Rations were introduced due to a shortage in supplies. How clothes rationing affected fashion in the second world. It was intended to provide housewives with useful tips on how to be both frugal and stylish in times of harsh rationing. You can see more of this our major exhibition, fashion on the ration. Make do and mend by jill norman, 9781782430278, available at book. In it youll find precious vogue and hollywood patterns for skirts, jackets, boleros, head pieces. The book even explains how to use the ration cards to get the most out of clothing stamps. How to save money with old makedoandmend ideas the wartime motto makedo and mend is good advice again these days and the good news.
Wartime fashion sticker dressing from usborne thefableists. People got creative across the country out of necessity, finding ways to make and care for clothes and forge their own wartime style. Winifred cairns clothing ration book from 19421943 twcms. Clothing book make do, mend, world war, world war ii. Reproduction of a wartime guide for british people living on rations. How clothing fell victim to world war ii austerity in the summer of 1941, with the second world war at its height, president of the board of trade oliver lyttelton did. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. They are in the office of the kennington branch of. Make do and mend focuses on clothes rationing, which was introduced in june 1940. The book is basically a hardbound collection of wartime british pamphlets.
The book explores the impact of war on the dress and appearance of civilian women of all classes in the context of. Make do and mend was a pamphlet issued by the british ministry of. See more ideas about make do and mend, sewing hacks and visible mending. An exhibition arranged by the board of trade in harrods store in london to show substitution and conversion economies. This wartime information film was put together as part of the make do and mend campaign, which in part hoped to encourage people to recycle old clothes, as new materials became a scarce commodity. It was a time to make do and mend by transforming an old chenille bedspread into a truly startling new coat, put on a brave face by applying beetroot juice as lipstick, and put a best foot forward. This is the perfect companion to the fashion on the ration exhibition at imperial war museum london, which opens thursday 5th march. So, this is a book full of nostalgia too, full of what in greece we would call. Published in association with imperial war museums. The governments make do and mend campaigns beckoned a period of extraordinary. John lewiss make do and mend booklet urges customers to clean shoes with banana skins bananas and potatoes are perfect for polishing shoes, according to. There was an austere atmosphere and people were encouraged to make do and mend.
Clothes care was a key part of the make do and mend message. Clothes rationing began on june 1, 1941, two years after food rationing started. A collection of booklets provided by the british goverment during wartime, make do and mend speaks directly to the suffering and sacrifice the british people endured during the bombings of england during wwii. Make do and mend was first published as a pamphlet in 1943, as a delightful. Published in association with imperial war museums, outfits reflect, fashion under fire, saying goodbye, air raid, at home, utility. From washing to patching, making 1 dress from two old ones, unpicking old knitwear. Make do and mend how to make british history world war two slogan wwii growing up britain this book. It goes into detail on everything to help keep your clothes lasting longer and on upcycling old ones to make new.
Paper dolls of classic stars, vintage fashion and nostalgic characters wartime fashion sticker paper doll sticker dressup a fascinating look at the distinctive make do and mend fashions that developed out of necessity during the second world war. By 1945 british people had grown tired of rationing, restrictions, and calls to make do and mend. Keeping family and home afloat on war rations 1st by various, jill norman isbn. Many of these home dressmakers copied the highend looks. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
A great booklet from the wartime era with tips and tricks to help with the restrictions of rationing. Furthermore, i purchase this book because in an agatha christie novel there was the phrase make do and mend and trying to undertsand the novel i searched the internet and i found the informations related. Browse free vintage patterns, retro hair tutorials and affordable vintage clothing. French, american and british wartime fashion, the 1940s. Make do and mend by ministry of information goodreads. Wartime fashion sticker paper doll sticker dressup. Opening on 27 may, fashion on the ration will examine how fashion became functional, uniform became commonplace and women substituted their lipstick for beetroot juice in their efforts to retain a semblance of style in the grip of wartime austerity. Its a wonderful book, detailing many 1940s crafts sewing, crochet, knitting, hatmaking, etc with loads of patterns, instructions, 1940s illustrations and photos and much more. The story of clothing on the home front during world war two suzanne m grasso on december 5th, 2018 4.
I had the best intentions to visit fashion on the ration but it never quite happened. A group of housewives gather round miss clifford, a london county council instructress, as she shows them how to cut out material using a paper pattern. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. This book is made up of advice given to housewives in the 1940s during wartime. A new exhibition highlights their fight to stay chic. Above make do and mend sewing classes, london 1943. The general wartime scene was one of drabness and uniformity, continuing well after the war finished in 1945. I got this book looking for practical information on sewing alterations and mending, but what i found was something much deeper and poignant. Clothing ration book can you spot the two books for children. If you have a hardworking family, enjoy repairing your own clothes, need detailed inspiration beyond a blog about making your wardrobe over, or just want to delve into historical family life this is the book for you.
A new exhibition shows the ingenious lengths people went to to stay stylish in the 40s, including a wedding dress borrowed 12 times and outfits. Thus a makedo and mend ethos grew up, recycling old clothes, unpicking the wool from old pullovers to darn socks, for. From the collections of the imperial war museum how to makedoandmend. A fascinating look at the distinctive make do and mend fashions that developed out of necessity during the second world war. An updated version of the book was recently released to coincide with the economic. People were also urged to make do and mend so that clothing factories and. Of particular interest was the look at the unique make do and mend fashions that developed during the war. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Using new archival and primary source evidence, wartime fashion clarifies how and why clothing was rationed, and repositions style and design during the war in relation to past expectations and ideas about clothes and fabrics. Offers you information you need to know about the fashions. So i was delighted to come across the accompanying book in my local library. Many of us vintage fashion enthusiasts today often forget what kind of life ladies had back then and i think a girl like susannah makes us all think. Wartime make do and mend booklet download vavoom vintage.
These classes taught people how to give their old clothing a new lease of life and make their rations go further. This book reveals the impact of wartime and austerity on british fashion and tells the story of how a spirit of patriotism and makedoandmend unleashed a wave of new creativity among women who were starved of high fashion by shortages and rationing. Fashion on the ration the women of britain were not going to allow world war two to prevent them looking stylish. In general, people on the british home front during world war two were innovative in the face of rationing and shortages. It was intended to provide housewives with useful tips on. Children can use the stickers to dress characters including an air raid warden, a land girl and french citizens living under german occupation.
This book reveals the impact of wartime on british fashion, how a spirit of utility, makedo and mend unleashed a whole new creativity among britains women starved of high fashion by rationing. With its thrifty design ideas and advice on reusing old clothing, the pamphlet was an indispensable guide for households. During the second world war paris produced restrained clothing to match the economic atmosphere. Each person would be provided with a rations book which contained coupons used to. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. With the nations industrial output concentrated on the war effort and a clothes ration in place by june 1940, basic clothes were in short supply in wartime england. A couple of years ago the imperial war museum in london ran an exhibition on wartime fashion. With its thrifty design ideas and advice on reusing old clothing, the pamphlet was an. Written by julie summers, it chronicles how womens fashion in.
This page gives some of the best known examples, but there were many, many more. Wartime fashion a fascinating look at the distinctive make do and mend fashions that developed out of necessity during the second world war. Paris world war ll had an effect on the fashion industry everywhere even in the home of haute couture, paris. Summers first became fascinated by her while researching a book on wartime fashion for the imperial war museum, only to discover a more personal connection. Its a great time capsule of the typical daily wardrobe of women in the war years. How make do and mend defined wartime style the vintage.
Make do and mend and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. A wonderfully illustrated clothing pattern guidebook for all american women. With wartime englands industrial output concentrated on the war effort and a clothes ration in place. Anyway, susannah has kindly uploaded a fabulous copy of a wartime make and mend booklet. Buy make do and mend facsimile by ministry of information isbn. Summers first became fascinated by her while researching a book on wartime fashion for the imperial war museum, only to discover a more personal. How to save money with old makedoandmend ideas mirror. The government encouraged the slogan make do and mend. The make do and mend campaign was launched to encourage people to make their existing supplies of clothes last longer. Iwm curator laura clouting describes an amazing example of make do and mend. John lewiss make do and mend booklet urges customers to. The mottos were make do and mend, be thankful and never grumble and never leave any food on your plate. The films unusual style is apparent from the beginning as the voices of their forgotten clothes.