Bare Necessary.............1940 Style

 Okay, we continue on our journey through 1940's fashions, thanks to exhibit at Pacific War Museum. Fredericksburg, Texas.   This exhibit opened the door to a world that I didn't really know--I'm a WWII baby.  My dad was stationed with US Army in France--what he did, we are not sure and he never spoke of his service after his return.

Did you ever wear stockings?--Nylons, as they were called during the early part of 1940.

Hemlines rose due to the material shortage making hosiery essential.  The only stockings

available before 1940 were either cotton (too thick), saggy rayon or

expensive silk, which ripped easily.  Some gals either took to 'hosiery cream',

which provided an illusion of stockings or Some even took to using black

eyeliner to draw a seam down the back of their leg--seamed hosiery

was the rage.

Then on the market--nylon stockings appeared!  As soon

as they hit the stores, they vanished from the shelves.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the new material went

to military uses--in parachutes, aircraft fuel tanks, shoelaces,

mosquito netting.  Nylon became 'the fiber that won the war'

That led to another situation:

Nylon Riots!

Silk Chiffon Wedding dress, worn by Marjorie Brown on her

wedding day to Sgt. Denton Trautman

Silk!  no less

Such lovely design--my mother wore a silk satin wedding dress--

I remember when I was 5 or 6 wearing that dress while

I played around the house!  how could she let me wear such

a creation??!!

Here you have a Rayon crepe maternity dress:

L-85 exemption, which limited fabric yardage, did allow for

these exemptions: 

children below five

burial clothing

religious garments

wedding gowns

maternity dresses

These allowances showed that the American government had a 

commitment to protect core national values such as family and religion.

There is so much more to this exhibit--I wish you could walk through

this era as I did and experience the life style of the those who

sacrificed so much for our freedom