God Save Our Country

During the war, patriotism was in the air - everyone wanted their country to win the war, and so many designers used military references and detailing in their clothing. This way the whole country felt united, even if it was just a belt buckle or trench coat detail which made them feel so.


(Source: etsy) This look seems so uniform, and the shapes are a female reflection of the men's soldiers uniforms


(Source: keepyourpeckerup.wordpress)

It got to such extremes that evening gowns and even wedding dresses had a sense of patriotism to them - I have mixed feelings about this because I think a wedding in wartime (and any time) should be happy and about the two people getting married, not the current political situation. However I can see that it would've meant a lot to someone who was in the war if their wife was in a dress which referenced his honour.

(Source: watchthetramcarplease.com) 

(Source: sammydvintage.com) This is such a simple wedding dress - the pockets are a subtle military reference and I think this is a perfect example of showing patriotism but not too much.

To save manufacturers from running out of materials and helping other places to have as much staff as possible, the Board of Trade commissioned designers to design a collection which was made of simple materials and could be mass produced. Clothing in the war (especially in places like Britain) became refined, simple and functional.


(Source: iwm.co,uk)