World War II Fashion

Now that my Mom is 90 I am spending a lot of time listening to her childhood memories both good and bad.  I have a whole new appreciation for clothing because of  her stories which I will cherish forever.  These stories have allowed me to understand how fashion was influenced by the economy and circumstances of the time.  She told me her Mother made her a suit from a man's suit because they didn't have money or the resources to make her a garment from scratch.  The quilts my Grandmother made often incorporated swatches of cotton flour sacks. Clothes were passed down and altered for each child. These people were resourceful!

There were several books written at the time teaching people how to Make Do and Mend.

In March of l942 the War Production Board (WPB) issued Regulation L-85, specifying
restrictions for every item of clothing produced. Our country needed all the natural fibers for parachutes and uniforms. Nylon, silk and leather were in very short supply.  Childrens clothing, sheets and undergarments were greatly affected.  This regulation limited the use of natural fibers and limited skirts to a seventy-two inch circumference. It banned knife pleats, ruffles and patch pockets part of a "no fabric over fabric rule".  The ration coupons allowed men and women to purchase only two pair of shoes.  The soles were made of wood composition.  Metal zippers were replaced by plastic coils .  Rayon was used extensively and was known as artificial silk.  The substitutions weren't wonderful but everyone 'made do'. Manufacturers shortened the hemlines to conserve fabric.   Designer  garments had to conform to regulations as well.
Pattern sales increased noticeably.  Simplicity offered a line of patterns featuring garments which required 3 yards or less.

I came across this photo of my Mom wearing a
beautiful fur trimmed winter coat.
As a young child I didn't understand how they had the money for fur when she always talked about how poor they were.  As it turns out, the fur industry sky rocketed during the war because natural fibers were limited and fur wasn't a valuable resource for parachutes or uniforms.
Now it makes sense!  You just can't pass judgement until you know the whole story.












So, how did I get started on this trip down memory
lane ?   I came across this gorgeous piece of wool and cashmere hounds tooth fabric from Banksville Fabrics. The colors were reminiscent of my Father's Army blanket. Subdued colors like blue-grey, bottle green and donkey brown were prominent.

Next thing I knew I decided to shorten this Vogue Adri  # 1157  jumper to a length more proportional to my height.  Long garments really aren't that terribly flattering on people who are five feet and two inches tall.

If this were 1942 I clearly  wouldn't be able to have a garment this long!

This particular wool and cashmere fabric is a current, recent purchase.  It is not part of my coveted stash.  History repeats itself.

This pattern does not include a lining but I chose to add one.  I am using china silk with French seam allowances.









Oh, by the way,  did you happen to notice the new release of Simplicity patterns from the early 60's ?
Shoulder darts and elbow darts are making a come back.  Does this mean we can look forward to better fitting garments ?




And here's a great book for those individuals who truly enjoy reading about pattern history.













Most Vogue Adri patterns are produced without an option for lining.  Linings add warmth, allow the garment to hang more smoothly plus add a nicer finished touch.  I added china silk as my lining.  I normally like to use a 'pick stitch' rather than a felling stitch simply because it acts like an understitch which keeps the edge from rolling.

Bias bindings are used in the UN lined version.  I continued to use them over my lining so the lining wouldn't show at the armholes.  I always hand baste bindings to keep ripples from forming as I machine stitch the edges into position.











 I also used the 'Pick Stitch' around my Bound Buttonhole which provides a cleaner finish.




 In the picture below you can see I ended up using the metal D-Rings instead of the Mother of Pearl belt buckle.  The strap feeds through the bound buttonhole.

The belt carriers ended up being sewn into the seam allowance instead of folding the edge and top-stitching like the carriers on pants.  I felt they were somewhat bulky and somewhat unfinished

Here's the finished garment on my 'Rosie'.

My version is knee length rather than ankle length.

There are no large square patch pockets on the sides of the hips.  Saddle bags simply aren't flattering at the hip level for many women.  Besides, the belts and fasteners provided just enough of a design element.