The year 1940 was marked with unprecedented history-making events, and Fashion, which reflects the times we live in, also experienced exciting innovations and changes. It saw the last of the Paris couturier openings as we've known them under the rule of democratic France. The January openings but little affected by war conditions were well-attended by American manufacturers and buyers. The mid-seasons that followed early in the spring showed definite traces of chaos (France collapsed soon afterwards) and were the last of the Paris couturier showings to be attended by Americans.
Since these Paris showings, cables and sketches of Paris fashions have come through via Berlin but apparently have been ignored by American manufacturers; instead a group of courageous Americans have made a concerted effort, despite skeptics, to push New York as the mecca for designers; to make it the world's new fashion center, replacing Paris. They proceeded with the thought of American-inspired designs for the American woman. They rediscovered America!
All the Americas furnish a fount of inexhaustible ideas for the creators of fashions. South and Central America, Mexico, Hawaii, and the North American Indians contributed ideas to fashion scouts bent on research for new ideas in silhouettes, colors and materials; art exhibits and museums serving the same purpose for our designers as did those in Europe to the Paris couturier.
Fashions in Clothes.
But to return to the beginning of this momentous year of 1940, reviewing fashions as such, we find a definite revolt against the revival of the highly corseted hourglass figure, introduced by Mainbocher in 1939. This short-lived fashion found resistance among the major portion of American women, who having constantly strived to attain a long slender line, were loath to give it up. Thus, the January openings in Paris introduced the long torso line, a rebuke to the exaggerated rounded hipline of the previous season and started the momentum for a new cycle of slender line silhouettes . . . long slim jackets, lower waistlines. Skirts, remaining short, quite often retained the comfort of the very full skirt through cleverly executed pleats or godets. And because the average woman takes to changes in fashion slowly, the slender line was often disguised by a side drape, inspired by the side saddle habit worn by horsewomen of another day.
Fashions also saw a swerve towards the mannish influence in tailored and casual clothes which for a number of seasons past had shown a softened appearance. And so while dress-up fashions remained essentially feminine, a comfortable effect was noted in casual clothes, always important in the typical American woman's wardrobe. This was epitomized especially in the longish, mannish jacket which imitated the extra sports jacket with huge patch pockets adopted by men for country wear with slacks. Women wore them with slacks, also, as well as with sports skirts.
Millinery.
Millinery, not to be outdone and quite often first with drastic changes in fashions, went from one extreme to another. The previous year's little 'doll' hats which perched perilously on the tip of the head or dangerously forward were replaced in 1940 by hats which could boast of real brims and actually enveloped or hugged the back of the head. The 'pompadour' was the important hair-do and bonnets which left the entire face exposed and often a good deal of the 'pompadour front' hair, yet covered the back of the head, were a good young fashion. Veils and flowers and feathers added to the femininity of 1940 millinery.
Accessories and Materials.
Accessories which loom so importantly in fashions added new materials and style ideas. One accessory which had been in hibernation for some time suddenly appeared. Shawls which were first introduced in the early Paris showings were worn by manikins in the same manner as furs would be even for street wear. However, this did not become a popular fashion. A greater acceptance of shawls was seen in formal clothes and for beach wear.
Nylon, a generic material made of coal, air and water probably caused the greatest furor. Its most important use is for hosiery, although it will be used in a good many other products as well. It was widely publicized before its actual introduction, but 1940 saw it accepted by the general public as a hosiery fashion.
Vinylite, a synthetic glass-like material, also saw the light of day in 1940 and found its way into shoe fashions first. Handbag makers soon adopted it as a trimming for style coordination with shoes. Broadcloth, not a new fabric, became important as a handbag medium, competing with suede for popularity.
Fur accessories were of tremendous importance in the fall of 1940. Hats and bags entirely of fur or trimmed with fur, fur boutonnieres, fur jewelry, fur bows on shoes, in fact fur on all conceivable items of apparel, was the rule of the fashion world. Prominent were the spotted furs of the leopard family.
Colors.
There have been interesting developments in color shades and 1940 still found color an acceptable medium for style expression. One color family which had been in the background for several seasons deserves special mention . . . Brown. It appeared again on the fashion horizon very early in the spring as a high fashion in various new guises with exciting new names as Copper Penny, Milk Chocolate, Tiger Brown and so on. It gained momentum through the summer and in the fall of the year in still newer tonalities as well as the classic dark shade, was recognized in both apparel and accessories as next to black in fashion acceptance.
Shoes.
Saddle leather, a member of this important brown family, suddenly gained the limelight in fall accessories of the tailored or casual type, and its influence as a color trend (light tan) was noted in other materials as well. Antique alligator was another important leather for sports or tailored shoes and handbags.
Wedge heels saw peak popularity reached in spring and summer shoes and indications were that in the higher height heel especially it will have seen both its inception and heyday in 1940.
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