Forties Fashion: From Siren Suits to the New Look
by Jonathan Walford changed my view on what I thought were muted colored dresses and convservative hemlines such as this dress suit: 
Now don't get me wrong. The craftsmanship and construction of the suit I'm sure is exquisite but I like bright colors and interesting patterns.
With this book, With his book Walford shows his viewers these two adorable dirndl-style dresses that were typically worn by teenage girls. I am in love with the red and white dress with the ruffled shoulders and the leaf print. The author explains how the term "teenager" first debuted in the English language during the forties and how they become a "identifiable market" for manufacturers to sell to. Seventeen magazine made it's debut and my oh so favorite saddle shoes came into fashion.
Much of the forties culture was about war- conserving materials for the war and how people felt about the war. This awesome blouse was made from a surplus silk map. The author writes about the maps, "escape maps were made for airmen in case they were shot down over enemy territory. Silk was warm, durable, resisted creasing, and could be concealed under clothing." Not only was this blouse using accessible materials but it was making a statement about wartime. I would just love to own something like this today.
This super cute skirt is a cotton dirndl skirt printed with white V shapes and the morse code signal for the letter V- standing for victory. This was started by Victor de Lavelaye, the head of the Belgian Service of the BBC who came up with the V for Victory campaign. I also learned that the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the same the morse code for V which also became a symbol for victory.
This book is a great reference and is evenly dotted with interesting photos, advertisements, and of course fabulous forties fashions. I highly recommend it to read!
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