Post WW2 fashions

[radstockjeff]

Here's something to bring back memories for the wrinklies.
Fashion Show in South Shields 1948.
I like the text regarding "A black and white checked skirt, very New Look .......destined for home and overseas markets and will retail at about £1.15s !

[Top-of-the-hill]

  " A cocktail dress in brown nylon satin".
   
  My mother lived in South Shields from 1972, and I remember the Hedworth Hall being mentioned as a social venue. Just called "the Hedworth" if I remember rightly.

[Viktoria]

Well, The aNew Look came out about then,Christian Dior.
Much more material allowed after wartime austerity.
Nipped waists ,full skirts and very chic.
Not a pair of ripped jeans in sight!

I was too young to wear the style being eleven in 1948,
But the fashion was fashionable for long enough for me to wear it as a teenager.
We looked really smart , shiny neat hair , but being skinny even the smallest size  W was too big ,after that came WX  WXX  OS XOS.
Children’s clothes were not small versions of adult’s  clothing and to wear in size what a twelve year old would wear when you are sixteen - well.
So alterations.
 My first evening dress was made of taffeta, black but as you moved it was shot with dark green .I loved it .
Scoop neckline with scalloped edge ,very full skirt and small sleeves .
Underskirts were  waist skirts ,starched.
Could snag your nylons! So two underskirts ,one soft one starched.
The fashions were very feminine ,such a change from the rather manly tailored look of  some wartime clothing.
Viktoria( a wrinkly)

[Gillg]

Oh Viktoria, I remember those scratchy underskirts well!  We wore at least two to get the right look, but I had a 21 inch waist in those days, so really achieved the "nipped in" look with my "Waspie" belt.  Women were women then, don't you think?  We seem to have moved away from the feminine look now.    But then I'm from your generation, Viktoria.  Remember the song from "The Paleface" with Bob Hope and Dinah Shore?
 
Let's go where they keep on wearin'
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
Rings and things and buttons and bows.

[Viktoria]

Yes I do remember.
When hair lacquer first came out our chemist made it,it was good, oh so good,very very good .
That saying “running his fingers through her hair” well, our hair was stiff, it stayed put in force ten gales, but brushing it before bed!
Had to stop using it.
And bras, were “formed” like that thing Madonna wore.
I was the smallest size,32A cup and only that with the help of cotton wool!
Waspies, broad black elastic belts with interesting buckle type clip fasteners.
But yes, we were very feminine , I had hair so long ,but when asked out by my eventually husband had it cut , such a curly perm -and then found out he liked my hair long !
Marriage only lasted 58 years!
White blancoed shoes in the summer,which  got on the boys’ trouser turnups  when you were dancing.
 I wore school uniform until 18, so not many other clothes only “best“ .
My boyfriend bought me quite a lot ,but we fell out once .
I was thinking perhaps we were not the best suited pair,BUT, I would have had to give him nearly all my clothes ,wouldn’t dream of wearing them when out with another boy.
So took original boy friend   back and so glad I did.
Hats, even young girls wore hats , in those days women were expected to wear hats in church and our social life was very much centred around church
activities ,so we attended in our friendship group .
That had advantages, we knew the boys well, and their families .
Sunday evening church then a mad dash to the cinema !
Weren’t we wicked!


Viktoria.

[BumbleB]

Teddy boys with their brothel creepers and DA hair cuts in the 50's

And those starched underskirts were an absolute menace when you had to cycle to the local dances (rural Cheshire in my case).

[Treetotal]

Teddy boys with their brothel creepers and DA hair cuts in the 50's

And those starched underskirts were an absolute menace when you had to cycle to the local dances (rural Cheshire in my case).

A bit early for me but I remember my older sister stiffening her full circle skirts with sugar and water  she wore a peasant blouse with it tucked in her skirt and fastened with a black waspi belt. She used sachets of hair lacquer that she put into a plastic squirty bottle.
My older Brother dressed as above and wore a drape jacket with a velvet collar and a Billy Fury quiff held in place with Brylcream. My Mother complained that the covers she used on the chair backs were difficult to wash because of it.
Happy Days!
Carol

[BillyF]

In the 50s I remember a teacher at school appearing in a sack dress, to great consternation ! I can`t remember her name but she had black hair cut in a bob and she wore Edna Everage glasses.

[Treetotal]

Sounds like my Mum   
Carol