Product Description

Continuing interest in life on the Home Front during the Second World War means that the style of the 1940s has never been more popular. People are recreating the look for plays and films, re-enactments, 1940s themed events, or just because they enjoy dressing in vintage fashions. "The 1940s Look" tells you everything you need to know about the fashions of wartime Britain and the impact that rationing, the Utility scheme, changing tastes and the demands of everyday life had on the styles people wore. People had to 'Make Do and Mend' - with varying degrees of ingenuity and success. Hair styles, glasses, jewellery, and tattoos were essential in creating your own fashion statement. Women's magazines advised readers on the difficulties of dressing growing children, offered instructions for making clothes and accessories, and hosted debate over whether by dressing up, women were helping or hindering the war effort. Thoroughly researched and lavishly illustrated, "The 1940s Look" tells you how civilian men, women and children dressed - and why they looked the way they did during the Second World War. It draws on contemporary sources including government advice, periodicals and books, and benefits from an entertaining narrative by author Mike Brown.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12883 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

From the Publisher
Meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated, this retrospective is essential reading for anyone interested in social history and fifties design, and would make a great gift for grandparents to look back fondly at the 1950s. Chapters include: formal and informal fashions; couture house to homemade; hairstyles and make-up; the figure; and accessories.

From the Author
Author Mike Brown says: "The 1950s was a decade of decadence - a rebellion against wartime restrictions and rationing. As people turned their backs on the privations of the drab war years, exciting new fashions and daring styles from overseas found a place in British homes. In the decade of the Coronation, the conquest of Everest and the Festival of Britain, the second Elizabethan age had arrived, and with it came optimism for a bright future."

From the Back Cover
The Fifties - decade of the Coronation, the conquest of Everest, the Festival of Britain, the Suez Crisis, and Britain's first Wimpy Bar.

Britons turned their backs on the privations of the drab war years. The second Elizabethan age had arrived and with it came optimism for a bright future.

Breezes of exciting new fashions ruffled through the wardrobes of the nation. Daring styles from overseas gusted into British homes - the Hawaiian shirt and denim jeans from the USA, and a new hair-do called the 'crew cut'.

The winds of fashion soon veered to the Continent with the rise of chique Italian and French styling. But an eclectic British style began to emerge from these influences and with it a whole new breed - the teenager.

Premier Harold Macmillan famously summed up the mood of the fifties when he told the country: 'you've never had it so good'.

· The 'Fifties' look
· Formal and informal fashions
· Couture house to homemade
· Hairstyles and make-up
· Adult, child and teenage fashions

Customer Reviews

A bit disappointing
After eagerly awaiting this book, it was finally delivered last week, and I have to say that I am a little disappointed with it.

Yes, there's lots of information with pictures on the 1940s look, from hairstyles to shoes, and all the bits in between, but I want to know how to achieve those hairstyles, not just see pictures of them. From the title of the book, I thought that it would have step by step instructions on how to achieve the look, but it doesn't really. With the clothes, the reader can see what sort of design to look out for, but with hairstyles, it isn't enough to show a picture, we need to know what to do to get that style.

So, if you are a re-enactor, hoping to have step by step instructions, save your money, but if you just want to see pictures of 1940s styles, then this is okay, if a little pricey.

A blast from the past
This book arrived in mint condition, brand new. I have enjoyed this so much and am constantly looking through it. I love the period of the 40s through to the 50s so I also bought the 50s book. I am a late 60s baby and have always said that I was born into the wrong generation, we truly have no proper style nowadays. Gives lots of info and fab pictures on the style of the times, make-up. Gents clothing and kids also covered.T My mum has also loved it, she is in her 70s and was born just before the second world war started so this book has taken her on a wee trip down memory lane.

A Must For The Coffee Table
This book is fantastic and without doubt will sell many copies. It will delight young and old alike and is filled with lots of interesting information and many facts that would have been forgotten about this period. It is extremely well produced with excellent illustrations and photographs.

This is a book that when you look at it you will find great pleasure flicking through the pages delving in and out of the various styles that were sometimes forced to be worn during these difficult times. Without doubt you will know someone who would love to receive a copy of this book as it will make an ideal Christmas Gift.

10 out of ten for the Author - Mike Brown and 10 out of ten for the publishing Company for producing such a lovely book.