1. World events sometimes impact fashion. Name the war during this time period and tell how it impacted the world of fashion.
During World War II Paris has limited the amount of clothing to contribute to the economic. The wartime scene was one of uniformity, continuing well after the war finished in 1945. The soldiers were angry, but the glamour had to go on. The food was rationed, but women would still be able to buy their lipsticks.Uniforms were seen at all civilian social occasions from cinemas, weddings, and restaurants to gala events. It was impossible to go anywhere out in the streets without being aware of war, men and women would be in uniform.
All kinds of cloth were short, so material was severely rationed. The allowance being fixed was very strict in the U.K. and operated on a strict coupon system that for clothing started on Whit Sunday on June 1st 1941. A similar routine was begun in America in the year of 1942. Food rationing had started early in the war in January 1940.
Siren suits were the original jumpsuit and the enveloping. Sometimes tartan cloth garment was an amazing suit, especially at night when sirens called citizens to the air raid. The jumpsuit was with a big and easy zipper in the front, the individuals could wear the suit over pajamas making it perfect & simple for children. Soon after in the 1960’s it had started to be worn into evening wear in soft, well-fitted Pucci prints. Stockings of all types were in need’s not even rayon stockings were readily in stock. So women were inspired to wear ankle socks.
Make up applied on the face was in short supply and in need of a fresh stock out of well known branded lipsticks at the local chemist, meaning that the shop sold out within an hour. There was nearly never enough supply of anything, but women still tried their best to look good and their hair was important to theme by day it was kept out of sight in a turban or knitted snood, which stopped it getting caught in machinery’s. Generally hair still had some length as women could wash and dress their hair in ways which made them feel more feminine.
2. Select a prominent fashion designer from this time period, discuss what made him/her famous, and describe the fashion styles that are attributed to this designer.
One of the most prominent Designers was Balenciaga he create the high-waist baby doll dress, the balloon skirt, the tunic dress, chemise dress and the cocoon coat. Balenciaga is also knows as one of the few couturiers in fashion history who could use their own hands to design, cut, and sew the models. His contribution to the world of fashion will be remembered as a new silhouette for women."
Chanel who had reopened her fashion house in 1954 began to produce boxy classic and slim skirts in braid trimmed, nubby, highly textured tweeds. Balmain, opened in New York, 1951 Givenchy showed his first collection in Paris. Mary Quant the revelation opened her boutique name Bazaar, in London Mary Quant was one of the most famous fashion designers of the 1960s; her best-known creation was the mini-skirt She make the mini-skirt a worldwide sensation.
3. Give a description of new materials that were used in clothing during this time period.
The fabric of the decade was Nylon (Polyamide), Crimplene (Polyester) and Orlon (Acrylic/ Polyacrylonitrile) was the new fabric for the time. In 1953 DuPont began the production of Dacron in US. Start the new era of Polyurethane is the generic name of the elastomeric family of stretch fibers like Spandex, Lycra and Spanzelle.
Different materials were used such as discs of metal or plastic linked together with wire. Leather is also used. Metallic or neon colors were involved. Psychedelic clothing is now a hit. Colors (acid colors) are brighter and bolder. Men begin to dress "fancy”ù. Ethnic fashions begin to spread. The ethnic look is clothing picked up from other cultures. The Oriental look and the African/Middle Eastern looks were both port of the ethnic fashion. Eat the end of the 60s skirts begin to lengthen along with hair. "Hippie look" is popular. The women wore long length dresses and skirts called maxis. Men continued to grow their hair longer. Hippies decorated everything, also painting their bodies.
4. Discuss with a family member, friend, or neighbor pictures of fashions you found from this time period. Discuss whether these fashions have cycled back into recent times. The person you interview does not need to have lived during the time period. You can ask him/her what he/she learned or what he/she remembers about the fashions you researched and have him/her explain if he/she sees these fashions in recent times. Write a three to five sentence paragraph that includes the name of the person you spoke with and the details about these fashions.
The person I have interviewed was my mother, Merly Velazquez. My mom and I went through the era of the 40’s she remembers her grandmother’s clothes, there we lot of glamour and tight dresses. She was born in the late 50’s and her family opened the first clothes manufactures in P.R. in 1962. She clearly remembered when the Polyester and the Crepe came into fashion. She also told me when she was little it as during the Beatle time when she began using the mini skirts with the boots and clearly remembered the first dressed that my grandmother designed, in crepe georgette as one of described in my report, baby doll dress. Also we went through the hippie style, while she was telling me that that’s how she dressed. I learned a whole lot with this rollercoaster of the fashion. One of the most important things that I learned today was that fashion always come back that after several years. I am very proud to be a part and come have my roots in the fashion industry.
5. Pretend you are a buyer for a department store and you attended a fashion show during this time period. In your own words, write a short story of what you observed on the runway.
I went to the fashion runway of the year of 1950 and I observed beautiful clothing and footwear. In the 1950s the fashion for the footwear was being used a lot of boots with very skinny heals, shinny, ankle rapped, in lavish leather and suede. Evening boots would be used in gold with gems on the heal. In the years of the 1950’s women would wear a lot of straight lines, horizontally and vertically on dresses. The gowns and dresses were being used in taffeta and lavender. Colors being blended with chromatics. Also lots of over sized capes being worn over strapless beaded nightgowns, was a very popular fashion for the evening wears.
http://www.fashion-era.com/1950s_glamour.html
http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools/brisas/sunda/decade/1960.htm#Fashion
http://www.fashionera.com/the_1960s_mini.htm#Death%20Of%20Stockings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Quant
http://www.loti.com/sixties_fashion/Mary_Quant_sixties_fashion.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balenciaga
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/mod-fashion.htm
http://www.fashion-era.com/1950s_glamour.htm
http://designmuseum.org/design/christian-dior
http://designmuseum.org/design
