Alterations: Mens WWII Pants

If you tend to wear vintage, you know that anything is fair game.  You've got to keep your options open and suddenly Grandma's old cat-eye glasses start to look do-able.  Your aunt's beret and scarf set, not too shabby.  Or your dad's old military clothes, not just for Halloween anymore!  Personally, I love my WWII military-issue pieces.  And here are a few easy tips to make the pants a bit more flattering for the female figure. 

BOOK REVIEW: Slacks and Calluses

Recently (or actually it was several months ago) Solanah from Vixen Vintage recommended a book for all of us vintage-minded gals dreaming of Life in the 1940s.  First published in 1944, Slacks and Calluses: Our Summer in a Bomber Factory, by Constance Bowman Reid, is a spectacular window into that lifestyle. 

During her summer vacation Bowman, a high school English teacher, along with her co-worker Clara Marie Allen (an Art teacher who illustrated the book) decides it is high time to contribute to the War Effort.  Both Bowman and Allen sign up for the swing shift at the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company in San Diego, California, to learn how to build B-24 Liberator bombers.

What ensues is an enjoyable, easy read about their training, their co-workers, their lack of sleep and copious amounts of greasy clothes.  Bowman is very candid about what it was like not only to be trained by men but also to work side-by-side with them.  She talks about riding the bus to work in her overalls; not a man stood to offer his seat, and several women turned up their noses.  She talks about having to learn the tools and tricks of working on an assembly line.  And she speaks with immense pride at having successfully survived their summer.

"We know that a Liberator was built by many people and many hours; and whenever in a newsreel we saw the inside of the tunnel with the oxygen bottles strapped into place, the belly turret hung down in its hole, the electric wires strung neat and firm along the sides, we saw Joe...we saw Jeff...we saw Blondie and Phyllis.  After a summer on the production line we looked at a Liberator the way you gaze in awe at a great tapestry when the note under it says that it took a hundred women twenty years to make it."

I would highly recommend this book as a wonderful, first-hand account of the softer side of the war effort.

The Real Life Victory Girls

I found this tie-tack last week at Out of the Ashes etsy shop.  Daniel, the owner, makes what he calls "altered art" jewelry using bullet shells, typewriter keys, circuit board bits, coins, gears and vintage finds.  You definitely need to check it out!

World War I poster

But it got me thinking about the history behind the term "victory girl."  When was it first used?  After a bit of research, it seems the original movement started during World War I as a legitimate, government-led work campaign.

The United War Work Campaign brought together seven organizations - the YMCA, the YWCA, the American Library Association, the War Camp Community Service, the Knights of Columbus, the Jewish Welfare Board, and the Salvation Army - into one large funding drive charged with raising over $170 million for the war effort.  There was even a chapter of Victory Boys! 


However, during the Second World War, the term "victory girl" took on a more definite sexual connotation.  It was applied to any young girl who felt it was her duty to boost the morale of service men.  This could be as innocent as dancing at USO clubs or as blatant as having sexual relations bordering on prostitution.  Knowing that these men may never return home, the girls used their sexuality to comfort and reward them before they shipped out or when they were on leave between assignments.  Of course the men played into this sense of patriotism, pressuring the girls and sweet-talking their way into a few sweaters.  "Khaki-wackies," "patriotutes" and "good-time charlottes" were other terms coined in that era.  And though this behavior was also present during World War I, it received much more scrutiny in the 1940s.  Some historians also argue that the girls were not simply swept off their feet in their misplaced patriotism, but were experimenting and pushing the boundaries of what was deemed socially acceptable. 

So just to set the record straight, Wild Kat, Peachie and I are boosting morale on the Home Front by baking pies, planting gardens and sharing tips on how to get the perfect roller set.  Our goal is to embody a more wholesome 1940s victory girl.  The girl who can make do with less.  The girl who keeps the home fire burning bright for her husband and family.  The girl who steps up and contributes to her community.  Is this making you slightly nauseous with all it's goody-two-shoe-iness?  More simply put, if you take the sexual component out of the slang, that's us.  Besides, we're all happily married, and only get wacky with one pair of khakis.  But we're too nice to talk about it.  *wink*

The Symco Shakedown Experience

Symco Shakedown #4 was bigger and better than ever!

I seriously need to consider taking the week before and after Symco off . I probably forgot about ten different things I was going to pack (which makes me think I should make a packing list for next year's shakedown NOW), but still had lots of fun. I was trying to finish a skirt for the pin up contest but ran out of time. Fortunately, my friend came to the rescue on Thursday and loaned me his mother's Mexican skirt from 1943!

 With the Buick packed to the gills we set off for Symco Thursday evening.

Our arrival at Symco Thresheree Grounds.

Let me just say in my defense I am packing for glamour camping or glamping. Which means a whole separate suitcase just for makeup and hair accessories.

Had to steal my vanity mirror from my Wildcat since I forgot my mirror!
Buick is a beauty too!

 I do believe Midnight Maniac and lots of other gals packed this way too, since there were loads of cute gals crawling the Thresheree grounds.

Our home away from home...next year a vintage camper I hope!

Friday evening calendar signing.

So what was new this year?

The fabulous Francesca Alfresca!

Well first off they had a burlesque show on Friday evening. It was my first time and I loved it!
My favorite performer was Francesca Alfresca. She had a cute balloon act and a sexy matador act.

The fashion designer in me LOVES this costume!

Maybe Daddy-O will be lucky enough to get his own private rendition some night. *wink*

Saturday was the big day. This year I accepted BoPeep's invitation to help with the pin up contest and it was a lot of fun. Those girls all brought their A-game this year!

The gorgeous gals all lined up for their time on stage.

My job was to keep the girls in line backstage...literally. Also to make sure they were looking their best before stepping out in front of the crowd.

Whew all done, now to get to work!

After the contest I went with a group of the calendar girls (including Miss Symco) to their photo shoot for the calendar. While trying to stay out of the photographer's way, I did my best to make sure they looked perfect. Some of the girls thanked me for helping out (the best compensation I could get). Those gals were beautiful on their own but with no mirrors available you want someone to make sure you makeup is perfect and your skirt is fluffed just right! My group of girls drew a big crowd everywhere we went.

A photo shoot in front of one of my favorite vintage campers. (Daddy-O was drooling over the Caddy too.)

Such fun, next year I will bring a survival bag. I got sunburned and only had a Mountain Dew (yuck!) until 3 in the afternoon. I took a short nap and then had some fun taking pics until the sun set.

Posing on Jerry's Ford after a meal, nap, and wardrobe change.

Then it was time for the bands.

Here is my one beef with the Shakedown. Too many great bands playing at the same time and no room to dance! Lil' Red and the Howlin' Wolves rocked the saloon Saturday night, and they even played "Johnny got a Boom-Boom" (yes!)  So to sum it all up, I am looking forward to the next Shakedown already, but need the time to catch up on my beauty rest.  I can't wait to see what next year brings!

PS.  Daddy-O was crowned Miss Symco (and got a sweet cut from Chuck the Barber), there were two flame throwing shows, bought some great vintage items, took pin up shots of my new friend Sam, and lots more that you missed out on if you didn't go to Symco!

The Victory Garden: How does your garden grow?

The summer days are quickly passing me by and yet on these hot July days it seems as if there will be no end to it. Being at the halfway point I thought I'd update you on my garden. I have only harvested some herbs and arugula but it's coming on like gangbusters despite my late planting schedule and lack of rain. My preference is rain water for my garden but that is not in the forecast. I did acquire a rain barrel but we would need some rain to fill it first. The potato plants are coming along nicely, and we have only found one potato bug on them this year!

This quadrant contains arugula, potatoes, basil, chives, and sunflowers.

 I have followed my garden design but some plants appeared and disappeared on their own. For instance these huge pumpkin plants showed up by themselves and when the were small it was hard to differentiate them from zucchini plants. Sure now it's obvious! I have been trimming them regularly so as not to loose my beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Please sign the list if you would like a pie pumpkin this fall!

The two east quadrants contain tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and pumpkins.

Cilantro is randomly sprinkled through out my garden too.
My cucumbers are behind but my neighbors usually ask me to take some off their hands once they are sick of pickling. I gladly oblige them.
My lavender is blooming and smells heavenly...think I'll slip some in my pillowcase tonight. My brother gave me the lavender and some rosemary, thanks little brother!

The last quadrant contains lavender, rosemary, zucchini, and more pumpkins.

The middle of my garden has some eucalyptus and flowers such as stock.
I only purchased two varieties of tomatoes this year and had lots of returning plants. I did sprinkle cornmeal around the base in hopes of warding off blight. It's probably time to give them a second round.

Trying to keep the pumpkin vines at bay so my wax beans can flourish.

Weeding has slowed down but there are plenty of other to do's. The tomatoes will need to be tied up with nylons and there is still the business of making a fence for my cucumbers to climb up. No wonder summer flies by, the garden keeps you busy. Taking stock I would have to say I am disappointed that none of my jalapeno pepper seeds came up, but I prefer the grass paths over mulch paths. Much softer on the feet!
 Although I do not have enough space to plant enough for preserving, it is gratifying to be able to feed my family from our back yard. Now that's local!

The Victory Garden

There is a certain comfort in working the earth. The Amish believe it brings you closer to God. At the very least I think it brings you closer to your spirit. Simple things in life like fresh laundry on the line, grass in your toes and gardening can be very sweet. Not since WWII has there been such a trend in gardening to save money. Some gardeners have even quantified the savings.
There is a great debate about when to start your garden. Some gardeners swear by planting after Memorial Day, so as to avoid the frost. This year's weather proved that theory wrong. I planted my garden on Memorial Day and thankfully my garden is in a warm spot tucked between houses so it escaped the late spring frosts. First, I recruited professional help for my design. I am the first to admit that I am clueless about what plants do better in sun, shade, my zone, etc. A Spark o Life sent me a beautiful design with my wish list of plants and veggies.

Ready to grow! My garden is an 18' diameter circle.

This year I will venture to try cucumbers and train them up a fence! I will keep you updated on that venture.  What will go in my victory garden this year? Well I have tomatoes, potatoes, jalapenos, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, beans, cut flowers, and various herbs. While I could do a whole garden of exclusively herbs my family does prefer some other fresh veggies.

This year, for my son, I decided to grow cut flowers.

Off to a dry start, I did lose one of my herbs (although I do still hold out hope for it) and had to buy a replacement. Everything seems to be going well with some sprinkler treatments.

Although he got a new shovel and hoe this year, he favors the shovel.

Trying to keep the weeds at bay might prove difficult with my busy schedule but I will try my best!
At the very least I know my children LOVE helping me in the garden and are learning valuable life lessons.

He could have dug holes all day.
He did a great job of planting and "pulling the covers up
tight and tucking them in" as my grandmother would say.

My youngest, who seems to have a deep affinity for gardening, asks me how I know so much about gardening. My reply is, "I learned from helping your great-grandmother in her garden." My grandparents instilled so much valuable knowledge in me with their garden. It is wisdom I will always cherish.

Not unlike my children it is truly amazing how the garden grows.

 Even if I do not garden to the extent of my grandparents, I can appreciate my little garden. After all every little bit helps. "Food fights for Freedom!"

Happy gardening, Victory Girls!

Book Review: Blueprints of Fashion

Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s

by Wade Laboissonniere

2009 Revised 2nd Edition

Schiffer Publishing

Ever wonder where the seemingly simple task of sewing begins?  Who were the major players in this industry?  And how did they shape the fashion choices that we, as homemakers, have available to us?  

Long before you sit at your machine with fabric in hand, hundreds of people are involved in getting you to that point.  This book gives a clear and concise history of the industy.  Beginning with information on the earliest pattern companies and their marketing goals to reach every housewife in America, this book goes on to cover the trade publications available to retail stores, the pattern company promotions, and the differences in packaging. 

Patterns themselves have evolved quite a lot over the years.  Innovations that we take for granted, such as an instruction sheet, printed pieces and sizing info, was not included in the early years.  Several smaller companies were bought out by the major players of McCalls, Simplicity and Butterick, each vying for its share of the market.  

Vogue was established early on as a premier company, charging $1.00 each for patterns throughout the 1930s while others were selling for 15 cents (unprinted) and 25 cents (printed).  Vogue marketed its image as the couture line, including a speciality label with each pattern sold.

 

By 1944, it is estimated that 82% of American women were sewing for their families.  This was a huge market that, though very much restricted by the War rationing, could be tapped into for homefront relief efforts as well.  

The book devotes an entire chapter to the iconic style of the 1940s, a reflection of both war rationing and garment industry restrictions.  This was a period when women began to wear work clothes that didn't include a skirt and heels!

Of course, the best feature of Blueprints of Fashion is the 110 pages of pattern illustrations.  Full-color photos of not only women's dresses, blouses and skirts, but also bridal, men's, children's and home decor. 

 

 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in 1940s vintage fashion.  Be you a sewer or historian, this is an excellent reference source to give you a solid feel for the decade that stood out with a strengh and determination all its own.

WWII Nose Art

As an artist I undoubtedly have an appreciation for art, but I especially like "art at work." Sure going through galleries and seeing the works of great artists is always a treat, but I do appreciate finding art in things all around us by "artists" all around us. Surely being labeled "artist" carries many beliefs, one of which is that you are not an artist if your works are not in a gallery. Art is something that is magical and either you have it or you don't. This is not true. I like to see artists making art that speaks of their experiences and translates into everyday life. In WWII we have just that with nose art. Combat crews and pilots decorated their warbirds with many things.

The image of a woman was by far the most popular. Nose art and pin ups were not new but together they were a hit. Many service men duplicated the popular Vargas girls in Esquire at the time. Surely many of these artist remain anonymous but they were and are enjoyed none the less. At the height of the war, nose artist were in high demand and got paid accordingly.

But this begs the question, why don't we see anymore nose art? In WWII there were regulations against marking military equipment, however society and thus the military (the navy did not) allowed this since our men were sacrificing their lives. Nose art has been credited with boosting morale, and giving the boys luck. Today the regulations are enforced and there is a lot of red tape to get through before you can apply art to your plane. Some people find this degrading to women, but I have to disagree, these images were security and good luck symbols on their planes that got them through a lot of tough times! If you are interested in helping to preserve this art you can visit Save the Girls for more information. To view some WWII planes in Wisconsin, you can visit the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.