British Fashion From A Post-War World

The war brought deprivation to resources where many luxuries were scarce and even food was rationed. Many fashion related industries were on pause from the war and when the war ended in 1945 the effects still lingered for several years. This was coupled with shortages of fundamental resources such as housing and food meaning people could not just go back to their previous pre-war lives, much had changed hence 1945 was referred to as ‘year zero’. War debt and post war inflation were of great concern and rationing and price control still continued for several years. However Britain did connect strongly to allies such as the United States, France, Russia, Canada, Australia this connection also influenced British culture.

Due to the war there was restrictions on resources and production from 1941 to 1946; there was a reduction in textiles and the amount of fabric designers and manufacturers were allowed to use, restrictions were also placed on the amount of pockets and on fastening on garments. This led to a change to fashion where practicality and quality became of great importance and a utilitarian style was evident during the war years. However, many people returned to the pre-war lives after the war as their returned to their usual jobs, where many women had worked for patriotic duty, - enjoyed the money and independence although equal pay was still a far progress; many were expected to go back to their domestic, family lives to make way for the men’s jobs when they returned from the war. Also, the much advertising for returning veterans and their brides were of the “American Dream”, which was of a house, car, home accessories, new television; which also became highly influenced into Britain and with the bloom of consumerism which was buying beyond their needed necessities, which greatly benefited the fashion industry. Due to civilians becoming tired of rationing, they turned to luxurious (and expressive) fashion therefore bring a frantic rise in couture fashion brands, whereby more lavish trends were introduced and highly popularised. Also as couples settled into family life, where soon maternal clothing dramatically increased. Due to the fashion in the war, women’s fashion did take on an almost masculine silhouette due the the uniform from the jobs they took on and due to the restrictions put on fabric used in productions this led to a more simplified silhouette as there wasn’t more fabric to exentuate features. As soon as the war was over and predictions and resources started to recovery women instantly went back a feminine silhouette which was why the ‘New Look’ designed by Christian Dior was so successful.

As restrictions were released and resources were no longer rationed, designers soon became more extravagant in their designs, where more fabric was used as skirts became bigger and the rise in the hour glass figure. Chritian dior had been a designer from 1941 to 1946 in the alter lucien belong where he had worked alongside Pierre Balmain, but in 1946 he made his own fashion house which he wanted to remake the clothes that he remembered when he was younger and that his mother wore such as long skirts and petticoats. By his lucky number 8, he introduced the hour-glass figure which pinched you in the waist which he created the ‘new look’ in 1947 most iconic look is the nipped-waist, full-skirted Bar suit from the Spring 1947 collection, so, color came back into fashion. Drab colors were replaced with “shocking feminine primary colorsstyle was very much influenced from the 1910s fashion, with the elements of the tiny waist, soft shoulders, full long skirt and prominent bosomal. Though this sort of silhouette had been done before, Christian Dior brought this elegance from evening also into day time wear. However, there was some backlash as some people complained by the expspenses of the look and also the length of the skirt the square should was one of the most popular styles as it balances wide his in straight skirt dior full skirt contained 18 meters much was to exaggerate the top half of the body for the hourglass. Shape shoulder pads were used the new look became a dominant style that also led into the 1950s. As of the extravagant use of material was a reaction of wartime deprivation after the war minimalism was still prominent as never before did clothing use such limited and small of fabric before, as tops were often short sleeved and knee length skirts as the close fitted style accentuated the female silhouette.

Minimalism was still very much prominent after the war and the Parisian designer Jacques heim took the step further by the showing the midriff by a two-piece bathing suit called ‘L’Atome’ which was made from less than a square foot of fabric. However, much of his bathing suit wear was banned from many public beaches which celebrated ultra-femininity and opulence in womens fashion it was said that “the clothes had ‘such a new look’” (Walford) that this phrase became the name of his designsromantic image.

Due to the war and the introduction of utilitarian style, this led to many people of all classes dressing of similar style and also to make people of lower classes receive clothing that looked similar to clothing of high-end fashion. Due to this, after the war with great consumerism and want for luxuries this led to many high-street clothing introduced clothing mimicked high-end clothing Therefore, not soon after the war many women between classes were not as distinctive.