Snapshots in Time

1940 - 1969

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1. World events sometimes impact fashion. Name the war during this time period and tell how it impacted the world of fashion.

The Second World War lasted from 1939 – 1945. In the US, large numbers of older, married women went to work for the war effort, allowing pants to become acceptable. Because most cloth was rationed, black material normally used to block windows became an important source of fabric and hats made of scrap material were popular. Most materials were reserved for use by the military.

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2.Select a prominent fashion designer from this time period, discuss what made him/her famous, and describe the fashion styles that are attributed to this designer.

In 1947, Christian Dior introduced the "New Look" going back to the small waist and full bust of the pre-World War One Belle Époque. The fashion emphasized femininity and the traditional female role of housewife as part of a larger effort to convince women to relinquish their wartime jobs to returning servicemen. Dior created ready-to-wear lines for department stores and licensed his name to other companies to manufacture stockings. Despite the tremendous amount of fabric used in Dior’s designs, the New Look became so popular that in 1949 Dior products comprised five percent of France’s exports.

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3.Give a description of new materials that were used in clothing during this time period.

Even though nylon, the first synthetic fiber, was invented by DuPont in 1939, it was not available in fashion until after the war. The new synthetics came to be used in stockings as well as a replacement for the bone needed to create the New Look hourglass. From 1935 to 1955 there was a flood of new plastics, such as polyethylene and polypropylene. These new molecules cropped up in everything from jewelry to buttons.

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4. Discuss with a family member, friend, or neighbor pictures of fashions you found from this time period. Discuss whether these fashions have cycled back into recent times.   The person you interview does not need to have lived during the time period. You can ask him/her what he/she learned or what he/she remembers about the fashions you researched and have him/her explain if he/she see these fashions in recent times. Write a three to five sentence paragraph that includes the name of the person you spoke with and the details about these fashions.

I talked with my friend Deanna, who did her photo project final on fashions of the late twentieth century. She said that the ultra-feminine fashions of the fifties were replaced by brighter colors, shorter skirts, and greater freedom in women’s dress. The women’s liberation movement coincided with more modern style. Today’s clothes, she explained, essentially began in the sixties.

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5. Pretend you are a buyer for a department store and you attended a fashion show during this time period. In your own words, write a short story of what you observed on the runway. This show is from the late sixties, put on by Mary Quant. Stepping into the Bazaar was like stepping into another world, a place of polka dots and prismatic colors. The only familiar element was the English language. (Due to London’s status as a burgeoning fashion center, I was given leave to explore the land of red phone booths and furry black hats.) As I sat down near the stage door, a ruffled and spotted dress came forward to introduce the collection. Her remarks were brief; she said the pieces were her message. Soon a lengthy train of tall skinny models wound its way to the center of the floor.

The most memorable characteristic of the clothes was the lack of fabric. Long legs are on display under a skirt that falls half a foot short of the knee. The timid can content themselves with the same tight garment at knee-length. However, bold, bright geometric designs are a must for all. Under the skirt, pantyhose or “tights,” are worn, preferably in vivid colors. The short length of the skirt eliminates stockings as a viable option. Yet skirts aren’t the only thing shorter this year.

Hairstyles are back to the 20s bob, but with a twist. This version has straight bangs that taper to a point just in front of the ears. Unlike the earlier styles, this bob is meant to be seen without a hat. In summary, we don’t need to invest much in hair accessories this year: there’s not enough hair to accessorize. Instead, focus on the feet. Knee-high go-go boots and lace-up boots are all the rage. This is probably the only item that should be plain white.

For this season’s patterns, put your faith in polka dots and geometry. From demure little black spots to over-sized kaleidoscopic discs, dots are everywhere. Squares, triangles, and other shapes are popular, along with checkered material. A nod to psychedelia can be seen in this year’s dazzling colors: tie-dye is a very real possibility here. Ornamentation needing a less abstract design should use the five-petaled daisy.

In the cosmetics department, stock up on eye make-up. To be mod, a girl needs to rim her eyes in heavy black liner while leaving the lips nude. Other than the eyes, cosmetics use is kept to a minimum. Blush in particular will just take up shelf space. The minimalist make-up allows more attention for the bob and maybe some large plastic earrings, the more noticeable the better.

Overall, remember that women want to look younger. The lucky who look best in this season’s wear will be tall and leggy. When in doubt, pick clothing and accessories both colorful and a bit juvenile. Raincoats should be shiny tinted plastic. Other than the slim-fitting sweater, tops should take a back seat. Jewelry is oversized, usually with a peace sign. As an alternative to the miniskirt, bell-bottom jeans are acceptable. However, this year’s most important development isn’t an article of clothing.

The designer announced that she is diversifying. To make her work more available to the mass market, she will mass produce clothing. This is only one part of a greater shift toward trendsetting clothing for all. Though prices will be higher than today’s norm, ready-to-wear raiment is definitely widening the pool of consumers of designer clothing.