Utility fashion in pictures
One reason why I’m so interested in wartime British fashion and how it differed from the better-known American fashion of the same era is that it epitomizes how different the British and American experiences of World War 2 were. I think a lot of people interested in 1940s fashion and vintage tend to conflate what was worn in the UK with what was worn in the US, when in fact they were literally an ocean apart. Not a nice small ocean easily crossed by USPS International Priority Mail, either; a huge ocean studded with mines and marauding Nazi wolf packs. Women’s wear in the UK suffered a lot more restrictions and shortages, and had to adapt much more to considerations of practicality than in the US.
For instance, those peep-toe pinup shoes you love? Sorry, ladies — they were banned by the British government for the duration as being “frivolous and potentially dangerous“. Haircuts seem mostly to have been shorter than what we think of as the “typical” 1940s style –piled up on top, shoulder-length in back — because that was easier to style and care for, especially considering hairpin shortages. And dress styles were much, much simpler due to the UK’s tighter austerity restrictions.
Utility wasn’t just a minor feature of the landscape, either — it accounted for 80% of clothes produced during and after the war. Here are some photos of utility fashions from the Imperial War Museum archives. As you can see, it deserves the name. It’s well-cut and solidly made, but hardly exciting — after all, the point was to reduce demand. Still, why don’t ordinary women get suits this nice these days?
I love these girls. Note barrage balloon (not for show) in the background.
I suspect this is actually a man:
Hmmm. Darling, where is the Sudetenland?
This model looks like she’s afraid of heights.
And this one looks like she’s selling some product that will keep you from living the lonely life of a spinster due to inadequate feminine hygiene.
This dress is as adorable as the model wearing it, who’s the spitting image of Carey Mulligan. Picture from the (practically unsearchable) Hulton Archive. And hey, where did she get her peep-toes?
More great photos of utility fashion, from the 1942 British Vogue, can be found at the Freudian Slips Vintage blog.
I love British war time clothing. I think it’s amazing how fabulous such simple clothes can look.
It’s nice to live in a non rationed time and have a choice between US and UK war time fashions if you fancy going for the look though!
these are SO great…and I agree that Jonathan Walford’s book Forties Fashion is fantastic. My favourite about this post is the photo that might be a man in drag. Now THAT is an aspect of wartime history I’d love to know more about.
Hi ho! Joke. I’m 99% sure she’s not actually a man… but she bears an uncanny resemblance to friends of mine who are.
The book Forties fashion, siren suits etc is amazing, every Forties fan should have it. There is another amazing book, a huge tome, I am lucky enough to have it in the library at the university I teach at – it is called Wearing propaganda : textiles on the home front in Japan, Britain, and the United States, 1931-1945 / John W. Dower … [et al.] ; Jacqueline M. Atkins, editor.
Other Author(s):Dower, John W.
Atkins, Jacqueline.
Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture.
Publisher:New Haven, Conn. : Yale University Press, c2005.
It is textile focussed, but talks about the garments from the UK, US, Australia as well as the enemy – Japan. It is well worth a look. It also goes into detail about rationing, lifestyle and so on.
We also have a wonderful exhibition on at the moment here in Melbourne, Australia. Called “Over Paid, Over-Sexed and Over Here” U.S Marines in Wartime Melbourne, 1943. It has wonderful photos and stories about the US marines who were stationed here, and their memories of Melbourne. This is a link to some of the photos…
http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Whatson/overhere/Pages/Imagecollection.aspx
I’m learning a lot from your blog. For instance I never knew that there was no food rationing in the USA. or clothing either. I guess I read about rationing and thought it was relatively universal. My mom, who grew up during the war, would serve us bread and scrape it when we were kids in the sixties. We learned to make our own sandwiches in self defense. LOL I guess the family was on their own form of rationing, being as there were 8 or so girls at home at any one time and they lived on a carpenter’s wage. Grandpa was English but he came over to the USA just after the end of WWI, 1918 I believe. he was 17.
Well, there was some rationing of food and goods in the USA. But it wasn’t nearly as comprehensive or as long-lasting as rationing in the UK. And although there were clothing restrictions in the USA, they weren’t as strict.
I didn’t know most of this stuff either, before I started this project. I’m learning as I go. It’s pretty great.
This is exactly why your blog is one of my favorites!
Being across the pond, I’ve really only experienced researching about US wartime restrictions and the more glamorized (thanks to Hollywood) British austerity of the wartime period. So it’s great to not only get a look at what British gals were wearing, but understand a bit more just how restricted and regulated things were (and had to be). Interestingly enough, even though the outfits are a far cry from the overly glitzy and glam looks Hollywood and the magazines of the period were promoting, a few of these outfits are appealing and it looks like all these ladies managed to try and emulate glamor as best the circumstances could allow. 
I have got to get “Forties Fashion”; I hinted to my mom I wanted it for my birthday this year, but I may not be able to wait that long! haha!
♥ Casey
blog | elegantmusings.com
Thank you for sharing the British perspective! I wonder if it is because of American films from or depicting the era that we imagine fashion looking the same way the world over?
Also, that one woman does not just look afraid of heights, she looks so terrified that she’s about to lose her lunch, poor thing!
GREAT photos. simple dresses, but very nice detail. I’m trying to force myself to move up to wearing hosiery. maybe this fall. thanks for the blog entry. Kitty
I already have a date for dinner at Kitchen Front!
I like the book Forties Fashion: From Siren Suits to the New Look for its wide-ranging look at fashion in countries affected by the war — not just the US and UK but Austria, Germany and occupied France.
Thanks for the tip! The library has it and I’ve placed it on hold.
Can’t wait for your report on your Utility Dinner!
I find the comparisons between different countries’ experience of WWII really interesting — it’s so true, everyone seems to think it looked like the US everywhere! (I would love to see what the occupied Parisian stuff looked like, I’ve read such bizarre things about it.)
Speaking of Utility, I read about Kitchen Front yesterday, and I’m so hoping you’ll give it a try and give us a full report!!