Fashion During World War I

1231 Words5 Pages
During a time so catastrophic and chaotic, when aspects of life such as politics and the economy were changing, fashion was no different. During and after World War II, different styles were being introduced for both men and women including the people in the military. Clothing became more stylized and glamorous for women, men’s clothing lagged in having drastic changes and military outfits became both more protective and more professional (depending on the type of uniform). This is all proven by the contents of this essay and created for a better understanding of how fashion was impacted by the war. To begin, fashion was changed for women because women’s clothing became more stylized and glamorous. During the war there war many governmental…show more content…
New products for coloring the legs in order to imitate the appearance of stockings were introduced, such as Elizabeth Arden's "Velva Leg Film," appearing in an advertisement in a 1941 Ladies Home Journal. To complete the look, black eyeliner was used to draw fake seams down the backs of the legs. The bobby sock also became a popular alternative to wearing stockings, especially among teenage girls. Different materials such as straw were used to make women’s hats. Another thing that was banned was zippers, in both men and women's clothing to preserve metal. In 1947, a fashion revolution occurred, sparked by Christian Dior and his “New Look.” This look, once again, emphasized the female figure and dresses featured soft shoulders, a slightly-padded bodice, a wasp waist, and a full skirt flaring out from the hips and grazing the calves. These gowns were worn with sheer stockings and small high heeled shoes. Skirts used about 10 to 15 and sometimes even 30 yards of fabric, the big skirt was balanced with a wide brim hat. Blouses were low cut and showed more cleavage that had been seen in public since the
Open Document