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AWVS (American Women's Voluntary Services)


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Contrary to what I wrote previously, the chevrons on the epaulets denote rank, not time of service.

TOS is on the bottom of the sleeves.

post-1529-1254496498.jpg

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fraukriegbaum
Hi fraukriegbaum, nice looking grouping you have there, I was looking at your photograph of the buttons, can you confirm for me that they are gold painted wooden buttons.

 

I think this uniform and the insignia is shown in a reprint manual done by George Peterson of National Capitol Historical Sales, he used to be based in Springfield Virginia, if that's of help. ' American Women At War in WorldWar II, Vol I ' It's a thick book all about womens uniforms but only a couple of pages relate to yours.

 

Cheers ( Lewis )

 

Yes Lewis. They are gold painted wooden buttons, all there and intact.

 

Thanks for the info. :)

I will try to find the book....

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fraukriegbaum
Okay, checking out Dressed for Duty here is some more info on AWVS:

 

The AWVS was divided organizationally: Motor Transport, Hospital Aid, Salvage Depot (supervising collection of scrap paper), Clerical Workers (they staffed OCD, State War Savings Staff, Draft Boards, and War Bond offices), Production Committee (selling war stamp corsages, making helmets & brassards for OCD), Training Classes - Food Series (training women in nutrition), Communications, Defense Photography, and Junior Auxiliary.

 

A location tab was sometimes worn under the uniform patch. (As on your uniform.) The uniform came in a blue fabric and a flecked denim-type blue, and existed in both winter and summer weights. It was worn with either a white or light blue cotton shirt and a navy blue tie. The visor cap had a colored band which indicated the wearer's status.

 

The cobalt blue with red stripe collar tabs on your uniform indicate members serving as administrators or on a unit executive committee. (This is a pre-1943 uniform.) A gray service stripe was awarded to members for each year of service and was worn on the lower left sleeve.

 

Celebrity members included Veronica Lake (her uniform bore a "Hollywood" location tab) and Joan Bennett.

 

I did not find information on the ribbons pictured. I am curious if there are any chevrons sewn/embroidered on the uniform's epaulets?

 

Hello Fortworthgal,

There's no chevron on the epaulet. There is a gray bar on the left lower arm of the dress uniform. The work dress is also with the gray bar on the left side arm. Other than that, there is a patch that says "Chairman."

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I have some of those 'place' tabs! (The Arcs worn on the left sleeve under the 'SSI'). Always wondered what they were for, now I know!

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fraukriegbaum
I have some of those 'place' tabs! (The Arcs worn on the left sleeve under the 'SSI'). Always wondered what they were for, now I know!

 

Hello Jason,

 

I collect women uniforms BUT with very little knowledge of insignia's/bars and all the abbreviation terms like SSI. Can you please tell me what is SSI?

I'm sorry if i'm kind of ignorant still on these things.

 

Frau Kriegbaum

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  • 8 years later...
JoAnntheGreat

Hi! I have been drooling over your uniforms and dying to ask you some questions, but just got approved to the forum. I am a patternmaker and want to make a pattern of an AWVS uniform. I could wing it but I have found that having a real garment to look at answers a million questions about construction. I never harm a garment when copying it. I am looking for a uniform I can either buy or "rent". If rented it would be returned to the owner unharmed in any way. If you are interested let me know. If not perhaps you could answer some questions about the dimensions of it. In any case, thanks so so much for putting this information here and keeping the uniform safe. By the way, I can shed some light on the fading of the uniforms. The problem is most likely with the "palm beach material" that was used so much in women's uniforms then. Palm Beach is a blend of wool and rayon, with cotton sometimes added. Palm Beach was not manufactured beyond the 1950s. The blend of the wool to rayon was actually varied at the time depending on the area's weather where it was sold. Rayon has many advantages but also many disadvantages. Rayon is not particularly colorfast, the dyes being affected by light, perspiration, atmospheric gases, and water. So rayon will take a dye very well but, over time, will exhibit almost extreme instability, even throughout the same garment. I have a WWII summer American Red Cross uniform I am copying right now and the color variations within the tunic and skirt are characteristic of this. It is also displaying yellowing along with color variation. Anyway, if you could help me in my search I would be most appreciative. Thanks, JoAnn

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JoAnntheGreat

Hello, If you still own this uniform would you be willing to sell or "rent" it to me? I am a patternmaker and would like to copy it. I do not harm any garment when copying. Thanks, JoAnn

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