Patterns of Life: A History Lesson
In 1941, after the Pearl Harbor bombing, the US entered World War II. WWII would have a great impact on fashion. Because many items were needed for war support, the US began rationing a lot of materials and fabrics used for making clothes and shoes. The first nonfood item rationed was rubber. The Japanese had seized plantations in the Dutch East Indies that produced 90% of America's raw rubber. President Roosevelt called on citizens to help by contributing scrap rubber to be recycled, old tires, old rubber raincoats, garden hose, rubber shoes, and bathing caps. Stanley Marcus (of Nieman Marcus) was the head of the textiles division of the WPB (War Production Board). He essentially froze the silhouette of the time by restricting the amount of fabric that could be used to create a garment to its 1941 amount. Savings in fabric were made by eliminating trouser cuffs, extra pockets, vests with double-breasted suits, and also by regulating the width of skirt hems. Skirts were limited to 2.5 yards of fabric and were to be knee length. There were very heavy fines and potential jail time for manufacturers that broke the rules set by the WPB. Civilian clothing often mirrored the military uniform style. The majority of women wore plain utilitarian clothing during WWII.
Many garments before the war were in short supply. Nylon, introduced at the New York World Fair in 1939, was diverted to military use. Textiles such as wool, nylon and silk were scarce and used for making soldier uniforms and parachutes. Because nylon and silk were scarce, liquid pantyhose (leg makeup) and eye pencil were used to give the appearance of pantyhose and draw back seams on the back of legs.
Leather was also in demand, which affected the way shoes were made. Civilians were entitled to two new pairs per year. Shoes were made of cloth and synthetic or wooden soles. Zippers were prohibited to preserve metal. Straw and netting were used to make hats. Hats became a way to express femininity while maintaining the wartime silhouette imposed upon them. Because rubber was necessary for the war effort, designers promoted styles that did not require girdles. Although, there was a shortage of wool, other materials such as fur were used to lend clothing a glamorous touch. Pants also became popular for women since they were joining the work force in factories to replace the men at war. The two-piece bathing suit for women was also created as a result of the US governments order issued in 1943 that fabric in woman’s swimwear needed to be reduced by ten percent.
Written by Patty Cervantes “Straight out the fridge. Walk a day in my saddle shoes…”
www.etsy.com/shop/WeHadATime
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