history wardrobe

hopefully you can enlarge this list, and compare to your own........it was compiled by a man....in case you didn't guess....in the late 1940s early 1950s........
Lucy from History Wardrobe came to do her Fabulous Fifties talk. We have already heard her Titanic talk which Lyn blogged about a while ago. (Liniecat@large)                                   History Wardrobe combines women's history and fashion in a humorous way, its a bit like Horrible Histories for adults ! Lucy collects vintage clothes, artifacts and women's stories which authenticate her talks.

She was dressed in a wraparound pinny with a headscarf tied in a turban, curlers and sported bright red lipstick wielding a feather duster and pretended to clean.....hence the list at the top....1950s was a time when women didn't go to work and was expected, judging by adverts and magazines of the time to be domestic goddesses striving for glamour even while she cleaned.......waiting on her man hand and foot......dutifully putting him and his needs before her own.... all humorously enacted with much face pulling... She touched on the above topic....I left it on it's side so as not to offend the sensibilities of anyone...lol... she quoted from the book......when she bought it....it fell open at the page it where it stated that the position described may not be suitable for grandparents .....as it may hurt their knees.......so she had to buy it to see what other gems it had...it even suggested that women rather than laying back and thinking of England....may even enjoy it !!!!! Just to digress a little here.... when I was about 7/8yrs my friend on the rare occasion we were allowed to stay in their house unattended.....showed me a book...that was hidden behind others in their glass fronted bookcase.....it had pictures and diagrams....traumatised me for life !!! Post WW2 the nation was encouraged to reproduce and Family Allowance on the second child was introduced to encourage young married to be able to afford it. Family Planning Clinics took on a greater role.

A toddlers liberty bodice on top of a modern Women's liberty bodice...when you think that the seams where there because they contained whalebone or wires as originally.....a throw back to baby corsets. A seersucker dress with smocking was a great favourite at this time. Dresses similar  to these I would have worn in the 50s. The one on the right is dyed with the new synthetic dye which are brighter and colour fast.

These corsets have straps on the inside and the outside...you'd need to get an hour earlier just to get into them and......they would't come off in a hurry....remember the suspender belt...a heftier version than the scanty things of today. I was prescribed a pregnancy girdle to support my back and the baby back in the 70s....blooming uncomfortable it was too. Yet body stocking as recommended by Gok are happily worn I believe....I am as nature made me.....big !

This dirndl skirt was made out of a tablecloth and lovingly embroidered......given to Lucy by someone who was in her audience somewhere else. People often made their own clothes....no one else would have anything like it....this lady said she still has the place mats that went with it !!

This lovely dress, hand made, each panel lined to stiffen it to get the right  "look"  It had a little red bolero to go with it Teamed with popper beads....remember them? There were several examples of flounced underskirts to go under it.

The story to this one was that the bride told her bridesmaid to go to London and buy a dress to wear......beautiful sweet pea colours, all hand painted silk gauze....

Loads of women tried this little jacket on.....YES we could handle....fondle.....try on....This style has just been back in fashion !

For the grand finale Lucy changed into a cocktail length glamorous gold halterneck dress. Hair swooped up in a french pleat wearing an AB crystal necklace, long gloves and stilettos....

Thanks to the top ranking Nazi's who wanted fashion for their mistresses the mainly Jewish Fashion Industry in Paris continued throughout the war......but the up and coming designers of London and the America after the war rose to prominence. The likes of Dior and Hartnell were making a name for themselves..................The talk covered all sorts of topics all shot through with the idea of Glamour.... which I remember as mainly as a child as "all fur coat and knickers". People "Dolled" up to go out leaving the bare floors and poverty behind at home seeking the illusion of glamour and a good time. People skinting themselves to buy a dress for the firms dance, going without food and bus fares etc....But all in all a great nostalgic night.