Tuesday 3 April 2012

Wartime dress - finished!

I finished the 1941 dress! Here it is, in all its spotty glory. I narrowed the shoulders a bit to fit my frame, and shortened the skirt by a couple of inches too. My lovely yellow bakelite belt buckle works perfectly.


I'm wearing it with a turban to cover up my horrendous roots... I think this is a thoroughly 1940s solution to an unsightly head, Aerospace Boyfriend however says it makes me look like one of those African ladies in their matching outfits and turbans... I think he's wrong, but I don't care anyway, those ladies always look amazing!


I'm also wearing my 1940s red velvet shoes, a 30s uranium glass necklace, and a cuff bracelet made from plastic strapping and rectangular luggage strap rings - this belonged to my Nanna, and I remember when she gave it to me as a child that she told me all about how there was no money for jewellery during the war, so accessories were made from scrap, and that this was made for her. I don't know who made it.

I'm hoping to wear this dress to the Haworth 1940s Weekend and am currently attempting to organise a road trip with lots of other ladies! Let me know if you're nearby and fancy joining us.

10 comments:

  1. Ooh, pretty! I really need to start thinking about something to wear as well.

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  2. Your dress looks great! Love the whole outfit.

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  3. You look positively amazing. I love your dress!
    -Andi x

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  4. It's FANTASTIC! It makes me want to finish my 40's style jumper I started.

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  5. You look lovely, what an amazing dress, you are so clever I'm quite green with jealousy!

    Men! what do they know about accessorising??

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  6. die * gasp* whoa! FABULOUS! Guys are clueless, matching turbans are very mainstream 40s. LOL You did a really great job sewing that, it looks professional and fits very nice! The story about your Nanna is very touching =-)

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  7. Wow! Your dress looks amazing, love the contrast colour trim and belt! Love the story about your Nanna's bracelet too - people were so much more resourceful then compared to today's throwaway culture.

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  8. Thanks ladies! I have finally realised that I look OK in yellow, after 26 years of thinking it would make me look ill... more yellow things to come, I think!

    I'm also planning a modified version of this dress for Aerospace Boyfriend's graduation in a few months :) the print I have for it is amazing!

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  9. Excellent! It looks fab...I love the colourway. I've just discovered the joy of yellow after forty odd years odd never wearing it!XXX

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