Popular Posts

Why I love clothing from the 1940s

No one could be happier to see that some truly meaningful elements of early to mid 40s clothing are being reconsidered by fashion designers!


I love how the constraint of WWII rationing made designers creative, adding whimsical touches and embellishments while using a relatively small amount of fabric.

The War actually gave many women the opportunity to enter the work force and women's clothing had masculine qualities that only made a woman look more feminine (think of finely-tailored hourglass suits), while allowing her to work, play and get around with more panache and practicality than ever before.

I love that The War made good home seamstresses out of so many women, and that it was the norm to repair rather than dispose of clothing.

I love the bright, bold prints on rayon, I love the wonderful wools, I love the black and the punches of bright color.

Ladies and gentlemen, I love the hats! Never in the 20th century was a garment more invested with a designer's invention!

Black embellished with rhinestones, sequins and all manner of glitter:



...or fantastic buttons:



...or a spark of another color or a shot of lace:



Not that designers feared color, whether solid shades:

(This dress is available on eBay through later today, August 27)



...or beautifully detailed prints:

(This outfit is available on eBay until August 30)



Dresses flattered and charmed with their details:

Pants were everything from practical (well, maybe not with those shoes!) to the newest form of eveningwear:



But most of all there were suits, the most beautifully constructed, detailed and flattering suits. Fitted:



...flaring:



...or something in between:



Shoes gave a woman a lift, quite literally:

(This set will be available this week in my eBay auctions)



...and hats were the crowning touch:

No comments:

Post a Comment