Fashion In The 1940s

The Forties could be described by many as a decade of tension and transition, but there is so much beauty and innovation that has been born from the years during this period in American history. Without this decade, we would never have the Wizard of Oz which is a classic foundation to United States culture. The 1940’s decade was full of ground-breaking times including those in the fashion industry, the second World War, and entertainment in society. The shifting aspects of societal life are very much reflected in the fashion world during this time. New innovative designers emerge projecting new ideas and contrasting ideas to the looks women were used to at this point in time. One of these up and coming designers was “Parisian designer, Christian

Every civilian was affected by the war; someone that any given person knew was involved in the war. Even so that “during the four years following Pearl Harbor, Americans focused their lives on the war, even as they dreamed of and saved for the day it would end” (Schneider 1). American people lived in fear of the threat of the opposing country’s power. Especially at the end of the war when the use of nuclear weapons came into play and forever changed the ideals of warfare. The fear of the German and Japanese controlled the minds of society. A certain togetherness was born during the forties as everyone contributed to the war effort, whether it was donation of supplies, working in factories, or serving overseas. A new respect for soldiers came about and “civilians devoted even more time to supporting the morale of soldiers, sailors, and marines” (Schneider 2). Everyone wanted to help because until tis point no one had really seen the true grit and violence of war because television was being broadcasted to every home in the country showing the war. The USO or the United Service Organization was founded on the basis of helping the war effort through the servicemen. A certain “celebrity” status was given to the soldiers and sailors as children looked up to them and society glorified them as heroes. Lots of entertainment areas would offer their services to the men who have served for free and that is where we start giving those who have served discounts and special treatment, before this time, war time was seen as a customary routine. In effort to keep the citizens fear and panic low, “the war news that Americans heard was censored” (Schneider 3) and not everything that we know now about World War II people knew back then while it was going on. In order to keep the positive attitude about the war the government made “propaganda assault the