and from work at the factories.
With metal zippers and metal closures scarce, drawstring tops and fold-
over tops became both fashionable and practical. Simple, geometric lines
were incorporated into Sunday or business handbags. They appeared as
little square boxes, octagonal boxes, and circular boxes with a single or
double strap, and flat-faced clutches with rectangular or triangular flaps
made of leather, felt, plastic, or rayon faille. During the war years, basic
black was the most common color available. Dyed leather became avail-
able after the war restrictions were lifted.
Other Accessories
Scarves became staples of fashion because they could be used to add color
to an outfit when they were tied around the neck or at the waist. They
could cover and protect the hair, or they c
ould be tied as a halter top.
1947–1949, The New Look
237
Leather and metal were restricted, as were most other materials, so
recycling became the way to accessorize any outfit. Adding found objects
to shoes, belts, hats, and handbags provided color, texture, and interest to
an outfit.
Gloves both long and short were a necessary accessory for any lady leav-
ing the house for work, shopping, or visiting. Crushed suede gloves were
popular for daywear. They were elbow length but pushed down, giving
them a scrunched or crushed appearance. Whereas leather was used in the
earlier years, wartime shortage made cotton gloves and shirred rayon jersey
more available. Although they were difficult to keep clean, ‘ shorties’’ gained
popularity during the war because they were less expensive.
1947–1949,
T H E N E W L O O K
After the war, women quickly adopted sil-
houettes that were dramatically different
from the one they wore throughout the war.
Christian Dior was the design leader of
these new silhouettes, and his designs were
dubbed the New Look.
FORMALWEAR
The debutante ‘ season’ was resumed in
1947. This meant more formal occasions for
socialites and young ladies being presented
to
society.
These
occasions
demanded
appropriate attire, which meant that evening
gowns and debutante ball gowns were made
with firmly boned, fitted bodices, either
strapless or with spaghetti straps, and full
skirts in tulle or organza shimmering with
embroidery and sequins. Dresses for more
mature ladies were made in ribbed silk or
heavy satin with embroidered panels.
Silhouette
A fashion model wears a New Look dress, introduced
Following the war, the New Look was char-
in Paris by Christian Dior in 1947. [AP / Wide World
acterized by sloping shoulders, articulated
Photos]
238
WOMEN’S FASHIONS
bust, constricted waist, and padded hips. In 1947, Christian Dior’s first
line, ‘‘Corolle,’’ popularized this silhouette. Skirts were enormously full or
pencil thin.
Skirts
It was not until 1947, after the war, when women’s fashion changed to a
soft, romantic image featuring longer lengths and fuller skirts. With fabric