Concerning Coats IV (1940s)

 Last (southern) spring I paused a series of posts I was writing about coats, saying that I'd pick it up once the weather turned cold again.  Well winter has well and truly arrived.  I'm picking up the narrative thread in the 1940s.

With the first half of the decade dominated by war, practicality and economy were the fashionable watchwords.  

Farmers, Autumn-Winter 1940

Four coats and two fashionable ways of wearing them 1940.  On the left, swagger style (in marl coating and boucle wool).  On the right, also in marl and boucle, two belted coats, with necks that could either be worn buttoned up as shown, or open as revers.  "Shoulders are smartly squared... Featuring the new tucked and flared umbrella skirt."

Wakes, Winter 1941

G. 609.  From the outswept shoulder-line of unusual trapunto embroidery to the invisible "blind-stitched" hem, this coat echoes quality, style, exceptional value for your money.  "Luxuria" all-wool coating, "guaranteed British", lined throughout, adeptly made and man-tailored.

G. 610.  Big hold-all pockets (an air-raid precaution in London) given an imported look to this roll-collared, toss-on top coat of flawless "Luxuria" all-wool coating.  Fully lined.

In June 1941 Britain introduced clothes rationing.  People were issued 60 coupons to last the year, and were required to give up a fixed number every time they bought a new garment.  Coats were one of the costlier garments under this system, a woman's unlined coat requiring 9 coupons to purchase and a lined coat 18—that is, nearly a third of the entire year's ration!  Not surprisingly, improvisation and clothes maintenance became increasingly important from this time on.

A FRIEND has put a lot of patch pockets on the inside of her old Winter coat and filled them with comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and small towel, change of undies, pair of pyjamas, cotton house frock, cotton, needle, scissors, bandages, cotton-wool, lint, safety-pints, ointment, bicarbonate of soda, salt, paper drinking cups, slabs of chocolate (changed now and then).

The much-loaded coat is just the thing to grab up if haste becomes a necessity...

The Australian Woman's Mirror, September 1, 1942

Vogue Pattern Book, April-May 1942

As Vogue Pattern Book puts it, "Coats...they are bulky or fitted".

S-4363—Long, lean lines accented by smooth tailoring—the kind of superb simplicity that is good for years.  Deep lapped seams over shoulders dissolve into the curved hip pockets.

9261—The classic, clean-lined charm of the polo coat is perennially appealing.  Single or double-breasted with detachable hood and a choice of two collars. Vent in back.

In April 1942, just as this magazine was hitting the newsstands, the American government introduced Regulation L-85 to control the use of materials in clothing— by dictating everything from hem depth to the amount of buttons that could be used.

Meanwhile in Great Britian, the government introduced the Utility scheme.  This not only imposed a similar set of regulations regarding the design of clothes, but dictated that a certain proportion of clothing be made to Utility standards and sold at a regulated price.  Utility clothing can still be recognised by the "CC41" label sewed in each garment.

McCall Style News, September 1943

Campus Coat
McCALL 5357.  A regulation double-breasted boxy coat, with every detail tailored to perfection.  The pockets are inside ones, stitched to simulate the patched type.

Rationing had been introduced in Australia in 1942.  A pamphlet published by the Commonwealth Rationing Commission in January 1943 explained:

Fewer clothes are now being produced for the civilian population than in peacetime because —

           Less shipping space is available for importing materials;

Our own ever-growing armed forces and the forces of our Allies have to be supplied.

It is impossible to meet normal pre-war demands for clothing.  Yet there is enough clothing to meet real needs if we share and share alike—and the principle of rationing is a fair share for all.

Get The Right Angle on Rationing: Answers to Your Coupon Queries (1943)

As with the British system, coats were among the more "expensive" items on the menu.  Out of an annual ration of 112 coupons, an unlined women's coat cost 19 ration points, while a lined coat cost 27.

National Bellas Hess, Fall-Winter 1944

A. SMART BACK DETAIL in a Hollywood wrap coat.
The most sought after coat classic... so smart and practical to wear with everything—dresses, sport clothes, suits.  Convertible collar, front and back yoke, tailored welt seaming, loose back belt stitched into the side seams, button-on front belt, two novel slash pockets.

B. HOLLYWOOD TIE-FRONT For a Flattering Waistline
Stunning new tailoring details distinguish this favorite casual coat... interesting yoke treatment with tapering front pleat from shoulder to pocket, deep inverted back pleats from from yoke to hem, easy-fitting raglan-effect sleeves, convertible collar, one-button closing, loose wrap belt, two deep patch pockets.

C. THE CHESTERFIELD Becoming to every figure
Tailored for flattery... double breasted Chesterfield, cut straight and slim.  Four-gore back; darts in fron for smooth lines.  Traditional velveteen collar.  Two flap pockets and simulated breast pocket, closed vent back.  Rayon lined; warmly interlined.

This catalogue page shows unrationed American coats, but in countries where rationing held sway, improvisation was growing popular.  Ideally a woman could get hold of some unrationed material (a blanket, perhaps, or a male relative's unused overcoat) and restyle it into a coat for herself.  Alternatively, you  could spend your coupons on a coat, and save by converting the unworn portions of your old coat into other garments.  

Marcus Clark, Autumn and Winter 1945

D7W2—Tailored Wool Camel Cloth Box Coat.  New shoulder line, stitched high revers, inverted pleat with wide welted stitched seams centre back.  Two slip pockets.  Fully art silk lined... 27 coupons.

D6W2—Adelyn Coat in wool Boucle cloth.  Youthful style, fitted waist line and flared skirt.  High revere, extended shoulder, two pockets, welted stitching trims coat back and front.  Fully art silk lined... 27 coupons.

At the end of the war, and looking forward to peace, there are already signs that women are getting sick of austerity and  hoping for more feminine styles.  Alas, there would be more years of hardship ahead.

For Autumn.  Looking a little ahead for autumn and Easter clothes it may be stated that dignified sophistication in coats has replaced the popular Chesterfield box styles.

Australian Home Journal, March 1945

Grace Bros. Model Trader, Easter 1946

New Style WINTER COAT, of Heavy-weight All-Wool Boucle, made in the flattering softly-fitted style, with a self fabric belt, and topped with a luxurious Fur collar.  Convertible neckline.

The fur collar adds a touch of luxury to this Australian coat, but alas, rationing was still in effect.  However the cost in coupons appears to have gone down since wartime.

Vogue Pattern Book, February-March 1947

The most important coat of the spring season.  Fall straight as a plumb-line in front.  Flaring freely in the back.  Over-sized Peter Pan collar.  Design no. 5987.

This voluminous coat shown on the cover of Vogue Pattern Book (published before the New Look trotted down the catwalk, by the way) sets the style for the rest of the decade: big coat, big collar and big pockets.  However, at this stage there are still plenty of narrower, more squared style coats appearing in advertisements and between the covers of fashion magazines.

Harper's Bazaar (British edition) September 1948

On the cover: Charles Creed's superb greatcoat; navy blue with accents of scarlet, and generous sleeves to fit over suits.

The New Look was controversial for all sorts of reasons, but by 1948 modified versions of it were available for all sectors of the market—but particularly at the upper end 

This winter a big, flaring coat is the most popular silhouette for untrimmed classic and semi-classic coats.  This new coat is full backed, voluminous, calf covering— it swings free and unhampered, and will fit comfortably over any of the new fashions.  Plaids and checked tweeds in autumn-blended colors top the color list; deep olive-green is liked, so is midnight blue.  Many of these coats have a face-framing, high-riding collar that can be worn up round the face or to lie flat.  A hood as a finish is also very popular.  Sometimes the hood is attached to the coat, and sometimes made detachable. 

"Dress Sense" by Betty Keep, Australian Women's Weekly, 8 May 1948

Schöne Wienerin, Winter 1949

Rationing ended in Australia in 1948, and—finally!—in Britain in 1949.  Rationed or not, coats still represented a major wardrobe investment.

I AM writing for your advice about my winter overcoat.  I only buy a coat about every three years, and it must be suitable to wear with all my clothes.  I feel this year I want something a bit different from black or brown.  I hope that you will find time to advise me, and you will understand that the amount of money a coat costs means a lot to me.

I certainly understand that the purchase of a good topcoat is a major investment for any wardrobe and should be undertaken as such.  For the design I recommend a loose-fitting cover-all coat, roomy but straight with a graceful pleat at the back.  The fabric must be good.  The colour will depend on your present wardrobe.  Make sure it goes with most of the clothes you already possess.  Banker-grey flannel with a yellow lining would be attractive and new; or you might consider navy-blue velveteen, or a pale fleecy wool.

"Dress Sense" by Betty Keep, Australian Women's Weekly, 21 May 1949