The History of Fashion: Most Important Style Moments of the 20th Century
1940s: Utility Dresses
Much of the decade’s fashion was based on what many call civilian uniforms. These clothes, marked "CC41" for "civilian clothing 1941," were made to be durable and affordable, not fashionable. "Rosie the Riveter," (a character placed on government advertising that was meant to recruit women to the workforce), became one of the most iconic images of the decade. Women rolled up the sleeves of their utility outfits, sported a cloth in their hair, added a bit of red lipstick, and went to work. Along with the lack of materials came creative solutions for clothing--women repurposed old clothing, bedsheets and other scrap materials with patterns so their wardrobes weren’t so monotonous.
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