1942: Women's Fashions

Effect of the War.

In the year 1942, global war was the gruesome force affecting every phase of life, private, social and business. In the fashion industry, designers were put to the test of creating styles with less materials than they were accustomed to use. Limited by WPB (War Production Board) regulations L85, L90, L116, the vital essence of the fashion business — changing styles — was no longer permissible. The prevention of style obsolescence of clothes already in wardrobes was a necessity. 'Buy for actual needs' was the slogan.

Fabrics for fashion merchandise experienced limitations of weave and type and certain colors, especially in the fall and winter seasons. Pure virgin wool was still noted on garment tags, but it was evident that mills were using more and more mixtures of new wool with rayon, cotton, reused and reprocessed wool, and aralac. This latter is a protein fibre resembling wool — a byproduct of milk. Two leading woolens for coats were fleece and a soft, smooth monotone. Suit fabrics were men's wear striped flannels, small patterned effects, checks and plaids. Rayons stressed few novelties — classic types were featured for a wartime economy. Heavier rayons in gabardine and twill weaves, to replace scarce woolens, were notable; also jerseys, velvets, velveteens, corduroys and staple cottons.

Pure silks and nylon were unavailable except in few prewar stocks. Nylon fleece was introduced (a waste product of the nylon used for war materials). This is warm, long wearing, mothproof, water-repellant, and held promise for a bright postwar future.

Attractive colors were highlighted, although limited in variations of shades because of government conservation of dyes. In fact, color in clothes was stressed as an antidote for a wartime world, a fillip for spirits and morale. In the spring, perennial navy, black, gray and beige were punctuated more than usual with lively colors as red, green and purple. These were used also in entire costumes from hat to shoes, but the smarter effect was the bright color as accent, or if used for the garment subdued by accessories in dark shades.

The story of silhouettes in 1942 was simplification of line. Skirt widths, jacket lengths, linings, pockets, cuffs, lapels, belts and the use of rubber were restricted. The latter was felt especially in the making of foundation garments. And so manufacturers produced apparel in accordance. Shoulders were decidedly modified but retained a squared effect. The body line was characterized by supple molded details which were essentially feminine but not fussy. Skirt widths were narrower but not uncomfortably or unbecomingly tight. Lengths in all apparel were the required 16 or 17 inches from the ground.

Suits.

Suits were again hailed as a 'must for spring' and in this war year loomed even more important as the all-important costume in the wardrobe the year-round. Attractively designed uniforms of the auxiliary services of the fighting forces and those of the civilian volunteer organizations were in good part inspirational for this greater popularity for suits. Jacket and skirt outfits even appeared at 'don't dress' dinner dates. And because fabrics were simple in weave and surface interest, embroidered and other trimming details were prevalent, lending a gay, dressy note to an otherwise simple costume. Braid, sequins, fringe, fur were noted, especially in the fall.

Dresses.

Although suits were more popular than ever, the dress as such was not neglected. Attractive prints for undercoat wear emerged for spring through summer wear. Crepes, rayon jerseys, failles and bengalines were highlighted spring dress fabrics followed by sheerer, lighter weight rayons and cottons for summer with shantung and linen-like weaves prevalent. Linen itself was very scarce, since 80 per cent of this flax was imported from Russia. Dress styling had distinctive front details, as draping for a swathed hipline, draped bodices for a soft effect. Necklines were flattering — fewer collarless types. New were soft bows tying high and a classic was the Barrymore shirt collar descending to a low V. To overcome the increasing shortages of such items as slide fasteners for closings, drawstrings appeared at waistlines, a side drape over a generous front lap tied at the side. Decorative buttons in still available plastics, other novelties or jeweled styles were favored.

Fall again saw no definite change in dress silhouette but there were some new notes as pegtops and envelope drapes which gave a feminine touch; also modified dirndl effects in skirt fronts gave the impression of fullness but in no way exceeded the required width. In tailored and sports dresses, classic styles and a model inspired by the 'trench coat' were featured. In colors, it was black as usual augmented by lively colors with purples and winter white among the popular novelties. The demand for formal evening attire fell off considerably. While the long evening dress was not out of the picture, the rule was short dinner dresses, and these depended on the previously mentioned glitter embroideries for a formal note. Especially interesting were warm-fabric evening dresses and be-jeweled sweaters worn when indoor thermometers registered many degrees under pre-war times.

Coats.

In coats, Chesterfields in both fitted and casual box types were outstanding. Velvet collars and bandings were their important trimmings. The untrimmed cloth coat appeared to exceed the fur trimmed type. In the latter, the tuxedo fur front was a first fashion. 'Teen age girls favored the 'teddy bear' sports coat in a fabric-fur, usually trimmed with contrasting colorful fabric for its little collar and front closing. Fur coats had no restrictions in styling and there was continued popularity for Persians, beaver, mink and muskrats, the latter received interesting new treatments dyed and manipulated to look like mink or sable.

Sportswear.

Sportswear took on new meaning in 1942. Associated with outdoor activity, in this war year, it became even more utilitarian, doubling for work and play. Sales of slacks increased tremendously, culottes had new appeal; sweaters, blouses, jackets and skirts were in great demand. Specially designed work clothes were worn by women on defense jobs.

Accessories.

Accessories were very important! In these, too, priorities of materials necessitated innovations. Metal-less jewelry found new use for wood, ceramics, lucite, glass. Sterling silver was featured, but later restricted. Leather shortages affected glove, handbag and shoe styling. Metal frames and slide fasteners disappeared. Shoulder strap handbags were adopted especially by women in uniform. Hosiery in rayon, lisle and novelty cottons appeared. During the summer barelegs became an increasing vogue, and cosmetic liquid stockings were used to give the illusion of silk or nylon. Women went hatless, but this was a whim of fashion, not necessity. Bows instead were worn by young and old alike. The advent of fall brought renewed interest in millinery. Larger hats, taller, berets and cloche bonnets looked newer than tiny pompadour styles which had enjoyed an extended vogue.

And so 1942 witnessed a year of law-abiding fashions keyed to limitations of materials and styling to price ceilings. Grim days still loomed ahead. Rationing of consumer goods had started, winning the war meant continued and greater sacrifices, and the Fashion World was ready.

1941: Women's Fashions

Fashion by some might have been regarded as frivolous in the grave times of 1941, which before its close saw a large part of the world engulfed in war. Yet fashion is important even in such times for it helps the morale of the home folk; what is more stimulating than something new to wear! Fashion also is important in the domestic economy. It is more than a word, it is an industry — the second largest in the United States.

As recorded in 1940, the rapidly diminishing influence of Paris as the world's fashion center brought greater prestige to the United States as a fashion leader, with New York the logical successor to Paris. It got off to a good start when in January 1941, The Fashion Group and civic leaders sponsored an all-American fashion pageant 'New York Fashion Futures.' This drew an audience engaged in 'the fashion business' from all over the country, and filled to overflowing the grand ballroom of the Hotel Astor on two consecutive nights, Jan. 13 and 14. The press widely acclaimed the pageant as an epoch in fashion history.

There was another innovation in 1941, unique because it was conceived by the labor union of the dress industry. The manufacturers saw its possibilities, and started a million dollar advertising campaign which was still another boost to New York's ascendancy as the world's Fashion Center. Each garment made in the city was labeled 'New York Creation,' and judging from styles in evidence in 1941, it was a worthy successor to Paris labels.

However, government priorities on materials handicapped the fashion industry to some extent. Silk was an outstanding instance. Stocks of this commodity were requisitioned by the government for powder bags, parachutes, etc., and the importation of silk had been cut off completely due to the diplomatic strain between the United States and Japan.

Hosiery mills were the principal sufferers. Summer and early fall found the consuming public rushing to stocking counters. This depleted retail stocks rapidly and strained manufacturers' supplies. Nylon had not reached full production. Mills started experiments with substitute yarns and newest were latex and vinyon. However, the full loss of silk hosiery to the consumer was not expected until the spring of 1942. Despite the handicap of government priorities, fashion, spurred to launch new creative ideas, flourished.

In fashions as such, the silhouette, generally, did not differ too greatly from that of 1940. It advocated a more slender line, much less width for the shoulders. Draperies on slim skirts were reminiscent of silhouettes noted in 1914 during the first World War. Was this a coincidence or a proof of the logical cycle of fashion's trends?

The most popular dress silhouette for spring 1941 was the 'middy,' featuring a long torso blouse attached to or worn over the skirt. Featured in many variations, diversity of fabrics and price brackets, its popularity continued through to the fall. The 'dandy' silhouette for suits and coats had a Regency flavor, and a significant detail was a lingerie jabot or frill. Plaid suits stressing definite patterns and colors were a strong tailored and sports vogue. Plunging necklines, new daringly cut V's, were an outstanding style trend. Everyone wore them in dresses or blouses for sports or evening.

Millinery.

Pretty was the by-word for millinery. The calot, that little skull cap which, as a sports cap or 'beanie,' started on the road to popular acceptance some seasons ago, had seemingly reached out for the stars. In 1941, it also appeared in glamorous fabrics, bedecked with flowers, jewels, veils. Turbans were another 1941 favorite. Some looked like scarfs, in fact were scarfs, but a mere twist about the head and it was a turban, depending on fabric for its degree of formality. The cloche, another first World War favorite, was reintroduced.

What with hats favoring off-the-face lines, and in the fall adding snoods or draped scarfs completely covering the back of the head, the pompadour continued as a favorite hairdo. Bangs appeared; also a new gamine cut, a short hairdress of soft curls younger and more casual than the pompadour.

Accessories, Shoes, and Color.

Accessories were outstandingly important in 1941. The newest trend in these was the monotone effect. the matching of all accessories to the costume shade. First introduced in the spring, it was more readily accepted in the fall. Knitteds became quite a vogue, especially little madcaps with ubiquitous tassels. Nearly everybody wore them.

American shoe designers, recognized as leaders in the production of ready-to-wear styles in 1941, displayed greater ingenuity than ever. Predominant were soft, comfortable types. American women have taken 'play shoes' to heart, and town shoes were almost as comfortable and casual. Very interesting were shoes designed exactly like a baby's. Lightweight shoes, almost as light as a glove, weighing hardly more than six ounces gave the extreme in comfort as well as style. Shoes took to color! Spring and summer 1941 saw plenty of red even in town.

Talking about color, violets for spring never bloomed more profusely than in 1941. First introduced at 'New York Fashion Futures' early in January, the violine shades from deep purple to soft lilac tones reached a new high in popularity in accessories as well as apparel.

Summer 1941 styles stressed tubbable, packable fashions. A fabric favorite was shantung, a weave featured in silks, rayons and cottons. While white, pastels and prints dominated the summer scene, some dark tones and black gained style acceptance. In shantung particularly, a dark green was highlighted. Colored stockings were a novelty in red, green, purple, smartly worn with all-white costumes, the color picked up in jewelry, glove, hat, etc.

Fall Tendencies.

Fall 1941 brought further evidence of the slimmer silhouette. Peplums, tunics and tiers often broke the slender line. New were back-dipping hemlines, forerunner of longer skirts for 1942. In coats, especially furs, wider armholes, some dolmans, a loosely fitted body line, little collars and sleeves with wide turn back cuffs stamped styles of 1941 vintage.

There was stress on color. Black, still first, had fallen to a lower percentage. Brown to beige tones were much talked of, after some years of style doldrums. In step with this trend, frocks appeared in off-white tones, as 'white oak,' frankly white woolens for under-coat wear and white millinery. It looked like a white winter in fashions. Brilliant was another term for 1941 fashions. Dresses fairly scintillated with jet accents for daytime as well as formal wear. Longer gloves complemented the newly important dress-up daytime clothes. Costume jewelry was opulent.

The year 1941 was a truly luxury fashion year, despite the outbreak of war. The situation becomes more difficult as defense requirements increase ... a challenge! But just as the fashion industry rose to new heights in 1941, so in 1942 we look to the fashion creators to conceive new ideas, using limited materials available.

1940: Women's Fashions

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.

1939: Women's Fashions

Trend of the Year.

In fashion parlance, the year 1939 was the year that fashions 'grew up.' Fashion was a 'little girl' in the spring 1939 and 'une grande dame' in the fall 1939. The spring 1939 fashions were pretty, young, innocent. The fall 1939 fashions were beautiful, mature, sophisticated.

Spring 1939 dresses were short and wide at the bottom. White collars . . . some stiff and schoolgirlish, some frothy and angelic . . . were fashion firsts. Starched white petticoats and crisp petticoats that showed in motion were shown by fashion magazines and worn by ultra-smart women.

The fall 1939 dresses were still short but were cut intricately and draped in the grande dame manner. The first fall fashion note was the bustle which appeared in modified back-bows and back drapery for daytime and in less modified forms for evening. As the coat season progressed, back drapes and fullness remained but bustles grew less prominent. Necklines were high and simple and thus perfect foils for costume jewelry. Shoulders were broad but not exaggerated. Waists were tiny, hips rounded. Late in the season the 'peg top' silhouette, wider at the hips than at the knees, came into the fashion picture and was marked as a forerunner of spring 1940 fashions.

The most publicized fabric development of the year came in the spring. This was the 'sanitized' process for odor. The chief value of this development lies perhaps in its promotional possibilities. Later in the year the sanitized process was applied to leathers for shoe linings where it seems most important. Sanitized gloves were scheduled late in the year to appear early in 1940.

Color.

Color in fashion came well to the front the spring of 1939. Color in ready-to-wear garments but color most prominently in accessories. Accessory manufacturers worked together in groups to offer hats, gloves, belts, and costume jewelry to match. January, February and March saw many light pastels featured in accessories and worn by women of the great American middle class as well as women of the four hundred. Chartreuse and fuchsia were among outstanding accessory shades. Cosmetics were keyed to featured accessory colors, notably fuchsia and bright red. The Easter parade was a colorful one, and color continued after Easter though white came in strong. Patriotic red, white and blue gained social and fashion significance with the beginning of summer. The two outstanding fall 1939 accessory shades were bright red and moss green, an olive shade.

Millinery.

Spring 1939 hats were tiny as to the amount of head they covered (back of the head from crown down was stylishly bare), but they often towered skyward and were top-heavy with flowers and veiling. Veils as a fashion came back and added to all the demureness and prettiness of the season. (Another old-timer to gain fashion significance was the umbrella which was dubbed a 'Chamberlain' in honor of Britain's umbrella-carrying ambassador.)

The smart fall 1939 hat was still tiny but was trimmed to cover the back of the head. 'Bustle' backs of looped ribbon or fabric were early fall favorites. Mesh and fabric snoods became pet trims for milliners. Silk scarfs hung from the crown of the hat straight down to the back of the shoulders or draped across the throat. The hat itself was made of felt or fabric or feathers and was likely to be colorful either in toto or by trim. Fur trimmed hats and all-fur hats were popular. Gloves, bags, even shoes and umbrellas took to fur trims for the sake of coordination!

Shoes.

Open heel and toe shoes which were a fashion long before the opening of 1939, became generally accepted by women in the spring and led to a demand for greater and greater foot comfort. Soft boxless toes and the 'wall last' — wide square box toes with plenty of toe space — appeared importantly for fall 1939. Elasticized suede and gabardine were shown in close fitting shoes in the spring and their use was hailed as an important development. Fall shoes with their demand for comfort employed much of this treatment, though it proved most valuable in side insets and gores. In 1939 flat heels, medium heels and high heels all had fashion acceptance. The wedge sole, of continuous sole and heel construction, which had received promotional emphasis early in 1938 with no signal success, became popular in the fall 1939 and was seen frequently in flat heel heights on city streets. Low 'keg' heels, shaped to a point under the arch of the foot, and 'tipped toes,' turned up slightly at the tip, were among 1939 shoe fashion successes. Ankle high boots made high-fashion shoe history in the winter 1939-40.

Handbags.

The most outstanding handbag style of the year was the shoulder strap bag which was successful during the spring and summer months. Throughout the year bags continued large and soft. Fashion interest was expressed in smaller bags for fall, the season of feminine elegance, but popular demand was still for large types. Top handles were the rule. Black patent leather was the notable spring handbag material, black suede the notable fall leather. Bags in bright colored suedes sold well both spring and fall.

Gloves.

Fashion news of gloves for 1939 centered around the success of color both in early spring and early fall. Longer gloves began to come in for fashion emphasis early in the year. Important novelty treatment consisted for the most part in structural treatments, unusual fourchettes, thumb and little finger construction. Hand-sewn classic styles sold well. 'Dressmaker' types . . . draped, shirred and ultimately feminine . . . were fall fashion focal points. Glove fabrics news centered around further improvement of American-made cotton fabrics. Nylon mixed with rayon was introduced at the end of the year in $1.25 gloves, but production was limited.

Two international and one domestic event of 1939 seriously affected the glove market. Czechoslovakia was an important source of popular priced leather and fabric gloves for the United States. German annexation in 1938 of Czechoslovakian Sudetenland considerably lessened the flow of gloves to the United States. Annexation of the rest of Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1939 cut Czech imports off abruptly. The fall of 1939 saw French and Belgian imports in the limelight, but the declaration of war by France and England against Germany in September saw these sources jeopardized. Again it was the glove business of the next season, in this case the spring of 1940, which stood to be affected. In December 1939, French and Belgian gloves continued to arrive in the United States. Dates of arrival of shipments were uncertain but spring orders on French and Belgian business continued to be taken and filled by a large percentage of importers. Prices had advanced surprisingly little over last year's levels. Prices on glove leathers saw a sharp rise immediately on the declaration of European War. Leather shortage was predicted and abrupt price rises on domestic gloves foreseen. At the end of the year, however, retail standard price ranges had been largely maintained in domestic spring lines. Wholesale price rises, wherever evident, stood at around 10 per cent on popular priced gloves.

The domestic event which had reverberations in the glove market involved the loss of cheap Puerto Rican labor in the making of hand-sewn gloves, which loss affected especially spring 1940 fabric glove lines already in the making. In November the United States Government ruled that as citizens of the United States, Puerto Rican glove sewers must come under the tenets of the Wage and Hour Law. The difference between the cost of gloves sewn under the Wage and Hour Law and those sewn at former Puerto Rican wage scales about doubles retail price of a former dollar seller. Thus quick revision of spring lines was necessary.

Jewelry.

Costume jewelry enjoyed the biggest year it had ever known. Necklaces were an accessory of the first importance. Shells, light-weight plastics, bright enamelled metals were materials of significance during the spring. White and soft pastel plastics sold right through the summer and the height of the fall season saw the largest producers of costume jewelry almost hopelessly behind on production. Large 'bib' necklaces that covered the whole front of a dress were best sellers. Bracelets, pins, clips and earrings were also best sellers. Necklaces to retail for ten dollars (a high price for costume jewelry) made good re-order items, while twenty-five and even fifty-dollar retailers were sold by specialty shops. Gold metal was the outstanding material. Colored stones of all kinds were hung together and well received by the consumer. No piece of costume jewelry seemingly could be too big or too gaudy to please American women.

Corsets.

Most exciting and widely publicized fashion of fall 1939 was the 'wasp-waist' corset. Wasp-waists were, of course, in keeping with the trend toward beautiful, mature and sophisticated fashions. The 1939 version of the wasp-waist was designed to give the hour-glass figure of our grandmothers plus the solid comfort which women of today demand. That the garment gave few women during fall 1939 either the hour-glass figure or solid comfort is an admitted fact. However, it cannot be denied that corset departments (and women's figures) profited by all the promotion and publicity which the wasp-waist corset stimulated. Fall 1939 will be remembered as a corset season.

Hosiery.

There were only two significant developments in the hosiery market during 1939. One was a fashion, the other a structural development. Three-quarter length sport socks were introduced in the spring and accepted widely by girls of the college class in the fall. The other development concerned the exploitation by many manufacturers of a patented knit-in elasticized band in the top of the stocking. This feature had already been patented and exploited by a few licensees but fall 1939 saw wide use of the feature and placed it as a factor in hosiery lines. Nylon hosiery was still in 1939 a coming attraction. It was promised for production in February 1940.

1938: Women's Fashions

Hair Dressing.

The year 1938 was undoubtedly a hair-raising year in the women's fashion industry. The pun is too exact to ignore: for the most important event in the fashion world during 1938 was the advent of the 'up-swept' coiffure. The problem belonged to hair-dressers but became in fact related to the entire fashion industry. The secret of the strength of influence of the up-swept coiffure lies in the fact that it actually accented a trend already developed by the fashion industry, femininity. Women with hair brushed up and carefully curled somehow seemed more appealingly feminine than those who sought to look 'glamorous' by a long bob which was soon slurringly referred to by fashion commentators as a 'Hollywood mane.'

The fact is that the up-swept coiffure was not actually new in 1938. Aside from the fact that historically the style goes back to the Edwardian Period, it was introduced in its modern form in 1937 by Antoine, the world's leading hairdresser. Antoine is by birth a Pole (his practically forgotten and completely ignored last name is Cierplikowski), by habitat a Parisian, and by profession an International ... he sets close to 100 per cent of the important hair styles for fashionable women throughout the world. He worked with the idea, interpreted it in many ways, and what is more important, sold the idea to fashion-world-important Parisian dress designers like Schiaparelli and hat designers like Suzanne Talbot.

In spite of the up-swept coiffure being the most important development in the fashion industry in 1938, it did not appear forcefully until the year was half over. Thus it is not surprising to find that the most exciting fashions of the year came in the fall rather than the spring.

Color.

Aside from the constant stressing of the feminine theme in all fashions the only significant fashion development in spring 1938 concerned colored accessories, which (at long last!) began to come into their own. Black and navy, perennial spring accessory favorites, gave ground to color. Copper, widely known as 'Parisand' was the great spring '38 color success. Pastels, notably pink and blue, gained favor. That the trend was one worth watching was proved by the fact that as summer approached, even white, for years the popular selection for summer accessories, fell greatly behind its past performances.

Femininity Stressed.

At the beginning of 1938 women were still wearing their hair in longish bobs. The ultra-smart were going in for Antoine's sculptured coiffures which were on the up ... not in back but in front and over the ears. Clothes had already begun several years before, to increase in femininity. But the beginning of 1938 saw femininity emphasized more and more. Strictly man-tailored suits, for instance, were already on the wane, but in 1938 passed out of fashion significance entirely. 'Dressmaker' suits with soft lines and details of tucks and pleats and drapes became 'the style.' Dirndl dresses, peasant-inspired, were popular in all price ranges. Full-skirted, 'romantic' evening dresses, strapless and hoopskirted, appeared early; but were, however, to gain greatest importance in the fall.

Spring 1938 hats were essentially feminine. The most significant development in millinery was the return to popularity of an old-fashioned favorite, veils. Spring 1938 accessories, too, were essentially feminine. Handbags were large and soft and the most popular styles featured shirring, tucking and draping. Best-selling sport gloves were hand-sewn. Best-selling dress gloves repeated the dressmaker details of handbags. Embroidered backs were a glove fashion success in all price ranges. Wide belts with dressmaker detailing came into fashion prominence.

Fall hats were definitely designed for up coiffures. Fashion-conscious women who in the beginning had no idea of putting their hair up found themselves forced to chose between an up-coiffure and a new fall hat. 'Doll hats' that covered more of the forehead than the head came in for great popularity. The largest fall 1938 hats left the back of the head from crown down completely bare except for anchoring ribbon. Tower heavenward they might, but cover the back of the head they did not!

In its extreme forms, the up-swept coiffure was more practical for evening than for daytime fashions. Strapless evening gowns were popular. Hair dresses of flowers, feathers, ribbons and jewels became evening coiffure musts. Earrings and necklaces in costume jewelry came back into prominence for evening and daytime wear. Costume jewelry as a whole enjoyed the biggest season in the history of the industry.

All fashions grew more and more feminine. Daytime dresses had high soft necklines, draped bodices, full-at-the-shoulder sleeves, nipped-in waists, full and just a little shorter skirts. The 'monastic' silhouette with exaggerated front fullness was one of the important fall '38 fashions. The 'skating' skirt came into prominence. Fall accessories repeated and emphasized their femininity of spring. Muffs and muff bags became fashion firsts.

New Shades.

Interest in color evidenced in the spring and summer carried through into fall. It is estimated that black, always the predominate fall color, fell in the fall of 1938 15 to 20 per cent behind its sales record of fall 1937. Wine, commonly called 'Chateau Wine,' was the most important color a fall season had ever produced. It was a success in coats, dresses, hats, shoes and accessories. 'Teal Blue' (a blue green) and Fuchsia were late fall color successes. The success of Fuchsia was far-flung in its effect for it led to the introduction of a whole new color scheme for make-up. Rouge, lipstick, nail lacquer especially toned to blend with the fashionable fuchsia shades were introduced and widely accepted late in 1938.

Though the fashion industry as a whole will remember 1938 as the year of the up-swept coiffure and the beginning of a cycle of color, there are several important developments which will be remembered by separate branches in the industry.

Shoes.

It was in the women's shoe industry that the most revolutionary changes took place. Of first importance was the use of lastexed leathers and fabrics. This idea is expected by some authorities eventually to revolutionize the entire shoe industry. Of great significance were many radical ideas introduced in shoe designs. For generations shoe designers have been content to change merely the height of the shoe, the height of the heel, the shape of the toe and heel, the amount of foot exposed. But in 1938 shoe designers left conventionalities behind. They introduced 'clogs' which raised the whole foot, toe and heel alike, as much as three inches from the ground; 'wedge' soles which did away with conventional space between heel and toe of shoe; 'platforms' which were of variable thickness and inserted between sole and body of shoe; wooden sabot-like shoes with rigid soles and turned up toes; all kinds of very fancy and unconventional heels, the most important of which seems to be the 'hooded heel.' Of all these, the platform sole was the most generally accepted. It was popular in all price ranges. 'Clogs' were accepted only in beach shoe versions.

Sudetenland a Source of Imports.

Of great importance to American importers of gloves and wood bead bags and to American manufacturers of costume jewelry was the Germanization in 1938 of the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia. There were two good reasons why merchandise stamped 'Made in Germany' but actually the same as that formerly stamped 'Made in Czechoslovakia' was not acceptable to importers in this country. The first was, obviously, the boycott of German-made goods by the United States public. The second good reason was the fact that import duties on German goods was higher than those on Czech goods and thus the chief attraction of the goods, i.e. its low price, was destroyed.

Sudetenland was an important source to the United States for popular-priced leather gloves. It was the only available source for popular-priced fabric gloves of the 'chamoisette' or 'double-woven' type. Sharp readjustments were made which were to a large extent in favor of the American manufacturer. Limited quantities of American-made 'double-woven' fabric gloves appeared on the market. Though the readjustment was made within the industry during fall 1938, the consumer will not feel it until 1939.

Since Sudetenland was the only developed source in the world for the wood beads that go into the manufacturing of the popular-priced wood bead handbags sold in the United States, wood bead importers were forced to develop new interests or go out of business. Here again the consumer will not be affected until 1939.

Though the greater per cent of stones used in making popular priced costume jewelry came from the same area, readjustment came easier in this field than in any other. Large stocks of stones on hand and versatility of styling of the item involved accounts for this greater ease. Popular-priced rhinestones are likely to present the greatest problem.

Innovations Introduced.

Fall 1938 saw the introduction of two important patented accessories. The first to appear was Merry Hull's 'Finger-free' glove which focused attention on fourchettes and started a trend toward emphasis by use of contrasting colors on construction in gloves. The other was the 'Fa-cile' frame for handbags which worked on the spring principle and eliminated necessity for locks and clasps.

Of no significance to the hosiery industry within the year 1938 but forerunner of possible new development in that industry within the next five years, was the introduction by Du Pont of a new synthetic yarn. It is called 'Nylon' (fibre 66) and is considered practical for sheer hosiery in upper price brackets.

In summary, then, 1938 will be remembered in the American fashion world as the year of the up-swept coiffure, feminine fashions, real beginning of a cycle wherein color became important as opposed to black, 'doll hats,' fuchsia-toned cosmetics, lastexed shoes, revolutionary shoe designs, loss of Czech importations, introduction of 'Finger-free' glove and 'Fa-cile' frame and 'Nylon' yarn.