In times of war we ration as a society. What we once understood as needs we then realize they were wants when war takes them away. Whether countries are at war for supremacy or we as a world are at war with an enemy that cannot be seen nor heard we learn the world we once knew no longer exists. Always have faith- the human race is made to adapt to change and adjust to what is our new normal.
I decided to take a look at fashion during the last World Wars (WWI & WWII) and the current (World War Against COVID-19) to see how we adjusted then to learn how we can adjust now.
In World War I, women took the jobs of men as men joined the war effort. This could be seen as the first effort on a national level to show women can do the same work as men. With women’s roles now outside the home on a large scale massive change occurred. New environment, new world, new fashion and beauty trends that have lasted that we still use today:
- Makeup for the masses:
Prior to World War I, wearing makeup was considered taboo and was publicly reserved for stage actresses and street workers. With women moving from the home to the workforce, and the men on the front lines, they finally had possession and control of there own checkbooks. Where did they spend it you ask? Advertisements with slogans such as “Beauty has a Duty to Beauty” in order to prevent “war face” took to the publications in full force. One of makeup’s pioneers Helena Rubinstein ad’s told women, “Even if your social or professional life does not demand it, your patriotism demands that you keep your face bright and attractive so that you radiate optimism.” So even if we are contributing as much, or if not more as men, we still have to radiate optimism (translate to look our best) at all times?
Just look at the lines in Sephora to see what started in World War I is in full swing today. The advertisements may have different slogans but the underlining message is still the same.
2. Hair Removal Industry:
We can blame Darwin for us believing that body hair needed to be removed. In 1871, his book Descent of Man theorized, “Homo sapiens have less body hair than his/her antecedents because less hairy mates were more sexually attractive.”
While many of high society were able to adhere to this notion, the rest of the majority did not need to- it was an expense not needed as long skirts covered up everything anyway.
With the coming of the Great War came women finally having control of the finances. With liberation in life comes liberation in fashion as the skirts became shorter. Disposable income, skin finally deemed appropriate to be exposed, plus ads telling women that they need to “look like women” even if they do the jobs of men equals the birth of the hair removal industry to the masses.
Gillette introduced Milady Décolletée razors in 1915, prettily boxed for the fashion conscious: changed the world as we know it. How much have you spent on hair removal in your lifetime? Remember we think of it as a need but it STARTED as a want and advertisements as well the view of women by the world made it a need.
3. The Trench Coat:
We have the Great War to thank for this fashion staple. All-weather, breathable fabric, a chemically processed fine cotton gabardine that was approved for military use was patented by Burberry in 1912. First known as the Tielocken, the term trench coat came about when British soldiers wore the coat in the trenches of World War I. What originated for men eventually took the female population by storm. With the help of the Hollywood glam style of the 1940’s & 1950’s what started in the trenches moved to the runway and has moved into all of our closets today.
Necessity is the mother of invention. With the rationing of materials used in garment production for World War II a new type of fashion emerged. Gone were the days of over the top glam and in was a simpler, classier look. Think of it, how many times have we referred to an item as “classic?” Did you know the “classic” look came about from war?
- The Birth of the Jumpsuit:
This fashion staple which saw a rise in the disco era that dominates the fashion world today originated in World War II. The jumpsuit was warm and comfortable and featured pockets for papers and valuables. It was meant to be put on quickly if the sirens blew. Elsa Schiaparell, rival to Coco Chanel, in the 1930’s, shook up the fashion world with her easy-on, easy-off air-raid suit, complete with matching gas mask, velvet turban and flask.
So how did we go from a suit made for raids complete with a gas mask as an accessory to:
Cher in the 1970’s the epitome of disco glam.
Jump suit becomes couture at 2018 a MET Ball look worn by Kendall Jenner:
Fast Forward to 2020: Back to the days of the war but instead of a gas mask the accessory is the face mask as worn by Diane Kruger:
We went from using the jumpsuit as protective gear, to it being a sexy disco glam statement, to fashion couture? Fashion always reinvents itself. However, in times of war we go back to simplicity and simplicity is now back in style.
2. The rise of the two piece swimsuit:
In the 1930’s, women cross Europe first began wore a two-piece bathing suits that consisted of a halter top and shorts, with a sliver of the midriff showing and the navel unexposed. Due to the fabric rationing required in World War II, American women started adopting this trend. Can you believe the idea of what is know as a “sexy” style today arose from that we didn’t have enough material to make something??? Necessity is the mother of invention indeed.
In the first war free summer of 1946 in Europe Parisian designers Jacques Heim and Louis Reard, developed the first prototypes of the modern day bikini. Reard named the bikini after the Pacific Island atoll that the United States targeted just four days earlier for Operation Corssroads- the nuclear experiments that left several coral islands uninhabitable and produced higher-than-predicted radiation levels.
So the bikini arose out of lack of material, was equated with a nuclear bomb test, and now is fashion? Fashion always arise out of necessity- it is a need and we with our advertising dollars and checkbooks turn it into a want.
In 2020, in the war against COVID-19 some trends have flooding our social media feeds:
- Reinforcing the Government’s Messaging Through Fashion:
As well as expressing how one feels about the virus through fashion:
So while this may not be a necessity at least we are not wearing the Rosé All Day attire anymore so we are stepping in the right direction. Even though I would not wear it during a crisis, I still love my Treadmill then Tequila shirts.
2. Pillow as clothing trend: All you need to do is strap a pillow around your body and take a pic:
We can all take a lesson from our war time predecessors. They invented out of necesssity; we are clearly inventing out of boredom. Has isolation not taught us at all to seek acceptance of ourselves rather than the “likes” of others?
Maybe if we all focused less on working for the approval for others and more on bettering ourselves someone stuck in quarantine will be inventing the next fashion legacy rather than strapping a pillow to their waist.
Fashion HerStory 