1940s wardrobe essentials

[Inky]

Thanks Kamikat! That make sense. I'm starting to knit some sweaters and want the right shaped bosom for a proper silhouette!

Now to find some bras....

 

[Lady Day]

Tons-o-photos!

These are from my Sears spring summer '43 catalog. War time fashions!
If you read some of the descriptions, youll catch some talk about rationing.

LD

 

[Lady Day]

There is a huge highlight on work clothes and service uniforms. Also with shoes as well.

LD

 

[Lady Day]

This catalog has the highest number of slacks for women Ive ever seen. You can see a real shift in the way ladies dressed.

LD

 

[Lady Day]

All the stockings listed were rayon or cotton. Silk and nylon were rationed.

LD

 

[Lady Day]

Again, something you never saw before, pages dedicated to maternity wear.

LD

 

[Lady Day]

LD

 

[Lady Day]

Last Page....

LD

 

[exquisitebones]

i want it all

 

[imported_miss_molly]

Those hats are FABULOUS!!! I Want.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

I'm most obsessed with the overalls (one lady has nothing under them!) and the shoes of course. THANKS LD!

 

[hotrod_elf]

I'm most obsessed with the overalls (one lady has nothing under them!) and the shoes of course. THANKS LD!

I'm all about that one too. I think I might be able to alter a dress pattern I have that in very similar.

 

[Inky]

oh Lady Day, I am so grateful for these scans! I woke up in a foul foul mood and the colors and images and SHOES have completely made me happy.

thanks!

 

[texasgirl]

Lady Day, thank you so much for scanning all of these! They will be a great resource!

 

[Cricket]

Lady Day, you just made my morning. I am going to be looking back at these posts for days.

 

[MissAmelina]

I think my heart just exploded from all that goodness....thank you thank you thank you for sharing.

 

[Lareesie Ladavi]

Wow! That is awesome. Some of those pages would be neat to frame.

I love the Nightingale line of shoes.

 

[Lady Day]

Glad you like the scans, Ladies
Im particularly fond of the slacks styles myself.
But I was fascinated by the pinafore and overalls pictures too. Those looks are SO early 40s!
The shoes, which I lust for anyway, I dont know, left me a little blah. I guess I was expecting more magic.

LD

 

[LizzieMaine]

The shoes, which I lust for anyway, I dont know, left me a little blah. I guess I was expecting more magic.

LD

It's the rationing again -- shoe designs were comparatively plain during the war because there weren't really the raw materials available to do anything too fanciful. Most of the designs that people think of today when they think of outlandishly glamorous forties shoes come out of the postwar New Look era, which wanted to get as far away as it could from the whole austerity thing.

Wonderful scans, LD. The wartime catalogues are much harder to find than the pre or postwar versions, so this is a great one to have!

 

[GreyAndWhiteCat]

Better Late Than Never

Lady Day,

these scans are simply fabulous!