1941 Utility Design/Clothing & Making do

http://emersonmerrick.blogspot.com/2009/03/mend-and-make-do.html Make do and mend, American folk quilters

http://www.hud.ac.uk/schools/library/hip/design/lecture/utility.html
http://www.fashion-era.com/utility_clothing.htm
http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Modern-World-1930-1945/Rationing-Fashion-in-the-United-States.html
http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Modern-World-1930-1945/British-Utility-Clothing.html

During World War II (1939-1945), as part of their overall effort to involve all citizens in the war effort, the government of Great Britain declared that all nonmilitary clothing should be simply and plainly designed. Practicality, rather than style, was the rule.

Civilian clothing became less frequently replaced, and more often was mended when the individual item otherwise might have been discarded. Old items of clothing were reshaped and sewn into new ones. Even wedding gowns were re-used by sisters and friends of the bride and finally were remade into nightgowns or underwear. Fashion magazines published patterns, or clothing designs, that illustrated how men's suits could be altered into women's suits and women's dresses could be transformed into clothing for girls.

Because of the restrictions of war, people became more imaginative in the ways they used clothing to express their sense of style. Simple black dresses became popular because they easily could be re-worn with different colored scarves, bows, and pins. Hairstyles became more ornate and imaginative. Men's clothing even became more casual and vibrant. While not in uniform, a man might sport a brightly patterned tie. Soldiers arriving home from fighting in the Pacific brought with them colorful aloha shirts.

Pillowcases would be turned into white shorts for summer. Wedding dresses would be worn several times, borrowed by sisters and friends, until the original 1939 bride in desperation for new items, remade the dress up into underwear, French Knickers or nightgowns. The only way to have feminine underwear was to sew it yourself. Skirts were made from men's old plus fours or trousers. Cast offs would be made into children's clothes. Collars would be added and trims applied all to eke out a limited wardrobe.
Women who could sew dresses had trouble getting hold of fabrics so they used everything from industrial blackout cloth to parachute silk or the harsher new parachute nylon. Blankets were used to make coats and old voluminous swagger coats cut into smaller garments. Pillowcases were trimmed with lace and made into blouses. Nothing was wasted and even milk top discs were covered in raffia and made into handbags or accessories.

Wool socks were unravelled to have the yarn intermixed with random colours in fair isle designs often to make short waist cardigans or V neck sleeveless waistcoats for either sex.



Siren suits were the original jumpsuit and the all enveloping sometimes tartan cloth garment was a huge hit especially at night when sirens called citizens to the air raid shelter for cover. With its quick zippered front individuals could wear the suit over pyjamas making it ideal for children. The princesses Elizabeth and Margaret both owned siren suits as did Winston Churchill and others. The siren suit was practical and warm in draughty situations. Later in the 1960s it was developed into evening wear in slinky Pucci prints.
Over the siren suit some would have donned a Kangaroo cloak coat so called because of its huge roomy kangaroo pockets. The oversized pockets were ideal to stack with essential items as they ran through the house to an air raid shelter.
The severe shortage of leather meant that other thick sole materials such as cork was used. The wedge sole was clumpy, but sturdy and wearers could walk for miles as the wedge stopped the hard road from making feet sore. They also lasted a long time and needed minimal repair as did clogs which were ration free, but noisy in wear.

Other popular clothing items disappeared, including dresses, blouses, ties, and underwear made of silk, rubber-soled shoes, and leather shoes and handbags. Leather shoes were replaced by those made of canvas, mesh, and reptile skin; elevated wood and cork soles substituted for leather and rubber soles.