1940's Costumes - Fashions during WWII

War-time rationing had an effect on fashions of the 1940's. Materials were being used for the war effort, so purchases of clothing, shoes and stockings was limited. The motto of the day was "make do or do without".

After the war, Christian Dior's "New Look" was introduced, much to the chagrin of the US and UK governments who frowned on the "excessive" use of fabric. The New Look outfits consisted of a fitted jacket, tiny waist and full, longer skirt - some of these outfits used as much as a shocking 80 yards of fabric!