The 1940s

Fashions of a Decade: The 1940s traces the mobilization of clothing trends as they marched across the war-ravaged world. Women began wearing outfits featuring wide, padded shoulders, a narrow waistline, thin hips, and a skirt that fell just below the knee, much in the image of a soldier’s uniform, while men sported clothing shaped like an inverted triangle from shoulder to waist. Heavy shoes provided a counterbalance for both men and women, and hats remained popular; however, scarves for women began to replace the traditional head-covering. This revised, full-color volume offers a detailed reflection on the role fashion has played throughout this time period, and is a perfect reference for those students or general readers who are interested in how history and culture has affected fashion through the years.