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Amy T Peterson, Valerie Hewitt, Heather Vaughan, et al

Page 42

by The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History 1900 to the Present (pdf)


  along with canvas athletic shoes. Rubber galoshes with buckles or zippers

  were worn as protective wear over oxfords.

  Legwear

  Men’s stockings continued to be highly patterned and colorful throughout

  the 1930s. New to the 1930s were stockings incorporating elastic into the

  knit at the top of the band, thus eliminating the need for garters. Argyle,

  chevron, and diamond patterns in a range of colors were available for

  business, formal, and casual wear.

  NECKWEAR AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

  Neckwear

  The Windsor knot replaced the four-in-hand knot for neckties in the

  1930s. The preference for wide-spread collars allowed for larger knots

  than could be accommodated by the 1920s preference for pinning under

  collar points. Ties also became longer in length because of the lowered

  stance of jacket and vest buttons. Ties were also slightly less wide than in

  the previous decade. Dark ties were always worn with dinner jackets and

  tuxedos, and white ties were worn with tail coats. Neckties were available

  in a wide range of colors, including blue, rust, gold, and maroon, and in

  floral prints and diagonal stripes.

  Jewelry

  Little, if any, jewelry was worn by most men in the 1930s. Many who had

  items of value sold them for basic necessities. Simple wrist watches, cuff

  links, shirt studs, cuff links, and rings were worn.

  Other Accessories

  Canes or walking sticks, handkerchiefs, pocket squares, and scarves were

  still carried by businessmen or for formal affairs. Sophisticated men also

  carried pipes and cigarette cases with lighters. The increase in enclosed

  automobiles meant that protective gloves and goggles were no longer a

  necessity, but the driving gloves and sunglasses were a must to look

  ‘ swanky’ behind the wheel.

  280

  MEN’S FASHIONS

  1940S,

  W O R L D WA R I I

  FORMALWEAR

  Silhouette

  The silhouette of formalwear generally followed that of the business suit.

  The jacket had a thick torso and wide shoulders, and the trousers had a

  somewhat full cut.

  Jackets and Vest

  Tails were reserved for only the most formal occasions. Usually, men wore

  tuxedo jackets for most formal occasions. The jacket either had a rolled

  collar covered in silk or a notched collar. Most of these jackets were black,

  but some versions were midnight blue. Instead of a vest, men wore a cum-

  merbund beneath the jacket. White dinner jackets were worn during the

  summer.

  Shirts

  Shirts with starched fronts and white ties were worn with tail coats. Tuxedo

  jackets were worn with soft front shirts and dark ties that matched the jacket.

  Pants

  Trousers followed daytime lines with full legs and pleating by the waist-

  band. A line of braid that matched the color of the pants was added along

  the outer seam.

  BUSINESS WEAR

  Silhouette

  Business suits had broad-shouldered jackets that fit loosely through the

  waist and hips after the first years of the decade. Trousers narrowed from

  the previous decade but remained somewhat full.

  Jackets and Vest

  Early in the 1940s, jackets were cut in the English drape style, which was

  wide at the shoulder and chest and fell with a slight drape in that area. The

  jacket fit close to the waist and came in single- and double-breasted styles.

  It was worn with or without a vest that was close fitting in the waist.

  Wartime restrictions changed the cut of jackets. The drape at the

  chest was reduced, although the shoulders remained broad. The War

  1940s, World War II

  281

  Production Board set the maximum length of jackets and eliminated dou-

  ble-breasted styles and vests. The jackets had slit pockets at the hips with

  and without flaps and a breast pocket in which a handkerchief was

  tucked.

  Shirts

  Typically men wore soft-collared, button-down shirts with their business

  suits. Some men wore striped shirts, and collars became wider. Although

  cotton was the most common fabric for shirts, nylon was used again after

  the war.

  Pants

  At the beginning of the decade, men’s trousers followed the silhouette

  that had been popular during the 1930s. They were pleated at the waist

  and had wide legs, creases, and cuffs. Tweeds and plaids were popular.

  The War Production Board set maximum lengths for trouser inseams.

  It also limited suits to one pair of pants and eliminated cuffs and pleats.

  Although the pants narrowed from the wide-legged silhouette that had

  dominated in the 1930s, they continued to be full.

  Decorative Details

  Business suits were usually made from wool or rayon. Pinstripes, herring-

  bone, plaids, and solid-colored suits were popular. Brown, gray, and navy

  blue were common suit colors.

  Military Uniform

  The U.S. Army field jacket remained essentially unchanged from WWI

  until the end of the 1930s, when it moved to create a more functional

  garment that protected soldiers on the battlefield. The resulting design

  was the olive drab cotton field jacket, which was adopted in 1940. The

  Navy and Marine Corps soon adopted similarly styled jackets.

  Modeled after the windbreaker used in sportswear, the cotton jacket

  had a zipper closure with a button flap over it. It was lined with flannel

  and had buttons at the notched collar to attach a hood. This jacket was

  worn by nearly all Army personnel and became a symbol of the armed

  forces during WWII.

  The rest of the uniform was made in the olive drab color also. Pants,

  shirts, and even caps and the tie were made of the same color. These gar-

  ments were made from wool, and soldiers wore components of the uni-

  form in both summer and winter. When it was cold, the wool provided

  warmth, and, in warmer environments, it provided breathability.

  282

  MEN’S FASHIONS

  CASUAL WEAR

  Silhouette

  The casual wear silhouette followed that of business wear. It was broad

  shouldered with some thickness through the waist and leg.

  Jackets

  Casual jackets were cut along the same lines as business jackets. The

  broad shoulders were padded, and they were single breasted and cut loose.

  They were worn with contrasting trousers. Often the trousers or the

  jacket was patterned, and the other piece was solid colored. More casual

  sports coats had patch pockets, oversized collars, or contrasting collars.

  Some jackets had half-belts in the back or full belts.

  Norfolk jackets continued to be worn, and bush jackets became popu-

  lar. These were short-sleeved tan cotton jackets with four large flapped

  pockets. They were reminiscent of the jackets worn by African explorers.

  Slack suits, which were coordinated shirt and trouser combinations,

  were marketed for casual occasions. Shirts had either short or long sleeves

  and large, flapped patch pockets at the chest. Some shirts were designed

  to be tucked into belted trousers, whereas other ‘ blazer’ styles were to be
<
br />   worn untucked. The shirts often had yokes and shirring at the back for

  added comfort. The trousers in these ensembles were full and loose fit-

  ting, with pleats, creases, and cuffs.

  Later in the decade, jackets became longer and continued to be single

  breasted. Sometimes they had larger collars and were belted. Western

  ‘‘ranch-style’’ details were popular. Many styles had a breast pocket for a

  handkerchief.

  Shirts

  Sports coats were usually worn with white soft-collared shirts. During the

  colder months, men often wore pullover sweaters or sweater vests under

  their sports coats. Cardigans with button or zipper closure were popular

  as well. Hawaiian print shirts became popular, and polo shirts were com-

  monly worn.

  Pants

  Casual pants came in a variety of colors and patterns, including plaid,

  checked, and striped. They were pleated at the hip and had creases and

  cuffs. Walking shorts were worn as casual wear during summer months.

  Jeans were worn as well, although they followed a simplified silhouette.

  They did not have creases or pleats.

  1940s, World War II

  283

  OUTERWEAR

  Coats

  The coat styles that dominated the previous decades continued to be pop-

  ular during the 1940s. Chesterfields, trench coats, swagger coats, and

  coats with raglan sleeves were common. Both double- and single-breasted

  styles were available. Sometimes coats were belted, and they typically had

  notched collars. Herringbone and plaid were popular patterns.

  Coats with a military influence became popular. Pea jackets patterned

  from the ones American sailors wore were double-breasted dark-colored

  wool with a notched collar and large, naval-themed buttons. Battle jack-

  ets, also known as Eisenhower jackets, were common as well. They were

  waist length and bloused slightly. They were gathered into an attached

  belt.

  SWIMWEAR AND SPORTSWEAR

  Swimwear

  Men wore bathing trunks to go swimming. These boxer-style shorts gath-

  ered into an elastic waistband. They extended to the upper thigh, and

  sometimes they had a pocket. Usually, they included built-in support.

  Matching trunks and shirt sets were available.

  Golf

  When playing golf, men wore knit or button-down woven shirts with

  sweaters or jackets. They also wore either casual trousers or shorts.

  Tennis

  Rene Lacoste, a number one-ranked tennis player in the 1920s, developed

  a short-sleeve knit tennis shirt with a ribbed collar and long shirt tails to

  keep the shirt tucked in. He partnered with a manufacturing company to

  produce the shirt in the 1930s. Although he halted business during

  WWII, when he resumed after the war, he exported the shirt to the

  United States, where it became an automatic hit.

  Tennis players also wore knit T-shirts and pleated white pants or

  shorts. White outfits continued to be a requirement of many tennis clubs.

  Before and after games, players wore cable knit pullover sweaters in vest

  and long-sleeve styles. Sometimes they also wore a tennis visor or cap.

  Skiwear

  Snow skiing was becoming a popular sport because soldiers learned cross-

  country skiing during the war. New synthetic fibers developed as a result

  284

  MEN’S FASHIONS

  of wartime ingenuity provided waterproofing, windproofing, and more

  stretch in pants and jackets. Zippers were once again available for civilian

  clothing, making pants and jacket closures a better protection from the

  elements for skiing and sailing.

  UNDERWEAR AND INTIMATE APPAREL

  Undergarments

  By the 1940s, there was great diversity in men’s undergarments. The one-

  piece union suits of earlier decades were worn. They had either long or

  short sleeves and legs, and some styles were sleeveless.

  For men who did not wear union suits, there were new, modern

  options. Servicemen wore T-shirts, and they became common undergar-

  ments and found their way into sportswear. Athletic shirts, which were

  knitted tanks, were an alternative to T-shirts. Boxer shorts had been

  introduced in the 1930s and had earned many converts. In 1935, a fitted,

  knit short was patented, called a Jockey short. In 1942, a Y-shaped open-

  ing was added to the style.

  Sleepwear

  By the 1940s, pajamas had replaced nightshirts. Usually, the coat or shirt

  of the pajamas had a simple center front-button closure, but some closed

  far to the left or had belted tunics.

  Other garments

  Robes came in a great variety. There were silk robes in the kimono style

  and paid flannel robes with cord or fabric belts.

  HEADWEAR, HAIRSTYLES, AND COSMETICS

  Headwear

  The hat styles that had been common in previous decades continued to be

  popular. High-crowned, narrow-brimmed hats such as fedoras, derbies,

  and homburgs were worn with business suits. They were typically made

  from felt, but straw styles were popular in the summer. Soft-crowned hats,

  such as sports caps and pork pies, were worn with more casual clothes and

  sportswear. These were made from wool or cotton.

  Hairstyles

  Men wore their hair short, especially during the war. Mustaches went out

  of fashion, and clean-shaven G.I.s became the ideal.

  1940s, World War II

  285

  Cosmetics

  Men used hair tonics and aftershave lotions.

  FOOTWEAR AND LEGWEAR

  Footwear

  Oxford-style shoes predominated. They had low, stacked heels and lacing

  at the vamp. Typically, they were made from brown, russet, and tan

  leather or suede. Some styles had toecaps and topstitching details. White

  and two-toned versions were worn during the summer. One version of

  oxfords, called sport oxfords, had fabric uppers and lightweight cork soles.

  They were designed to be worn with casual wear.

  Although not as popular as oxfords, chukkas were worn with casual

  clothing. This style of shoe tied high up at the ankle. Generally, they were

  made from suede.

  G. H. Bass introduced weejuns, or ‘ penny loafers,’’ in 1936, and they

  became a common casual shoe in the 1940s. They were worn with casual

  outfits and business suits. They continued to be popular through the end

  of the decade.

  Sport shoes were worn for any athletic activity and with some casual

  outfits. They had canvas uppers and nonskid rubber soles. Sometimes they

  had rubber toecaps to protect the foot and improve the durability of the

  shoe.

  Galoshes or overshoes were worn to protect leather and canvas shoes.

  They closed in the front with either zippers or snaps. During the war,

  when there was a shortage of rubber, galoshes were made from synthetic

  rubber.

  Legwear

  Socks were colorful during the 1940s. They came in argyle, chevron, and

  diamond patterns. Elastic was added to the tops of socks, so garters were

  no longer necessary.

  NECKWEAR AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

  Neckwear

  Men wore ties with formal, business, and casual
wear. Plaid, striped, and

  patterned ties were popular, and they became wider as the decade contin-

  ued. They were made from wool, cotton, silk, and rayon and usually fea-

  tured brilliant colors. Some men wore neck scarves tucked into open

  collars, and knit ties were worn sometimes with sports coats.

  286

  MEN’S FASHIONS

  Jewelry

  Men did not wear much in the way of jewelry during the 1940s. They

  wore watches and rings on a regular basis. For dressier occasions, they

  wore tiepins, shirt studs, and cuff links.

  Other

  As a whole, men wore fewer accessories than they had earlier in the cen-

  tury. Belts were a common accessory, as was a handkerchief tucked into

  the breast pocket. Gloves and scarves were worn, and umbrellas were car-

  ried. Sunglasses became available after an Army pilot requested goggles

  that filtered out sunlight. The goggle manufacturer, Bausch and Lomb,

  marketed the resulting solution, and Americans began wearing sunglasses

  regularly.

  R E F E R E N C E S

  Baker, P. 1992. Fashions of a Decade: The 1940s. New York: Facts on File.

  Baudot, F. 1999. Fashion: The Twentieth Century. London: Thames and Hudson,

  Limited.

  Blum, S. 1981. Everyday Fashions of the Twenties as Pictured in Sears and Other

  Catalogs. New York: Dover Publications.

  Blum, S. 1986. Everyday Fashions of the Thirties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs. New

  York: Dover Publications.

  Bordwell, D., and Thompson, K. 2002. Film History: An Introduction. 2nd revised

  edition. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill.

  Buxbaum, G., ed. Icons of Fashion: The Twentieth Century. New York: Prestel.

  Eyles, A. 1987. That Was Hollywood: The 1930s. London: Batsford.

  Kellogg, A. T., Peterson, A. T., Bay, S., and Swindell, N. 2002. In an Influential

  Fashion: An Encyclopedia of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Fashion Design-

  ers and Retailers Who Shaped Dress. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

  Laubner, E. 1996. Fashions of the Roaring ’20s. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing.

  Laubner, E. 2000. Collectible Fashions of the Turbulent 1930s. Atglen, PA: Schiffer

  Publishing.

  Lee-Potter, C. 1984. Sportswear in Vogue since 1910. London: Thames and

  Hudson.

  Mendes, V. D., and De La Haye, A. 1999. 20th Century Fashion. London:

  Thames and Hudson.

  Olian, J., ed. 1990. Authentic French Fashions of the Twenties: 413 Costume Designs

  from ‘‘L’Art et la Mode.’’ Toronto: Dover Publications.

 

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