Clothes of the 1940s

[jumpwings]

For this winter, I have been wearing an original US Army wool undershirt (yeah...And other clothes before you all start..lol)...

 

Now, I have a modern equivalent and it just doesn't seem the same...The sleeve and under arm fits horrible and uncomfortable in this modern one, and in contrast the original US Army one is most comfortable, warm, and the under arm seems to be a much different cut to the modern one, makinf movement easier and non restrictive, overall is much better thought out...

 

I remember I used to wear 1950s clothes only in my teens (ok, MOSTLY), and they where the same...The trousers wore at the waist, the cut of the jackets, trousers, and shirt etc much more comfortable...

 

Even seeing as most are wool, for me, not as with some folk itchy and scratchy, I find wool clothes and uniforms really confortable and WARM....

 

What are your thoughts on the cut and material of the clothes and the uniforms of circa 1940s?

[THAT GUY]

For this winter, I have been wearing an original US Army wool undershirt (yeah...And other clothes before you all start..lol)...

 

Now, I have a modern equivalent and it just doesn't seem the same...The sleeve and under arm fits horrible and uncomfortable in this modern one, and in contrast the original US Army one is most comfortable, warm, and the under arm seems to be a much different cut to the modern one, makinf movement easier and non restrictive, overall is much better thought out...

 

I remember I used to wear 1950s clothes only in my teens (ok, MOSTLY), and they where the same...The trousers wore at the waist, the cut of the jackets, trousers, and shirt etc much more comfortable...

 

Even seeing as most are wool, for me, not as with some folk itchy and scratchy, I find wool clothes and uniforms really confortable and WARM....

 

What are your thoughts on the cut and material of the clothes and the uniforms of circa 1940s?

 

I like the trousers at the waist, I think it looks sharp. I don't do this at my high school because it would look a little weird. I don't wear them at my knees however like some kids I know do... it looks stupid.

 

I don't know the fit differences because I have not really worn anything WW2 U.S. except for my great uncle's Ike jacket, and that did fit reallly well.

 

I like wool, it does not feel scratchy. I wear it all the time at German reenactments....

 

Sam

[Mr. Standfast]

I love 1930's and 40's clothing. I have a 1930's gray wool suit and it's quite well fitted and comfortable. Wool is also great in the rain (don't wear vintage clothing in the rain!). The way you sound Jumpwings, you should check out www.fedoralounge.com if you haven't already. There's all kinds of people there that wear vintage on a daily basis--I don't because I am afraid of wearing out history. But I enjoy wearing older clothing from time to time.

[kjones5452]

I have a pair of my fathers tailored trousers from the forties,they feel like they weigh the same as an M43 field jacket.

Also up till the day he passed,he wore a fedora, he had grays,blues,and browns, and I'm here to tell ya people, a fine

quality hat like those ain't cheap and their dang hard to find.

[fortworthgal]

Oooh, I love Fedora Lounge! Tons of knowledge there.

 

I wear a lot of vintage clothing. In my opinion, the quality of today's pieces just doesn't compare with vintage clothing. The majority of clothes today are mass produced in sweatshops and meant to withstand only a few wearings. Also, many of the styles are classic and timeless, unlike today's items which may be trendy one day and out of style/dated the next. I also like the fact that vintage clothing, at least for women, tends to be a bit more "modest" than today's popular "streetwalker chic" styles. The clothes focused more on being flattering due to the cut and a nice fabric, rather than exposing as much skin as humanly possible. Fifty or 60 years ago, people focused on getting dressed and looking decent, so it was all about style - whereas now you see grown adults out in public wearing pajama pants, fuzzy slippers, sports jerseys, and sweat pants riddled with holes. Blech. I also think vintage shoes are much prettier than today's shoes.

 

I collected vintage clothing long before I got into reenacting, and I frequently wear my 1950s day dresses and cardigans to work. So many of today's styles draws from vintage looks, it is easy to pull off certain things. When I wear vintage in regular life, I get a lot of "that's really cute" type comments. I also think there's a fine line between looking well-dressed and classic, and looking costumey. If I'm wearing a 50s dress to work, I don't go for the full red lip, rolled hair, etc.

[kjones5452]

Oooh, I love Fedora Lounge! Tons of knowledge there.

 

I wear a lot of vintage clothing. In my opinion, the quality of today's pieces just doesn't compare with vintage clothing. The majority of clothes today are mass produced in sweatshops and meant to withstand only a few wearings. Also, many of the styles are classic and timeless, unlike today's items which may be trendy one day and out of style/dated the next. I also like the fact that vintage clothing, at least for women, tends to be a bit more "modest" than today's popular "streetwalker chic" styles. The clothes focused more on being flattering due to the cut and a nice fabric, rather than exposing as much skin as humanly possible. Fifty or 60 years ago, people focused on getting dressed and looking decent, so it was all about style - whereas now you see grown adults out in public wearing pajama pants, fuzzy slippers, sports jerseys, and sweat pants riddled with holes. Blech. I also think vintage shoes are much prettier than today's shoes.

 

I collected vintage clothing long before I got into reenacting, and I frequently wear my 1950s day dresses and cardigans to work. So many of today's styles draws from vintage looks, it is easy to pull off certain things. When I wear vintage in regular life, I get a lot of "that's really cute" type comments. I also think there's a fine line between looking well-dressed and classic, and looking costumey. If I'm wearing a 50s dress to work, I don't go for the full red lip, rolled hair, etc.

[Jonesy]

I have always been a big fan of vintage clothing myself, it just fits with who I am and how I like to represent myself. People used to be classier, and much more modest. The clothes of the era's are certainly reflective of that. I used to have a decent amount of older items I incorporated into my every day wear, but between my mother and moving out and ending up active duty I'm kind of low as far as my collection goes. I've just recently begun to try and revamp my wardrobe. This stuff can be expensive, but you know what? It lasts forever and the quality and style is there. At least to me.

[Robswashashore]

Well, my dear late mother used to say that during the war, when all the silk was being used for parachutes, the rayon stockings were HORRIBLE!!!!