FASHION after WORLD WAR II (2024)

FAQs

How did fashion change after World War II? ›

Padded-Shoulders and Boxy Lines to Tucked Blouses and Slimming Designs. The end of the Second World War saw the rapid fade of a few fashion trends that were dominant during and prior to the war. Padded shoulders and tubular, boxy lines were swiftly replaced by a new wave of fashion 'must-haves'.

Immediately after the war, men's suits were broad-shouldered and often double-breasted. As wartime restrictions on fabric eased, trousers became fuller, and were usually styled with cuffs (turn-ups).

World War II brought lasting changes to fashion. Women's skirts became shorter, the bikini was introduced, and it became more common and acceptable for women to wear slacks. For men, formality and variety also changed.

War time efforts required manufacturers to be more efficient in the cuts of clothing and type of fabric. Women dress styles were simplified to save on quantities of textiles and certain types of fabrics. Wool became a precious commodiity saved for soldiers uniforms and for knitting socks and sweaters to send abroad.

Christian Dior's reputation as one of the most important couturiers of the twentieth century was launched in 1947 with his very first collection, in which he introduced the "New Look." Featuring rounded shoulders, a cinched waist, a very full skirt, the "New Look" celebrated ultra-femininity and opulence in women's ...

New materials and technologies, many of which had been developed during wartime, helped to free design from tradition, allowing for increasingly abstract and sculptural aesthetics as well as lower prices for mass-produced objects. The most marked changes occurred in America, Italy, Scandinavia, and Japan.

Overview of the Post-War Era

Nearly a third of Americans lived in poverty. A third of the country's homes had no running water, two-fifths lacked flushing toilets, and three-fifths lacked central heating. More than half of the nation's farm dwellings had no electricity.

Gaiters: Also called leggings, gaiters served to keep dirt out of the shoes and to protect the legs in rough terrain. They were worn over trouser legs and stopped just below the knee. Gaiters were black wool or painted black canvas with a button closure on the outer side and a strap under the boot.

The aftermath of World War II was also defined by the rising threat of nuclear warfare, the creation and implementation of the United Nations as an intergovernmental organization, and the decolonization of Asia, Oceania, South America and Africa by European and East Asian powers, most notably by the United Kingdom, ...

During the Second World War rationing of clothing was introduced to ensure equal availability for all to scarce resources. Everyone was urged to take care of their clothes and to reuse materials whenever possible. A great deal of ingenuity was required to make the most of materials not usually used for clothing.

What did World War 2 uniforms look like? ›

While enlisted men were issued a plain olive drab uniform, officers had a choice of color combination. Since most opted for “pink” (officially Olive Drab shade #54) pants and shirt and “chocolate” (Olive Drab shade #51) coat and tie for added contrast, the uniform quickly gained the nickname “Pinks-and-Greens.”

A flight jacket is a casual jacket that was originally created for pilots and eventually became part of popular culture and apparel. It has evolved into various styles and silhouettes, including the letterman jacket and the fashionable bomber jacket that is known today.

Women adopted shorter skirts and a looser, less confining silhouette. Gone were the cumbersome petticoats and rigid whalebone corsets and in their place were slim, clean lines and serviceable suits.

In the early 1940s, boys wore matching suit trousers and jackets of wool or cotton twill. Cuffs, pleats and extra pockets were eliminated in an effort to save fabric during World War II. Girl's of the 1940s wore dresses like their mothers. Very young girls wore jumpers with a blouse underneath.

On average, women probably had maybe 5 every day dresses and maybe 3 “church” dresses and one or two pairs of dress shoes. They probably owned a couple of pairs of casual shoes and only a few tops and pants and a couple of purses.

Following World War II, the United States began an economic boom that brought unparalleled prosperity to a majority of its citizens and raised Americans expectations, breeding a belief that most economic and social problems could be solved.

Post-war American life saw drastic changes. The baby boom had a profound effect on women, who were urged to leave the workforce. The cultural assumption was that the war was over, the men had returned, and the women belonged at home with the children. Not all women agreed with this concept.

Overview of 1940s fashion

In 1942, the American War Protection Board issued Regulation L-85 which restricted the materials and methods manufacturers could use to make clothing to control resources needed for the war. Once the war ended, many of the Paris fashion houses reopened and brought a wave of new styles.

World War II provided unprecedented opportunities for American women to enter into jobs that had never before been open to women, particularly in the defense industry. Women faced challenges in overcoming cultural stereotypes against working women, as well as finding adequate childcare during working hours.