WW2

The Fashion industry grounmd to a slow and final halt in 1939. Paris and London showed the last fashion shows of the decade as storm clouds gathered over Europe foreshadowing  a fierce war that was about to take place. Throughout the war rationing was very big and even clothes had to be rationed so this was the main reason that the fashion industry stopped in it's tracks.

Fashion in the War

War changed fashion dramatically. It wasn't about being the best dressed or having designer clothing anymore. It was about having practical clothing that you could survive with. Clothing was being rationed and so were Nylon stockings, so people adopted the slogan 'Make do and mend' which encouraged people to repair their clothing and how to make other clothing out of old clothing instead of going out and getting new ones. 

Vogue ran articles about having 'your one and only dress'. Which mean that you had to have one dress that would be your going out wear. Women were encouraged more and more to join the work force so Vogue adopted the slogan 'Dig for victory' which basically meant that the women had to porduce their own food to save on other food resources. Silk also had been banned from civilian use and the rationing of tights meant that American soldiers were the only way of getting more stockings.

Utility Clothing

The Board of Trade commisioned for designers to create a range of clothing that was practical and could be mass produced to save on fabric and labour. Women that worked in the munition factories wore overalls or boiler suits, their hairstyke waa the last bit of glamour that they kept hold of. It was fashionable to have your hair long and curled and to be worn up in a turban or hankerchief. This also was for health and safety requirements.

Fashion and how it helped in WW2

The Paris Hat

After the fashion industry came to halt in paris in 1940, women adopted a new style of hat that laughed in the face of the Nazis. It was oversized and the women wore them with dignity because it showed that they were not scared to stand up with their fashion.

Fashion was also used to help in the war. Accesories were planted like handbags were planted with secret false bottoms so that women could hide resistance leaflets in them. Even scarves had maps of France printed on them to help the soldiers.

American culture

With american soldiers being mobilised in Britain and Europe America had a big influence on the people. They brought over Coca-Cola and chewing gum and Nylon stockings because sweet things and clothing was not being rationed in America. This began to attract the British women and the American soldiers wooed them with gifts of Nylon stockings.

Dance crazes

The Americans also brought with them dance crazes. The 3 main ones were 'Boogie Woogie', Big Band' and 'Swing'.

Zoot Suits

Zoot suits were a style of suit worn by black musicians. It consisted of high waisted trousers, wide legs and wide lapels. This suit heavily influenced menswear at this time and it showed that people were daring to be different. This also supported the situations going on with racism in America at that time.

1947 - War over

In 1947, Paris began to get back to it's usual ways and the fashion industry started up again. The collections in Paris in 1947 were what became known as "The golden age of Couture".