In 1942, artist J. Howard Miller created the inspirational image of Rosie the Riveter to help boost worker morale. The outbreak of war however put paid to this frivolity in anywhere but wealthier class circles and in of course Hollywood movie-land. There is so little high quality fashion photographs of African American women from this period and we are extremely grateful for the archive from the Carnegie Museum. Also from 1933 onward, a concerted effort began to oust Jewish designers, and fabric suppliers from the industry. They were described by Vogue as “serenely perfect”. A section of the exhibition devoted to black designers breaking into the industry featured work by New York-based Zelda Wynn Valdes and Ann Lowe, who created custom-made gowns for society women and celebrities. In 1943, her utility themed pop-over dress at just $6.95 sold in the thousands. The images of glamorous Parisians and Nazi uniformed soldiers mingling in apparent harmony resulted in an outcry of “Nazi propaganda.” This public fraternization with German soldiers brought about an ugly retribution against many women accused of collaboration horizontale post liberation in 1944. The standard set of 1940’s lingerie when wearing a dress comprised a brassiere and pantie girdle, worn under a slip. We’ve picked out some of our favorite photos of African American women, to highlight their 1940’s dress style, hairstyles and – well, their pure sass. They banned cuffs, hoods and limited the circumference of ladies skirts, jacket lengths and hems. WW 2 Fashion – 1939 to 1945. The middy baby, middy or middy plus haircut were the three basic cuts throughout the 1940’s. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Learn how the iconic Blitz Girls lived, the units they served in, the world war 2 dresses they wore, their hair and beauty rules, and so much more in the 1940’s WW2 Women Guides. The Adefa Clothing label finally achieved its aims after Kristallnacht on 9th of November 1938. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), United Service Organisations (USO) and their glamorous recruiting posters, all epitomize a fashion era that is uniquely American and very non-French. Adding a certain mystique to a woman’s hat and face were the addition of hat veils and were extremely popular again since the mid 1930’s. British designers like Edward Molyneux and Hardy Amies enthusiastically embraced the new romantic styles, adding nipped waists and softer lines to their first post war designs. The middy baby being adopted by college girls, and the others by older women. #1930s #30's #Black #fashion #pictures. Often re-purposed from her mothers or Grand mother’s wedding gown.A staggering estimate of 70,000 war brides left Britain during the 1940’s to be with their husbands. During 1946 there was literally a run on stockings across the world when nylons became available again, with large queues outside department stores. The New Look both celebrated the romantic styles of the past and embraced a forward thinking philosophy of a confident modern and glamorous woman. This shift to CC41 clothing restrictions was done with such style by Hartnell and Co, that they inadvertently introduced designer fashion to British high streets.“The utility brand was a sartorial success,”says historian Julie Summers.“The government was convinced fashion could help win the war – by keeping morale up on the Home Front.“. The reality for many women in Europe, during and after the war, was that a trusty lipstick and powder compact was about the height of luxury that a girl could expect and pair of vivacious red lips was her statement of defiance and courage. Make-up in wartime, was important to moral, and in particular to a woman’s moral. 1940’s Hairstyles9. As a result, by the end of the war, as Allied troops marched into the city they were greeted by excited women sporting a whole new silhouette.Gone was the boxy military lines – waists and shoulders had narrowed and hips had widened, and when Christian Dior produced his Corolle Collection in 1947, dubbed The New Look, all eyes had turned to Paris once again. I would contend that fashion is the absolute expression of a generations life experience. By 1949, the 1940s fashion silhouette had changed dramatically. 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