The War of Style

A fashion enthusiast is forever in debt to World War II. From bikinis to bomber jackets and baggy pants, the most tragic war in human history made the fashion world an interesting place without intending to. While the years between '39 to '45 should never have happened, it has given us a lot to think about and learn from and especially to be proud of. In this article, I will highlight the twists and turns the fashion industry has taken during the war era, the results of which can still be found in the closets of a good many millennials, and even Gen Z's.

Yes, WW II saw a lot of rationing and compromising in the civil world. And yes, the fashion industry suffered in every way imaginable - except for creativity, that is. Despite these harsh times, or maybe even because of them, people had shown an ingenuity which still beats us today. Nations in wartime had to make do without privileges, and that forced people to think of ways to look well turned out without using much. In a word, they had to be practical.

And yet they proved to be more creative than ever. Clothing stores suffered severe restrictions: Cloth rationing, so much so that double lining, extra pockets, and length of the clothes were banned, reduced what civilians could wear. If I told you that Britain saved about 5 billion square metres of cotton per year, you would get an idea of the extent of these measures.

The most significant change in women's fashion at that time were the plunging necklines, mercilessly chopped hems, and shoulder-climbing sleeves. That's right - all of these were a result of rationing. If the rationing hadn't happened, or maybe if it it didn't happen to the extent that they did, then maybe we would still be wearing midi-skirts instead of minis. It made the evolution faster, and we thank rationing for it.

Let me start by telling you about some legendary designs that have their origins way back in the mid-1900's.

The Bomber Jacket: Never mind the fact that their ancestors were created in 1917 by the Americans as flight jackets. The bomber jacket will always find a special place in my heart as the most legendary leather jacket known to mankind. In 1917, WW I aviators had to sit in the freezing cold of the open air cockpits being shot at by their enemies, all while climbing up to a height of 15,000ft. So the sheepskin, fur lined, parka like insulating version of the bomber jacket was introduced, then known as the flight jacket. Over time, with the improvement of cockpit conditions and the need for lighter and more comfortable attire, aviators in WW II were wearing the modern, leather bomber jacket. And you know what? Not only did it protect soldiers on fighter planes, it made them look stylish and classy. And even when the boys got home, the jacket was still around, as it is today, a little less than a century later.

                 

The Bikini: As you know, clothes got shorter and skimpier, thanks to rationing. So two French dudes took to competing at who could make the tiniest women's swimsuit. The Frenchman who won was Louis Reard, who came up with the famous, or should I say infamous at the time, bikini beachwear in July 5th, 1946. A genuine bikini could pass through a wedding ring. Ever heard of Bikini Atoll? It was the island where the USA resumed nuclear testing by dropping an atomic bomb on the beach. So when Reard launched his 'smaller than the smallest swimsuit in the world' four days after the test, he thought of Bikini Atoll. Hence the name. The bikini has been reigning over beaches for 67 years now! Who knew that the shortage of cloth could bring about such ingenuity?                                                    

The Jumpsuit: Surely you've seen a black and white movie where a young paratrooper, standing at the doorway of the plane, looks down  with pieces of his jumpsuit flapping in the wind? Well, it's safe to say that the fashion gods work in mysterious ways. Who knew that the jumpsuit, an incredibly simple, practical and no frill piece of clothing could've come such a long way? As you might have already guessed, the jumpsuit was first made in 1919 for paratroopers. A one piece with the top and pants attached, it was used during combat until it found its way into something else at least a decade later - siren suits. Both men and women had a jumpsuit to quickly get into during an air raid. As air raids happened frequently in Europe at the time, these onesies became a part of life. And as we humans always do, we needed to add creativity to this indestructible piece of clothing. Women started making jumpsuits a fashionable, daily wear trend, by adding belts, collars, and buttons and making it runway-worthy.

                                                                                                                                     

These are just a few. But, even with all the barriers that fashion designers faced during wartime, it's safe to say that the earliest examples of the  most creative and classic masterpieces were created at a time of compromises. Even for other forms of art, I bet that artists had a gold mine of ideas at the time of war. It doesn't take more for people like you and me to understand that a lot of art, after all, is philosophical. Although I may seem patronizing when I say this, but today's fashion lacks creativity. That's why so many trends keep coming back, and few ever come out with a whole new look.

While writing this piece it occurred to me that us humans make do with creativity during times of difficulty. You don't have to look at such a tragedy as a world war to know that. I for one feel inspired by that. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and felt the same as I did. Thank you all for reading!

                                                                                  xxxx

References:

Clothes Rationing And Its Affect On Fashion WW2 | Imperial War Museums

WARdrobe: Fashion and World War II — Google Arts & Culture

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BOMBER JACKET

Vogue’s fashion encyclopaedia: The history of the jumpsuit | Vogue India

Fashion on the Ration: The Evolution of the Bikini | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans