OBJECT REVIEW: PAISLEY BLOUSE WITH UTILITY MARK LABEL

When thinking of the rationed clothing from World War Two, dull colours and basic cuts spring to mind. However, this fun paisley print blouse was made during the War, dated between 1941 and 1952.



In Britain, clothes were rationed from June 1941 and continued to be until 1949, four years post war. The War forced fashion retailers to adapt to the difficult circumstances, and so the government introduced the utility clothing scheme in 1941. The utility scheme put in place restrictions on clothing design, for example, the number of pleats in skirts and the number of buttons used. The main reason for this was to save materials and labour, so that these could be diverted to aid the war effort and economy.


CC41 utility mark label
Wikipedia (2017) CC41. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CC$1 [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017]

The blouse has a utility mark label called the CC41, that became more well known as the “double cheese”. The blouse is not obviously a piece of rationed clothing at first glance. It has three-quarter length sleeves, shoulder pads and a bright purple, blue and yellow print inspired by the traditional paisley design. There were no restrictions on print and colour, however, some parts of the blouse indicate that this is a piece of rationed clothing. Instead of buttons and buttonholes, the shirt has popper front fasteners to conserve materials such as thread. The materials also reflect the period the blouse was made. These include viscose and plastic which are considerably cheaper than materials such as silk.





Although the world of fashion was affected by the War, it did not stop the fashion industry from creating the best quality pieces they could and continuing to thrive in a time of hardship. Garments such as this blouse showed the industry wanted to continue to create exciting and trendy pieces, and not be defeated by the War.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Book:

Summers, J. (2015). Fashion on the ration. London: Profile Books Ltd.

Web:

Imperial War Museums. (2017). How Clothes Rationing Affected Fashion In The Second World War. [online] Available at: http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/how-clothes-rationing-affected-fashion-in-the-second-world-war [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017].


Modip.ac.uk. (2017). AIBDC : 000824 | Museum of Design in Plastics, MoDiP. [online] Available at: http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/aibdc-000824 [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017].

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE HISTORY OF CHINTZ

Image
Cotton is one of the biggest global commodities, and has been for many centuries. Originating from India and arriving in England in the mid-1600s, it revolutionised the fashion industry as well as changing the economy as it became globalised, connecting the whole of the Western World through exchange of cotton. Chintz, a textile made from cotton, has an importance throughout the history of fashion. Many of us will recall a floral and somewhat outdated fabric when thinking of Chintz. However, it is in fact the term for “a textile tradition of hand block printing with natural dyes” (Lal, 2015) and it is a complex technique. Seemingly British, Chintz also originated from India and is equally popular in other European countries as it is in England. By the mid-1800s, it was produced on a large scale in England and became vastly popular. This is due to the utilitarian qualities of Chintz, according to Crosby Stevens, curator of the exhibition Chintz Yatra (Chintz Journey) at Brodswor
Read more

AN INTERVIEW WITH SAMUEL HARRISON | GROUP BLOG

Image
“The fashion illustrator’s role is to ‘make(s) commercial visuals to sell the finished product” (Barnes, 1998). A fashion illustrator needs to be just as passionate in the business as any other fashion field job, they need to live and breathe fashion. They need to understand fashion, new-trends, styles, fits, and techniques. Harrison does this through the technique of drapery, thus avoiding gender exposure of his models. Samuel Harrison is a London based Artist and Fashion Illustrator. A recent Fine Art graduate from the Chelsea College of Art, his fashion illustrations focus on “an-other worldly sense of beauty” (Harrison, 2017). He translates his inspiration from the fashion world into his work to create fantastical drawings. Harrison has experienced success, having his art exhibited at SHOWstudio and collaborating with reputable practitioners like Nick Knight.  Harrisons work is also concerned with identity and self-expression. Men look like men and women look like women, t
Read more

OBJECT REVIEW: EARLY 20TH CENTURY ERMINE COLLAR

Image
The early 20 th century saw a change in the fashion industry. Fashion was becoming more diverse and reformed, hems became shorter and a sense of androgyny was explored in cuts and designs. This ermine collar (pictured below) is from this period, dated between 1900-1930. The collar was manufactured by Brooke Tyrell in Ireland. Made of silk and ermine fur and measuring at 820 mm in length by 115 mm in width, the collar is a delicate and glamorous item. On the exterior, the cream fur has four dark brown tail tips and is soft to touch. The interior is lined with cream silk and has a hook and eye fastening as well as a decorative chain. The garment is in good condition on the outside, but on the inverse there are noticeable signs of wear, such pulled threads and small orange stains. Furs and collars have “always been a sign of opulence in dress” (Bond, 1981, p12) for women. In the 1900s, this garment would have been worn by the rich, especially so as it is made of ermine
Read more