Women of the Era’s – 1940’s

Hi Dolls and Divas

I’d like to welcome you to the first blog of ‘Women of the Era’s’. I hope you enjoy them and take something away.

The 2^nd world war played a major role in the everyday fashions. To match the ecomonic atmosphere designers used the general wartime scence, the drabness and uniformity. This continued after the war ended in 1945. People just ‘made do’ with what they had and if something broke it got mended.

Military uniforms were seen at almost all civilian social occasions, this included a trip to the cinema’s, weddings, special gala events and even restaurants. At this time it was impossible to avoid the uniformed men and women.

Stockings of all types were scarce.  Not even rayon stockings were readily available. Women were encouraged to wear ankle socks.  Stockings might be found on the black market and later in the war many befriended an American G. I. in the hope of a pair of the new nylon stockings.  Otherwise it was make do and mend again and in the case of stockings, make do with leg make up or gravy browning and get a friend to draw a straight line down the back of the leg. 

Face make up was in short supply and news of a fresh stock of well known branded lipsticks at the local chemist meant that the shop sold out within an hour.  Munitions workers were encouraged to wear make up as a protective barrier to the grit and chemicals they worked amidst.     

Women working in dangerous conditions were helped to keep up their morale and Max Factor officials from America visited munitions factories handing out the new pancake make up and lipstick.  Ponds cold cream, Vaseline and Vitapointe conditioning cream for hair were the few items usually available.  Munitions workers often had skin that turned canary yellow if they handled lots of explosive materials.

The Veronica Lake hairstyle was very popular as was peroxide bleached hair.  Glamorous styles with curls were preferred to the short styles of the twenties. 

Some factories even installed hair salons to improve women's long term attendance. During this era Princess Elizabeth popularised the wearing of a headscarf tied under the chin. 

Clothing, textiles and furniture marked with the Utility scheme met certain specifications and were of good design.  By the end of rationing utility goods came to mean goodquality.  Many older citizens in their eighties still have damask tablecloths, blankets and easy chairs bearing the CC41 mark shown in the header are in good state.  

Women of the silver screen included:
Lucille Ball

Height:	5' 6"
Nickname:	Queen of the B movies
Born:	Aug 6, 1911
Died:	Apr 26, 1989  (78 years)
Maiden Years:	1929-1946
Birth Name:	Lucille Desiree Ball
Raised in:	Jamestown, New York

Katharine Hepburn

Height:	5' 8"
Nicknames:	Kate First Lady of Cinema
Born:	May 12, 1907
Died:	Jun 29, 2003  (96 years)
Maiden Years:	1925-1942
Birth Name:	Katharine Houghton Hepburn
Raised in:	Hartford, Connecticut

Betty  Grable

Height:	5' 4"
Nicknames:	The Pin-Up Girl The Girl With the Million Dollar Legs
Born:	Dec 18, 1916
Died:	Jul 2, 1973  (57 years)
Maiden Years:	1934-1951
Birth Name:	Elizabeth Ruth Grable
Raised in:	pin-up girl

Rita Hayworth

Height:	5' 6"
Nickname:	The Love Goddess
Born:	Oct 17, 1918
Died:	May 14, 1987  (69 years)
Maiden Years:	1936-1953
Birth Name:	Margarita Carmen Cansino
Raised in:	Brooklyn, New York