US Garment industry - 1930s and 1940s

[Two Types]

The Library of Congress has lots of industry photos of the American industry in the 1930s and 1940s.
They are all from Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection

Half-made garments on the racks, awaiting final operations of the machines, in cooperative garment factory, Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936

New York. Meeting of Local 48, International Ladies Garment Workers union, 1943:

Opening of garment factory, Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936:

Some of the operators at the Jersey Homesteads garment factory working at their machines for union wages and under union conditions. Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936

Boris Drasin, president of the workers' Aim Association Inc., works as an operator in the garment factory at a the same wage as the other operators. Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936:

Barry Leving, a tailor in the cooperative garment factory at the Jersey Homesteads, a United States Resettlement Administration subsistence homestead project. Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936:

Louis Gushen, chief cutter in the cooperative garment factory of Jersey Homesteads, is cutting the pattern for a woman's coat. Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936:

Seventh Avenue and West 28th Street, New York. Garment workers leave the factories for noon hour, 1936:

Auction of secondhand garments. Boise, Idaho, 1941

 

[Two Types]

Auction of secondhand garments. Boise, Idaho - 1941:

New York. Loading trucks in the garment district, 1943:

New York. Jewish worker in the N.M. dress shop which is now making blouses for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). he is a member of local 89 of the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union, 1943:

"Need a spring coat? Be sure to look at the label to find the wool content of the garment. If you know exactly what you're buying, you'll know what the cost should be and how to take care of it
... Pric control exceptions story. As a war measure, price ceilings have been placed on nearly everything Americans eat, wear, and use. Clothing and furniture are among many articles controlled by the OPA (Office of Price Administration) order"

Measuring girl for a coat in cooperative garment factory at Jersey Homesteads, Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936:

Mannequin modelling coat, made at the Jersey Homesteads garment factory, at the showroom in New York City, 1936:

Making hats in the cooperative garment factory at Jersey Homesteads, Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936:

Style show of the opening of garment factory, Hightstown, New Jersey, 1936

(P.S. The captions are the originals as listed in the Library of Congress)

 

[Two Types]

"Secondhand clothing store, Columbus, Ohio" 1938

"People making purchases from white proprietor of street clothing stall, Black Belt, Chicago, Illinois" 1941

"Dry goods and clothing store, Manchester, New Hampshire" 1937

"Secondhand clothing store, Corpus Christi, Texas" 1939:

"Proprietor of credit clothing store in Mexican district, San Antonio, Texas" 1939:

"Clothing store with tailor in doorway, Mexican district, San Antonio, Texas" 1939v (look at the jacket backs!)

"Fall clothing window display, Windsor Locks, Connecticut" 1939

"Secondhand clothing stores and pawn shops on Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee" 1939:

"Black citizens buying secondhand clothing with the money they earned picking cotton. Clarksdale, Mississippi Delta, Mississippi" 1939:

 

[Two Types]

"Window shopping, Manchester, New Hampshire" 1937

"Farm family window shopping, Williston, North Dakota" 1937

"Washington, D.C. Girls window shopping" 1943

"Detroit, Michigan. Fashion show presented by the Chrysler Girls' Club of the Chrysler Corporation at Saks Fifth Avenue store. Typical American girl " 1943

"Detroit, Michigan. Fashion show presented by the Chrysler Girls' Club of the Chrysler Corporation at the Saks Fifth Avenue store. Girl modelling a brassiere and girdle" 1942

"Material from last year's garment fashions the skirt of Cynthia's dress. By making some of the clothes for herself and her family, a woman can fully utilize all leftovers. To conserve fabric, old garments should be re-made when not worn out. Mothers with young children "cut down" discarded adult coats, suits and dresses, conservation measure of an earlier generation" 1943

"Detroit, Michigan. Fashion show presented by the Chrysler Girls' Club of the Chrysler Corporation at Saks Fifth Avenue store. Girl modelling a typical afternoon dress" 1942

"Mexicans looking at suits for sale, San Antonio, Texas" 1939

"Salesman displaying sample of suit material to farmer, Hammond, Louisiana" 1939:

"Aero Leather Coat Company, Inc. Designer demonstrates double-breasted flap on lamb's wool flying suit " 1942

 

[simonc]

Love it TT, keep 'em coming, so good!

 

[dh66]

Very cool to see. Thanks for posting these.

 

[Two Types]

Clothes shop 1922:

(note the uniform style jacket on display to the left)

Shoe repair shop, circa 1920:

Clothes shop, circa 1920:

Wells Corset shop, Washington DC, 1920:

Mignon hat shop, early 1920s:

Horn The Tailor, Washington DC, early 1920s:

From Library of Congress, National Photo Company Collection

 

[Dostioffsky]

Love those stores and market stands!

This jacket has great pockets, I think:

 

[Two Types]

I found it interesting that the second hand dealers showed off the back of the belt back jackets.

 

[Shinobichi]

Wow...thanks for uploading these pics!!! I was salivating! Wish I had a time machine...hahaa you're so right about the backs of those jackets!

Shinobichi

 

[Two Types]

Woman at sewing machine in New York tailor shop on University Place near 11th Street, 1936

Washington, D.C. A tailor in Frank's cleaning and pressing establishment altering a pair of pants for a customer, 1942

Pressing a coat in tailor shop. San Augustine, Texas, 1939

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Isidore Rubinoff, the tailor for the Greyhound Company, measures a new driver for his uniform 1943

Sosnick & Thalheimer, business in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Menswear 1950

Rogers, Peet & Co., business at 600 5th Ave., New York. Men's clothing section 1953

John Wanamaker, business in Great Neck, Long Island, New York. Men's clothing 1951

De Pinna, business at 5th Ave. and 52nd St., New York City. Men's clothing 1951

Men pulling racks of clothing on busy sidewalk in Garment District, New York City 1955

 

[Two Types]

Group of sweatshop workers in shop of M. Silverman. 30 Suffolk St., N. Y. Feb. 21, 1908. Location: New York, New York (State)

Man loaded down with heavy bundle of vests that he had been carrying for many blocks, stopping to rest, occasionally, when he would drop the bundle down onto whatever boxes or railings were available, (even tho[ugh] they were dirty). Location: [New York, New York (State)] 1912

Aero Leather Coat Company, Inc. : Clipping excess wool along seam edge 1942

Aero Leather Coat Company, Inc. : Pattern cutting 1942

Aero Leather Coat Company, Inc. : Stamping horsehide suspender straps 1942

Best Coat and Apron Mfg. Company : Operating automatic buttonhole making machine 1942

Pressing a hat -- Dunlap factory (circa 1910)

Top turning collars by Machinery, Troy, N.Y. 1928

 

[ChrisT]

yes thank you a lot Two Types

 

[dh66]

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Isidore Rubinoff, the tailor for the Greyhound Company, measures a new driver for his uniform 1943

Ha!! How many businesses with uniformed employees have a tailor on staff to make sure the uniforms fit properly these days?