The Fashion of the 1940s

1
The Fashion of the 1940s

• Evening Wear

2
History of the Decade

• 1941 The United States was forced to
  enter into World War II by Japanese
  attack on Pearl Harbor
• 1943 Vogue introduced a Portfolio of
  Wartime Economics starting with
  your One and Only Dress
• 1945 WWII ended due to collapse of
  Germany and Japan
• 1946 Paris had re-established herself as
  the fashion center of the world
• United States (New York) became
  temporary center for fashion
• Baby Boom began due to length of time
  husbands were away from wives
• Make Do and Mend

3
Technological Advances

• Necessity was the innovator to many new
  technological developments
• Flying suit developed from experimentations of
  materials during war (made from sun back rayon
  developed during the war)
• Clothing from Chemicals
• Nylon
• Acetate
• Rayon

4
Silhouette Early 1940s

• Outline demanded by Wartime Deprivation
• Unadorned
• Plain rectangle of clothing

5
Silhouette Late 1940s

• Hour-glass
• X silhouette returned from 1830
• Swishing petticoat of the late Victorian period
  returned
• Fashions from Empire period copied
• Balenciaga
•       Beautiful and distinctive silhouettes
•       Tunic tops over long straight skirts
•       Major influence on fashion of 20th century
•       Elegant clothing
• Not afraid to create extreme silhouettes
• 1947 New Look

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The New Look

• Introduced in February 12, 1947
• 1.      Wide hats
• 2.      Voluptuously curved torso
• 3.      Nipped in waist (wasp waist)
• 4. Small narrow shoulders
• 5.      Round padded hips
• 6.      Round bust
• 7.      Crinoline swirling skirts dating
  back to the 19th century
• 8.      Long, full skirts
• 9.      30 40 yards required for f fashion
• 10.      Luxury corsets (hipettes)
• Sculpted into the required shape with a hot
  iron and use of Top Secret Substance paper
  stiff nylon

7
Fabrics

• Tulle
• Nylon
• Satin
• Muslin
• Velvet
• Laces
• Crepe
• Alligator Skin
• Lurex - used to enhance curtain materials and
  decorative furnishings
• Mink
• Cotton
• Leather
• Wool
• Sheer Organza
• Very fine Silk
• Shirred Jersey

8
Shades of Color

•      Dark colors
•      Neutral Shades
•       _Gray
•       _Brown
•      _Black
• Dye in short supply
• During war time encouraged to mix and match
  colors to make best use of scare materials
• Colors dull and practical
• Jacques Faith introduced a new color pallet

9
Style of the Night

• Neckline deep décolletage for evening
• Waist defined
• Occasionally extremely tight
• Wide waistband
• Fairly high-waisted princess dress

• Gathers in front
• Asymmetrical seams
• Beads
• Embroidery
• Details of dress suitable for occasion
• Sleeveless for the most part, some had jackets

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  1947 1949 Fashion Emerges

• a.      The New Look Silhouette
• b.      Basque bodice
• c.       Many frills
• d.      High or extremely low neckline
• e.      Skirts extremely long - 1948
• f.        Full pleated skirt - 1947
• g.      Draping in front shows Egyptian
  influences - 1949
• h.      Narrow silhouette spring - 1949
• i.        Back fullness - 1949
• j.        Panels of all kinds 1949
• k. Ballerina Skirt 1948
• l. American short black dinner dress

11
Accessories

• Pearls
• Gloves
• Colored slippers
• Hats

12
1940s Evening Wear