The beginning of the 40s of the last century was overshadowed by war and severe social upheavals, so the development of cultural phenomena, including fashion, was dictated by harsh circumstances. At this time, not only people’s views on clothing and presenting themselves with it changed, but also the worldview of society.
The 40s of the twentieth century were marked by the rise of industrial production, which brought practicality and durability of things back into fashion. In addition, since 1940 there has been a ban on the excessive use of cotton, leather, and silk not for military needs. Special coupons were allocated for the purchase of viscose, which is why many people began to alter old clothes at home with their own hands. Thus, minimalism was forced to become the main trend, and the absence of complex decor and draperies became the main features of fashion in the fifth decade of the twentieth century. There was always a shortage of fabric, so the length of the skirts became shorter every year. In addition, there were regulations that indicated the amount of fabric that could be spent on the production of a particular item. Up to 4 meters of fabric could be used to sew a coat, and up to 1 meter for a blouse. Natural fabrics they increasingly began to be replaced by artificial ones, since there were no significant restrictions on them.
If we talk about the dominant meaning of certain trends in the modern sense of the word, it will be the military style. The main women's outfit was a suit of a laconic cut with a short skirt. The jacket had square shoulders with shoulder pads, collars and cuffs were exclusively white, and the belts were made to look like military ones. The most fashionable color became khaki, and fabrics were chosen preferably with small patterns. A new clothing model appeared - a shirt dress, and for the first time designers offered women a sporty style. The emphasis was placed on the waist with the help of belts that were tightened on dresses or wide-shouldered jackets. Thus, the overall appearance was more reminiscent of a military uniform than a woman's outfit.
In the second half of the 40s, the situation changed dramatically. With the end of the war, the regulations on the permissible amount of fabric ceased to apply. Society is tired of the military style, which has dominated all spheres of life for a long time. Designers returned to elongated wide skirts and dresses, loose blouses, flounces and decorativeness in general. IN right time Christian Dior entered the fashion arena and offered women exactly what they wanted.
Accessories also went through a number of changes in the 40s. Elegant little hats soon disappeared from the wardrobes of fashionistas, and they were replaced by wide-brimmed hats and turbans. Bulky hats completed the minimalist look. They began to wear a turban very often. The main goal was to completely hide the hair, which the turban successfully accomplished. The turban was made from leftover fabric and did not require special tools to make it, which made the headdress accessible to the majority. Due to the shortage of leather, shoes with thick cork soles came into fashion, popularized by the Brazilian actress Carmen Miranda. Cosmetics disappeared from the shelves for some time, which is why women began to use all kinds of materials to replace them.
In the early 40s of the twentieth century fashion trends were dictated not by designers and stylists, but by social upheavals and economic circumstances, which could not but be reflected in the style that was popular at that time. Due to the lack of fabric, skirts became narrower and shorter, and blouses became fitted. Female image more and more resembled a military uniform. It was possible to decorate the image only thanks to accessories that were not subject to such strict rules. But at the same time, the fifth decade of the twentieth century can safely be called a decade of contrasts. If in 1940-1945 the military style dominated, then immediately after the end of the war corsets, wide and long skirts, loose blouses and flounces. This contrast confirms the function of fashion as a social phenomenon to respond to situations that occur in the world around us.
Europe shook
Fashionistas European countries pushed last season's outfits into the background - after all, wartime they have become irrelevant. They were replaced by a minimalist military style. IN women's wardrobes ordinary skirts began to predominate straight cut knee-length, white blouses with collars. In fabrics, preference was given to soft shades with small patterns. Hats were also relegated to the background - instead women wore scarves.
A fashionable solution during the war years was the shirt dress. A sporty style of clothing was increasingly visible. Also in the trend of the 40s. there was a stripe - it was present in almost all clothes and accessories.
In all cities, fashion studios and clothing stores were closed, the production of clothing, shoes and cosmetics was reduced due to the wartime economic situation. It is impossible to say that European women did not feel the onset of war.
But the 40s – this is not only war, so in the second half of the decade fashion began to come to its senses. Longer flared skirts, looser blouses and bows began to appear. It was then that Christian Dior proposed his own - unlike others - style of women's clothing, which the ladies really loved.
Great Patriotic Fashion
Not unknown, Second world war did not bypass the Soviet Union. The 40s in the USSR are associated with the most terrible period - the Great Patriotic War. Naturally, people did not think about any fashion: everyone wanted only one thing - a peaceful sky above their heads.
The Soviet people were preparing for war, and this was reflected in all areas of life, including fashion. Natural beauty and no frills - that’s the ideal female beauty of that time. As in Europe, the militaristic style was popular.
The accession of the new republics had an important impact on the appearance of all women of the USSR - they began to be closer to European standards. Before the war, women's wardrobes included flared skirts, puffed sleeves, shoulder pads, hats, and berets. Clothes made from fabrics with polka dots were popular.
But during the war years there was no longer talk of any kind of fashion. But the “ordinary” women did not think about her. Privileged layers (yes, despite equality, they existed) were interested in new products, but there were few of them. In the 40s Stockings disappeared from sale, and women began to replace them with white socks. A shortage of fabric forced girls to alter old clothes new. Some even used their husbands' wardrobe for these purposes.
In 1944, it was already becoming clear that the USSR would win. The House of Models opened in Moscow on Kuznetsky Most, the main purpose of which was to demonstrate the advantages of the socialist system over the rest of the world. But this event did not affect ordinary citizens in any way - all the fashionable and beautiful clothes appeared only in magazines, and in stores it was difficult to get even ugly and low-quality items.
Some ladies managed to show off in trophy outfits brought by their husbands. But for the most part, people didn’t bother much about clothes.
At the end of the 40s, “Western trends” were completely eradicated from the life of Soviet people: women could only wear clothes as in local magazines. But both cultures had something in common - a transition from a military style to a more feminine one. Dresses made of chiffon and cotton were decorated with bows, frills and reliefs. Complemented them knitted blouses and jackets. Furs came into fashion, but only a few could afford them. In general, women did not have even a third of what is available to modern ladies. But the desire and desire to be beautiful pushed me to look for ways out and loopholes.
Wartime hairstyles
Women did not stop caring for their hair during the war years. But bright and shocking images were replaced by modest and, as it should be, updo hairstyles.
The most common hairstyle of that time was combed hair, collected in a bun, which was covered with a net on top. In the USSR, it was called a “lousy house”: during the war years they saved on everything - they washed their hair once or twice a month. In addition, in the USSR they continued to weave “baskets”, since not everyone was ready to cut their hair.
During the First World War, despite economic difficulties in many European countries, life on the home front went on almost as before. Women from privileged strata of society dressed up, and fashion houses continued their work. In letters from the war years that have survived to this day, this can be easily seen, as women described entertainment and the outfits they purchased.
Things were different during World War II. During these years fighting covered vast areas of Europe. The lives of many were in danger, and economic difficulties befell almost all countries. Due to the war, the production of civilian clothing almost ceased. Many women put on men's military uniforms and joined the ranks of the defenders of their Fatherland.
Women's clothing underwent significant changes, although there were no major revolutions in the fashion of the 40s, but clearly men's style. Civilian clothing was supplemented with military details - belts, buckles, epaulettes, patch pockets. Women learned to be thrifty and each became her own designer. A habit arose of walking bareheaded, or at least wearing a scarf twisted into a turban.
Clothes from the early forties until 1946 were shortened and widened at the shoulders, and the waist was clearly defined. A thin waist emphasized fragility and grace, because even in military uniform a woman remained a woman.
In women's toilets, the waist was cinched with a wide belt, creating a contrast between wide shoulders, a circle skirt and a thin waist. The shoulders were expanded with puffs or special pads called “shoulders.” In coats, in order to emphasize the horizontal line of the shoulders, collars were sometimes completely absent, even in winter coats and fur coats.
On summer dresses short “wing” sleeves appeared. The kimono sleeve, which at that time was called " bat", to clearly preserve the volume and wide shoulders, they were made on a lining.
Popular details in the fashion of the 40s were a variety of pockets, especially large ones, as well as collars, the ends of which reached the middle of the bodice. The suits had a very long jacket, often close to men's jackets, and also with broad shoulders and a short skirt. A feature of the 40s was wearing a jacket not only with a skirt, but also with an ordinary colorful dress.
Skirts were popular - flared, pleated, ruffled. Particular preference was given to draperies, gathers, wedges, folds, and pleating. Evening dresses, and such they were, were long, floor-length skirts, tight at the hips and flared at the bottom, narrow lace sleeves, bare shoulders or kimono sleeves. Trousers came into everyday use, as stockings were simply a luxury.
The silhouette changed - its shape could be rectangular, more often this shape referred to a coat; in the form of two triangles, the vertices of which were joined together at the waist line (coat and dress); in the form of a square (a square suit jacket with a narrow short pencil skirt). These silhouettes emphasized long, thin legs with shoes with thick soles (platforms) made of cork or wood, high-heeled shoes, and sporty flats or boots with tops. This silhouette shape lasted until 1946.
Women loved these geometric lines so much that the transition to smoother, more natural lines after 1946 was difficult for many. In some countries that were particularly hard hit during the war, coats were made from wool or even cotton blankets.
Elegant dresses and even underwear were made from parachute silk. Fallen parachutes were the perfect fabric to create beautiful dresses. And the first who came up with the idea of using them were French and German women, although severe punishment was provided for picking up a parachute in Germany.
Wool, leather, nylon and silk were strategically important materials in the 40s. That is why, when there was a shortage of leather in fascist Italy, cork heels appeared on shoes from, which Adolf Hitler’s girlfriend loved so much.
Was there costume jewelry during the war? Definitely. Those who could afford a lot, even during the war, wore gold, silver chains- this was the most fashionable decoration, and those who had straitened circumstances - simple metal chains.
Brooches and clips were universally loved by women of the 40s. The women decorated their outfits themselves - some with fringes made of threads, it was difficult to even say from what product, some embroidered with angora wool, and some with artificial flowers. Flowers, flowers, hairnets, knitted with their own hands, they were the ones who helped women out during those difficult war years. Both hair and hats were decorated with nets.
These things achieved especially high craftsmanship in Poland. Buttons in the 40s were also special - covered with the same fabric as the fabric of the dress (where to find the same buttons at that time). Visiting dresses had many of these small round buttons. Women wore bags on a belt over their shoulders, sometimes they sewed them themselves from the same material as the coat. Fur was rare. But those who could afford it certainly wore it. They especially loved fur muffs.
During the war, high-quality materials disappeared in European countries, production switched to the production of strategically important products and, of course, weapons. Therefore, in the 40s, combined products were especially fashionable - fabrics and fur from old stocks, fabrics of different textures and colors, tulle became fashionable for elegant dresses. After all, in order to appear at an evening celebration, you could sacrifice your luxurious curtain.
Women tried to find opportunities and showed unusual ingenuity and imagination, who was capable of what. Everyone was united in one thing - color. Many wore dark colors, the main color was black. The most fashionable combination was black and yellow, white almost disappeared.
However, despite all misfortunes, a person, like a blade of grass to the sun, reaches out to life, to love. And this is confirmed by songs of the war years, music, poetry, films.
In Russia, and then in the Soviet Union, there were few opportunities to afford what was said about the fashion of 1940-1946, there were mainly “padded jackets”, tunics, short skirts with counter pleats, tightened with a military belt, a scarf on the head or a hat with earflaps, rough boots and the desire to win. The only thing that was possible for girls of the 40s was to put on their favorite pre-war dress and twist their hair into curls, fashionable at that time of war. And what happiness there was during a short respite on the fronts of our Motherland, when the accordion player had the opportunity to stretch the bellows of his accordion friend, and our girls (our grandmothers and great-grandmothers) started dancing, or heard the words of songs that warmed the soul.
...And the accordion sings to me in the dugout
About your smile and eyes...
Sing, harmonica, to spite the blizzard.
Call lost happiness.
I feel warm in a cold dugout
From your unquenchable love.
And women in Russia began to dress in the style of the military of the 40s only after the war, at a time when Dior offered his own to the women of Europe. At this time, the first fashion magazines appeared in Russia, brought from Europe by the wives of Soviet officers. Those combined dresses appeared that practical German and Austrian women sewed in the wartime 40s, a horizontal line of shoulders with “shoulders” or, as we called them, “linden” (linden shoulders). After the war, our young grandmothers took everything that was left from their old wardrobe, altered it, combined it, and embroidered it.
The most devastating war in European history was over...
Fashion, contrary to claims that it is independent of politics, is directly related to it. Here you can quote the words of the famous French writer Anatole France - show me the clothes of a certain country, and I will write its history.
Blogger Donna Julietta writes: “Today I was looking through various retro photographs that depicted the history of people’s lives and then I thought that it would be nice to look at photographs that related to fashion, to see how it changed, how interesting fashionistas dressed then. And I decided, why not make a review of fashion by decade. Let me make a reservation right away that I will not give examples of women who were popular at a certain time; it is better to pay special attention to them. Let's just discuss fashion."
(Total 43 photos)
Post sponsor:: For every taste. Huge collection.
Source: Zhzhurnal/ make-your-style
Let's start with the 10s of the 20th century.
1. Corsets have been holding women back for years, making their figures much more beautiful and graceful, and making life harder. The inability to inhale and exhale once again, constant illnesses due to too tightly tightened “shells” - all this made the corset, although a significant item of the era, very unpleasant.
Therefore, in 1906, women all over the world literally exhaled - a couturier named Paul Poiret first proposed wearing dresses of a simple cut, without corsets. Very soon, such dresses came into fashion - that is why the tenth years are remembered as the years of “liberation” of women from the oppression of one of the most inconvenient items of clothing, and Paul Poiret became a real savior for ladies of high society.
2. In the tens, Russian chic was in fashion - the “Russian Seasons”, which were brought to Paris by the famous Sergei Diaghilev, were a huge success. Ballet, opera, art, exhibitions - all this was accompanied by a huge number of receptions at which our ladies could adopt art high fashion from Parisian women.
3. It was then that all the now familiar attributes of “chic life” in the wardrobe began to come into fashion - women bared their shoulders, began to wear very boudoir-looking toilets, decorating them with a huge number of feather fans, precious jewelry and shiny accessories.
We smoothly move on to the fashion of the 20s
4. During this period, sports entered fashion with confident steps, sports figures male type, and female forms began to gradually lose relevance and popularity. The ideal is a thin lady with narrow hips, without the slightest hint of a bust or other roundness. The famous Gabrielle Chanel can be called a fashion reformer and revolutionary of this period. Along with her in these times fashionable clothes created in such fashion houses as Nina Ricci, Chanel, Madame Paquin, Jean Patou, Madeleine Vionnet, Jacques Doucet, Jacques Heim, Lucille, the fur fashion house Jacques Heim" and others.
5. Egyptian motifs began to come into fashion in the 20s. The designers' models were decorative, with an abundance of decorations and embroidery in the zig-zag style. This style was called “Art Deco”, and came from the name of the exhibition of modern decorative and industrial art in Paris in 1925.
6. It was a style of decorating and adorning things. Decorative elements were present on furniture, kitchen utensils, and women's dresses.
7. Shoes trimmed with embroidery or appliques, decorated to the taste of popular couturiers of that time, came into fashion. "Art Deco" is an eclectic style in which African abstract exoticism is mixed with the geometric forms of cubism; non-traditional inexpensive and simple materials are mixed with expensive traditional materials of good quality.
8. Such a combination of incompatible things, mixed in one style.
9. As a result, the fashion features of the 20s:
— the main elements of clothing are, of course, dresses, straight-cut suits;
- pleating is in fashion;
— fashionable coat straight cut tapering towards the bottom and with a fur collar;
- in fashion pajama pants and the pajamas they wore to the beach at that time;
- the first swimsuits for women appeared - a revolution in beach fashion;
- clothes were made from more affordable fabrics and knitwear became a discovery;
— sporty style is in fashion, not only trousers, but also shorts are appearing;
- the appearance of the classic Chanel little black dress;
30s fashion
10. In these times, the cutting of clothes has become more complex. The quality of mass-produced ready-to-wear clothing has improved markedly. Hollywood is a trendsetter in the USA. But even here, companies began to appear that traded using catalogs sent by mail. These companies distributed new fashion models in millions of copies.
11. Long skirts became the standard of fashion during the crisis times of the thirties. In 1929, Jean Patou was the first to propose long dresses and skirts whose waistline was in place. After this innovation, all fashion houses lengthened their models in two stages. At first, the length of dresses and skirts reached mid-calf, and a little later dropped almost to the ankle. Ladies watching fashion trends, independently lengthened their clothes. They sewed on wedges and various frills.
12. A very popular piece of clothing in the 1930s was the women's street suit, which came in a wide variety of variations. Outerwear– coats and jackets were distinguished by their extraordinary elegance and variety of styles.
13. Each type of clothing, including a suit, was characterized by a wide variety of shaped lines and finishes. The cut of suits became more complex and began to rely on geometry, giving the silhouette clarity.
14. Decorative details and decorations were widely used in the costume. A hat, handbag, gloves and shoes - that's what should have been in the same color scheme. Accessories were selected very strictly. As a rule, they were black or brown, and in summer - white.
15. Accessories selected in this way easily matched any dress or suit, which was relevant during the crisis. In the fashion of the 30s, accessories played a huge role. After all, most women of those years could not afford anything else except a hat or a handbag.
40s fashion
16. The dominant fashion trend of the early 40s was multi-layered long skirts, huge bows on clothes, sometimes with the addition of vertical stripes, and puffed sleeves. It is worth noting that at that time, striped clothing was the most popular. As war broke out and the world became militarized, fashion in the 1940s underwent significant changes. Women no longer have time to think about makeup and replenishing their wardrobe.
17. During this period, the appearance of outfits was significantly simplified to minimalism in everything. Natural fabrics are no longer used for civilian purposes. Clothes for women began to be produced and sewn from acetate silk and viscose.
18. Floral designs are coming back into fashion: ornaments and small flowers have become the main decoration of fabrics and dresses made from this material. It became impossible to sew blouses and shirts from white fabric, so cuffs and collars began to be introduced into fashion. The military style, which is still popular today, became a discovery of the war period.
19. At the same time they released new model shoes: shoes with stiletto heels.
20. Also new was the production of turtleneck blouses; these models with a high turtleneck deservedly received recognition from the fashionistas of those times.
50s fashion
22. In the post-war years, social differences became noticeably worse. Wives again turned into a symbol of the well-being of their spouses, as a kind of showcase for others. A mandatory ritual for every woman is visiting a hair salon and applying makeup. Ideal woman, even if she didn’t work anywhere and was a housewife, early in the morning she had to be fully prepared: with a perfect hairstyle, in heels and makeup, stand at the stove or vacuum the carpet.
23. Even in the Soviet Union, where the lifestyle was significantly different from the Western one, it was customary to have your hair styled at a hairdresser or permed at least once a week, which also began to become fashionable with particular rapidity.
24. The style of the 50s contrasted the silhouette in the form hourglass a clear silhouette with broadened shoulders, which was popular during the war years. Thus, there were special requirements for the figure: sloping shoulders, thin waist, rounded feminine hips and lush breasts.
25. To meet these standards, women wore constriction corsets, placed fabric or cotton wool in their bras, and tightened their bellies. The images of beauty of those times were: Elizabeth Taylor, Lyubov Orlova, Sophia Loren, Klara Luchko, Marilyn Monroe.
26. Among the young population, the standards were Lyudmila Gurchenko and others. Fashionable and stylish woman style of the 50s, the silhouette resembled a flower: full skirt to the floor, under which a multi-layered petticoat was worn, high heels stiletto heels, nylon stockings with a seam. Stockings were a must-have accessory to complete the look and were extremely expensive. But women went to great lengths to look attractive and feel like beauties who follow fashion trends. It was difficult to buy fabrics at that time; no more than a certain amount of them was sold to one person, approved by the norms of those times. To sew one skirt to match the “new silhouette”, it took from nine to forty meters of material!
60s fashion
The legendary 60s are the brightest decade in the history of world fashion, free and expressive, a period of solemn procession of the so-called youth fashion. The new style needed new hairstyles. And again London was ahead of Paris in terms of innovative ideas. In 1959, the French film “Babette Goes to War” with Brigitte Bardot in the title role was released. A casually tousled hairstyle with a backcomb, despite the fact that it takes fashionistas a lot of time to create it, is becoming super popular.
27. Accessories became very popular: necklaces made of large beads, voluminous jewelry, “macro” glasses that covered half of the face.
28. The most scandalous clothing of the sixties was born in London - a miniskirt, a symbol of emancipation and sexual revolution. In 1962, the legendary Mary Quant showed her first collection of mini-length items. The new style, called “London style,” very quickly conquered young people around the world.
29. The 60s - the era of synthetics and everything artificial. Synthetic fabrics widespread in mass fashion - they are considered the most comfortable and practical, as they do not wrinkle and are easy to wash, in addition, they are cheap.
30. The fashion of that time favored unnaturalness - false eyelashes, wigs, hairpieces, costume jewelry. High women's boots with low heels, with a narrow or wide rounded toe made of leather or synthetic material, called go-go, are becoming super popular. Boots became widespread with the emergence of fashion for mini lengths and the dance style of the same name.
Fashion of the late 1960s was influenced by the hippie movement. Youth opposed social and class differences, racial discrimination and war. With their appearance, hippies emphasized their rejection of the norms of official culture. Their clothes are deliberately careless and even sloppy - ripped jeans, beaded bracelets, fabric shoulder bags. The sexlessness of the appearance is emphasized, long hair- symbolize freedom.
70s fashion
31. In the 1970s, fashion became even more democratic. And, despite the fact that many call the 70s the era of bad taste, it can be said that it was in those years that people had more means to express themselves through fashion. There was no single style direction; everything was fashionable: ethnic, disco, hippie, minimalism, retro, sports style.
32. The motto of the 70s was the expression “Anything is possible!” The couturiers presented several styles for progressive and active young people to choose from, none of which could be called dominant. The most fashionable element of the wardrobe was jeans, which were initially worn only by cowboys, and then by hippies and students.
33. Also in the wardrobe of fashionistas of that time were A-line skirts, flared trousers, tunics, overalls, blouses with large bright prints, turtleneck sweaters, A-line dresses, shirt dresses.
34. In addition, it should be noted that clothes have become more comfortable and practical. The concept appeared basic wardrobe, consisting of the required number of things that are combined with each other. As for shoes, platform shoes have gained popularity.
35. Of the designers in the 70s, Sonia Rykiel was singled out, who was called new Chanel. Sonia Rykiel created convenient, comfortable clothes: sweaters, cardigans, dresses made of woolen knitwear and mohair.
80s fashion
36. The fashion of the 80s intertwined retro images, reinterpreted by designers, as well as those born of youth subcultures, music and dance trends, and the ongoing boom in sports.
37. Hip-hop, gothic, post-punk, rave, house, techno, breakdancing, snowboarding, skateboarding, rollerblading, step aerobics - all these phenomena affected the style of the decade.
38. The list of iconic items of the decade of stylistic revelry is impressive - padded shoulders, banana trousers, military and safari style clothing, kimono, batman and raglan sleeves, leggings with bright patterns, black fishnet tights, shabby denim, so-called, Varenka, black leather jackets, lurex, massive jewelry, jewelry buttons on jackets, voluminous hairstyles or styling with the effect “ wet hair", cascading haircuts, spiral perm, hair of decorative colors, such as “eggplant”, highlighting with “feathers”. A lot of cosmetics were used in deliberate shades with sparkles and mother-of-pearl.
The massiveness of the 1980s can be described as excess. Everything is, as it were, “too” - too narrow, too voluminous, too flashy, too bright. In the 80s, designers who thought outside the box and created unusual clothes with original decorative elements enjoyed success: Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Jean-Paul Gaultier.
90s fashion
39. The 90s style in clothing, which has become universal, is better called not a style, but a new approach to choosing clothes. Because in the fashion of the 90s, the very principle of creating your image changes, as well as the principle used in creating a costume. The main call of the nineties is “be who you are!” In those days, denim clothes were given special importance - only the lazy did not wear them. Avid fashionistas managed to wear jeans with denim shirts, bags and shoes. So the style of the 90s can be safely called “denim”, since every person had more than one copy of a similar thing.
40. In the nineties, unisex fashion spread all over the world: jeans with a T-shirt or loose-fitting trousers with a sweater, complemented by comfortable shoes.
41. The nineties were the time of sneakers and flats. This unisex style is very popular with large Italian and American companies, such as Banana Republic, Benetton, Marko Polo. Costumes strive for simplicity and functionality, which, however, revives the traditions of partner art, when, along with strict asceticism, the costume contains deliberate theatricality with a bright range of colors. Fashion changes depending on social orientation and territoriality, so in Europe bohemians prefer conceptual designer clothes.
42. The main fashion emphasis of the nineties is not on clothes, but on its owner. Fashionable look is created slim figure with tanned or milky white skin. Body culture is flourishing as in the times of Ancient Greece. Fashionistas and fashionistas visit not only sports clubs, but also beauty salons and even use the services of plastic surgery. Supermodels from fashion catwalks are becoming role models; television and fashion magazines have made a significant contribution to this.
43. Well then. This concludes the review. I would like to say that of all times, my preferences are closer to the 30s, 50s and 70s. In general, everything new is long forgotten old.
The main event of the 40s was the Second World War - it radically changed the lives of people all over the world and could not help but influence fashion. If in peacetime consumption was determined by personal tastes and fashion trends, then in wartime it was determined by need: the main thing that women needed in this era was a minimal, but most practical wardrobe.
Parisian and London designers are the first to react to the signal of a declaration of war: the Frenchman Robert Piguet and the British Edward Molyneux create coats with hoods and pajamas, positioning them as clothing “for shelters”, Elsa Schiaparelli presents warm suits made of corduroy with voluminous pockets, manufacturers of shoes and accessories add large bags, accommodating gas masks, and shoes with comfortable low heels. To save genuine leather for military needs, the heels and soles of shoes are made of wood, the uppers are made of suede or other materials. The young Italian Salvatore Ferragamo is especially successful in this, creating futuristic shoe models from straw, felt, hemp and even cellophane.
One of the revolutionary inventions in fashion in the 40s is nylon. The first stockings made of nylon were presented to the public in 1940, and later they began to make underwear from it. The widespread use of nylon was facilitated by the shortage of silk - during wartime it was used mainly for making parachutes, maps and bullet bags.
After the Nazi army captures Paris, some designers emigrate to the States, like Schiaparelli, and some simply close their boutiques and leave the fashion scene, like Coco Chanel. At this time, Hitler’s plans included leaving Paris as the capital of fashion, which should now “work” for the German elite. Thus, many designer houses fashions remain open - among them are Lanvin, Balmain, Balenciaga, Rochas, Nina Ricci and others. Designers have to succumb to the influence of Nazi culture: the ideal of a German woman in the 40s was considered a strong and athletic woman who worked in the fields and raised children. Hence the emergence of new motifs taken from peasant and medieval costumes: floral prints on dresses, embroidery on blouses, checkered hunting suits and wide-brimmed straw hats came into fashion. The image of a beautiful peasant woman picking flowers in an open field is becoming a favorite among fashion magazines.
At the height of the war, clothing and shoes are in short supply, and therefore in France, and then in other countries, they decide to issue coupons for the purchase of things. Coupons are only enough for one coat, dress, blouse, sweater, skirt, two bras, 4-5 pairs of panties and stockings and one pair of shoes. It was necessary to save on new things, and this fact in wartime leads to the spread of second-hand and hand-made clothing. Magazines proclaim the fashion for “piece dresses”—dresses made from several old dresses bought at a second-hand store. Women begin to sew their own clothes and save on stockings by simply drawing a neat black arrow on their legs with a pencil, and created in the UK with government support fashion magazine Make and Mend (translated from English as “Create and Improve”) advises how to make your own jewelry from bottle caps, corks and cassette reels.
After the war, the fashion industry is slowly recovering from the shock. The fashion world is beginning to develop most dynamically in the USA. American fashion designers concentrated on the production of clothing for sports and leisure, presenting in 1946 the hit of the decade - the bikini swimsuit, created by Louis Réard and named after the Bikini Atoll, where the United States first tested the atomic bomb. Meanwhile, in post-war Paris, its own star was shining - Christian Dior in 1947 showed the world his new look collection. The key outfit in Dior's collection is the Bar suit - an X-line jacket with a chiseled waist and a small peplum and a fluffy midi skirt in several layers. Dior brought back elegance and balletic grace into fashion and, despite the fact that he was criticized for restricting women's freedoms and inappropriateness of the times, became the most popular fashion designer of the late 40s and 50s with a huge number of clients on both sides of the ocean.
Photo : Fashion-era.com, Fashionspot.com
