German fashion magazines (1939 und 1940)

[Stray Cat]

I'm not German.
My grandma wasn't German.
And these magazines were available in all German occupied countries at that time.



I post these for FASHION only.

 

[Drappa]

Even though there were some men who would have liked to push the no-make-up for the arian wife rule, this was apparently largely ignored, especially among the wives of NS leaders. I guess during the war make-up wasn't easily available, so if women stopped using it it was because of lack of availability rather than ideology.
Also see:
http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-17871113.html

 

[Stray Cat]

WOW..
I just read the text..

This part:
The psychologist Erich Fromm interviewed white collar workers ... their image of women: two out of three found that married women belonged to the kitchen, working people considered them to be "places thieves", powder, perfume and lipstick were almost all reprehensible.

I don't like that.. but that was then..
Still: I like the fashion.

 

[Katinka von K.]

I got my hands on a "Modenschau" magazine dated 1941 including the patterns (thatswhy I asked earlier) and on the first page it doesn´t only explain the tasks of young women in german society during war but also sends bithday greetings to Hitler. That´s the only propaganda I could find in the whole magazine, luckily.

 

[FraeuleinBerlin]

I post these for FASHION only.

Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, I hope I didn't offend you! I was just interested to see this. I study German and do a lot of history in with it... I'm writing about women's history from 1890-1990 right now, but it's mostly about the idealised view of women at the time, not fashion. It's interesting to see how hugely the two can differ sometimes!

 

[Lady Day]

ge it with the already existing post) because I think it can be useful.. for those who are here for the first time.. or those who just want to see clothing essentials of the '39 to '40.
It's just an idea..

I think the thread stands on its own. Great content, although, the first few posts of images are not showing for me. All the others are.

Ill add this thread link to the resources thread we have thats a sticky like the other essentials posts.

Keep 'em commin'!

LD

 

[Drappa]

Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, I hope I didn't offend you! I was just interested to see this. I study German and do a lot of history in with it... I'm writing about women's history from 1890-1990 right now, but it's mostly about the idealised view of women at the time, not fashion. It's interesting to see how hugely the two can differ sometimes!

That sounds really interesting, what are your findings about 1940's German women so far?
I find that even today women in Germany don't generally wear as much make-up as women here in the UK or in North America. It seems like a completely different aesthetic and you can tell from advertising that there's a much different and more natural beauty ideal. Obviously there's exceptions to the rule, but every time I go back to Germany I feel completely "over-painted" and over-dressed in what what would be average in the UK. Now that you brought it up I wonder if that is a remnant from the old ideologies. My grandmother (born in 1919) never wore make-up or shaved her legs, but my aunt (born 1953) did.

 

[Katinka von K.]

That´s interesting to read. But I think there´s a change going on. The younger generation, lets say 30 years and younger, wears make-up quite a lot, especially those unter the age of 20. But mostly only eye make-up and some lip gloss. Real lipstick is rare. Most people still seem to consider make-up to be reserved for special occassions. My mother, who is in her late 40s, never wore any and she probably never will. She finds it unnessecary and is always a bit annoyed when I put on eyeliner and mascara before we go out shopping.

I guess it´s not only the years of war that influenced the attitude towards make up but also our history after war. Millions of women had lost their husbands and the fathers of their children, their houses or their homes. They had to rebuild a whole country ("Trümmerfrauen") and had bigger worries. Then there was the separation of Western and Eastern Germany in 1949. While in Western Germany most women lived the "classic" life of a 50s wife with kids and household, women in the socialist GDR worked full-time, some of them in factories. As far as I know make-up in the GDR wasn´t of good quality either. Of course that´s all wild guess, I don´t have any hard facts to prove it.

 

[Stray Cat]

Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, I hope I didn't offend you!

FraeuleinBerlin,
I'm not offended..
I just wanted to state that this isn't any kind of propaganda..

Lady Day,
I'll try to see what went wrong with the firs set of pictures.. I hope I'll fix it..

 

[Stray Cat]

Found the problem!
Yay for me!!

Unfortunately, Photobucket messed something up with my firs set of uploads.. that's why probably no one can see them. So, I'm posting them again..
(I hope these are the right ones..)

Mode im Bild, March 1939

...

 

[Stray Cat]

Part 2:

And a quick cooking guide...

Ladies (and gents).. enjoy.

 

[susan]

That´s interesting to read. But I think there´s a change going on. The younger generation, lets say 30 years and younger, wears make-up quite a lot, especially those unter the age of 20. But mostly only eye make-up and some lip gloss. Real lipstick is rare. Most people still seem to consider make-up to be reserved for special occassions. My mother, who is in her late 40s, never wore any and she probably never will. She finds it unnessecary and is always a bit annoyed when I put on eyeliner and mascara before we go out shopping.

I guess it´s not only the years of war that influenced the attitude towards make up but also our history after war. Millions of women had lost their husbands and the fathers of their children, their houses or their homes. They had to rebuild a whole country ("Trümmerfrauen") and had bigger worries. Then there was the separation of Western and Eastern Germany in 1949. While in Western Germany most women lived the "classic" life of a 50s wife with kids and household, women in the socialist GDR worked full-time, some of them in factories. As far as I know make-up in the GDR wasn´t of good quality either. Of course that´s all wild guess, I don´t have any hard facts to prove it.

I agree, many women only wearing eye make up and a little bit of lip gloss or "nude" colors. I sometimes feel a little bit "over-painted" when I have the courage to wear red lined lips in public. When you´re going to a vintage event almost every woman is wearing red lipstick, but if you´re going to the mall or any other place you rarely find women wearing full make up. Many older women ( 70 and older ) still do their full make up and hair routine every day. And only they go to the hairdresser every week for setting their hair, because they still take care about her look.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

I a bit tardy to the party but I am really loving the scans you have been posting what beautiful clothes!!!

 

[Stray Cat]

I'm back with more pictures..

Mode im Bild, March 1940

The great mystery:

....

 

[Stray Cat]

Part 2:

 

[Stray Cat]

Here's more..

Mode im Bild, November 1939


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[Stray Cat]

Part 1:

.....

 

[Stray Cat]

Part 2:

Recipe for a "thick soup":

......

 

[Stray Cat]

Part 3:

...
Well, there's gonna be just one more photo post (coming soon) .. and then I'm all out of magazines...
Enjoy!

 

[Stray Cat]

Last post of German magazines..
So..
Mode im Bild, September 1939
......