Spicing up an Outfit: Forties Style

The fashion of the 1940s was highly affected by social events. As the war took hold and  fabric was rationed, ladies had to become creative to stay fashionable. Women would begin to mix and match outfits to create new bold and exciting combinations. Instead of buying a new outfit when a dress became torn or tattered, she would simply recycle the outfit and repair it with another worn out dress. The book pictured to the right is a good reference and demonstrates alot of the ways women made even the dullest outfit exciting. You can find a copy at Amazon.     

On this quest for the perfect outfit taking a plain black or any solid color dress and spicing it up with feed sack fabric or gingham (like pictured to the right) was just what the doctor ordered. Gingham was a very economical fabric, that was perfect for those hot summer days. Feed sack was highly available in the rural areas. Cotton became very affordable and replaced wooden barrels as a means to ship goods. As a result a very crafty lady could stitch together something wearable for pennies.

Other fashion forties trends was layering. You could easily slip a solid vest over a dress to achieve a new look. The dress to the left is one piece but you can envision it as a sleeveless top over a long sleeved black dress. Certainly an idea to play with. You could get a multitude of different looks from just the two pieces.

The outfit to the right is two pieces. The top portion can be unbuttoned and the dress can be worn plain. With this opportunities are limitless. You can craft a top portion in another color and reattach. You can change the buttons to get a whole other feel. Plus, these are ideas that you can take back to modern dresses. Torn or ugly dresses can be patched or color blocked. Can't sew? Don't let that stop you. There are plenty of resources on the internet. Too many to list. Check out mini sessions on You Tube or seek out a professional. You can also ask around, you never know who is crafty. There are plenty of talented people out there. Etsy is a wonderful place to hook up with crafty people.

My dream outfit maybe I need to reach out to a talented etsy craft person. 

Also,don't forget the power of the accessory. Jewelry, belts and flowers are very cheap ways to spice up an outfit. Again experiment experiment experiment!!!!