With the 75th anniversary of VE Day just past, I wanted to share some of the war-time fashion pieces that I’ve seen. Both the First and Second World Wars led to some interesting developments in fashion. Yes, uniforms and clothing for combatants changed, but it also hugely changed for civilians. Rationing and changing daily lives led to different needs and wants. I’m going to be sharing some interesting pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, and the Fashion Museum in Bath. War-time fashion history is a rich area to study, so let’s get stuck into it!
Victoria and Albert Museum
Skirt Suit Ensemble by Maurice Kravetz, 1943-44
War time fashion trends were not only set by designers, but also by government decrees. There were limits on how much fabric could be used for clothing, and what styles could be worn. You will notice that this skirt is knee-length. Skirts and dresses could not be longer than knee-length, as it would use too much fabric. As the V&A notes in the description, “The cut of this smart, tailored outfit has all the features of the war-time Utility styles such as square padded shoulders and knee length skirt.” The Prince of Wales check fabric would have been rather patriotic- appropriate in war-time London.
What interests me most about this suit, though, is the knife pleats in the skirt. Pleats were on the “no list”- pleats take quite a bit more fabric than a normal skirt. I do wonder if the fact that it is only pleated in the front made it acceptable. It does have the knee-length skirt, and less than three buttons, another requirement. In any case, it would have absolutely sent the message that the wearer was doing their part for the war effort. (Even in war, your clothing sends an important message to those around you!
Bata Shoe Museum
Women’s Military Footwear, 1942-1944
If these look familiar, you would be correct- these were featured in the Want: Desire, Design, and Depression-Era Footwear exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum! Women’s roles in the military during the Second World War have been receiving some well-deserved attention in the last decades, and their uniforms are no different.
The brown boots in the back were worn by a member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corp. They are absolutely destined for work, and aren’t just for show. You will note that it is the Canadian Women’s Army Corp, not the Commonwealth- between the First and Second World War, Canada went through a big change. In 1931 with the Statute of Westminster, Canada was granted equal standing to Britain, meaning that we could determine our own foreign policy. (Canada declared war on Nazi Germany a week after Britain, to show that we were an independent nation.)
The middle pair of black shoes, worn by a member of the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Forces, was also clearly meant to be worn for day to day work. Both this pair and the brown boots focus solely (pun intended!) on function instead of fashion. Given that fashion is often dismissed as frivolous and decidedly female, but these both indicate that functional fashion is crucial for women, as well.
The white pair of shoes in the front was from a member of the United States Women’s Army Corp. They are rather interesting, as they have a heel and a stylised bow on the front of the shoe- not a common element in military footwear.
Fashion Museum Bath
Floral Print Synthetic Silk Dress, 1940
This floral print dress has a fascinating story behind it. Margaret Allen wore this dress when she married Lieutenant John Vaughan, on March 16, 1940 in Torquay. (Unfortunately, Vaughn was captured at Dunkirk just two months after his wedding, and remained a Prisoner of War until 1945.) This dress highlights the use of day dresses as wedding dresses- brides didn’t have the money or fabric to make full wedding dresses, so they would use dresses that they already owned. (Can we please go back to this, and stop spending thousands on a white dress people will never wear again?!)
Striped Skirt Made From Blackout Curtains, 1945
This is one of my favourite pieces in the entire Fashion Museum. It looks like an unassuming dress, but the skirt has a fascinating story- it was made from blackout curtains! Lilian Baker made this skirt in 1945 to celebrate the end of the Second World War by using her blackout curtains for fashion. We see a lot of photos from VE Day and then end of the war, but far less tangible pieces like this. (Plus, I think it is quite a lovely skirt on its own, without the history that comes with it!
War time fashion history- what do you think of the surviving pieces we have?
Cheers,
The Historian
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