Peasant Blouses, Dirndl Skirts (Wakes, Spring-Summer 1947-1948)

In the late 1940s "peasant" skirts and blouses became very popular for casual wear.  Usually consisting of dirndl skirts in brightly coloured prints and puff-sleeved blouses that could be worn on or off the shoulders, these outfits were popular for picnics, the beach, and informal daytime parties.

Here are a few examples as advertised by Wakes of Melbourne in 1947:

ELASTIC TOP'D AND CUFF'D BLOUSE in 'Celanese Celshung'.  To sun or show your shoulders by day or night, just slip elastic top to shoulder point.  Sweet puffed magyar sleeves, frill and bow finished.

DANCE WITH THE WIND DIRNDL, TREMENDOUS SKIRT.  Multi-gore skirt with huge hem, fluted drape in Wakes exclusive spotted bow printed cotton linene.  Zip back placket, interlined corselet band.

ROSEBUD BAYADERE BRAIDE ON 'CELSHUNG' ELASTIC TOP PEASANT BLOUSE.  Sun or show off your shoulders by day or night in this launderable peasant blouse.  Elastic too on peasant puff sleeves.

FLORAL BORDER DIRNDL SKIRT.  LAUNDERABLE MULTI-COLOR SPUN RAYON in gay colors to make a peasant skirt with daisy-chain border.  Double waistband, full gathering all-round.

DRAWSTRING COTTON PEASANT BLOUSE.  A fine white cotton banded by boilfast cotton bias.  Wear as illustrated or with suncatching loveliness of bare shoulders.

"SIESTA", SUN-LOVING COTTON DIRNDL.  Exclusive-to-wakes print on colorfast cotton linene.  Lazy old peons drowsing beneath their sombreros, against desert cacti, make a gay border.  Sombreros and little cacti complete the print.  Gathered-all-round dirndl, button waistband, zip placket.

DRAWSTRING BLOUSE, LACE SLEEVES.  A combination of fine cotton lawn and all-over lace.  Wear the cute drawstring neckline high or low.  Oval drawstring back and puffed magyar drawstring sleeves.  Longer tuck-in length.

COLORFAST COTTON CORSELET-WAIST, BOW-BORDERED DIRNDL.  An exclusive-to-Wakes border print, with with color-spotted white bows encircling hem, more tiny bows on skirt and a collection of coin spots.  Many gored skirt with a tremendous width hem.  Lined corselet waist, zip placket at back.

"Wakes" Catalogue, Winter 1950

 Severe and austere in grey, these clothes from the early fifties look as if they were meant to be worn by serious grown-ups.  The suit is tailored in worsted wool flannel, while the coat (worn belted by the model in the middle, as a swing-back by the model on the right) is made in pure wool gabardine.

What I find intriguing about these garments is the width of their shoulders.  We're told that padded shoulders went out a few years after World War II, but here we are in the early fifties and encountering broad shoulders that wouldn't appear out of place in 1980s power dressing.

On page 3 of the catalogue there is a list of what its compilers thought were the fashionable colours for 1950.  For reference, these were:

• French grey (as seen on the coat on the right)
• French beige
• Bamboo shoot green
• American beauty red
• Mint green
• Junior navy

Apart from the red, not exactly a vibrant palette!

"Siren Suit" (Wakes, Summer 1942-3)

 

Strictly speaking, a "siren suit" was a one-piece garment, rather like a  jumpsuit.  They were designed as warm garments that could be donned quickly when the air raid sirens went—hence siren suit.  This "jacket-and-slacks suit" in "crease-resisting art silk linen" was

"designed to form an essential part of your defense program, a lounging lovely to make an equally complete background for relaxing or busy hours." 

In other words it was not intended for wearing while doing hard labour, or dodging bombs.  

Is it just me, or does this outfit look like some of the pants suits fashionable in the 1970s?

"Wake's" Catalogue (Summer 1939-1940)

There is a new way to buy clothes—clothes that always look smart and expensive—and that is the "Wake's Mail Orders" way.

Following the example set by mail order fashion houses of America, the firm of Wake's Mail Orders has designed and printed a most delightful and intriguing catalogue, reproducing from actual photography 1938's choicest styles, fabrics and ideas.  What with beautiful colour printing, and samples of materials attached, the thrill of city shopping is brought to the country home.  Because all their garments are produced under the direction of their overseas buyers, in their own workrooms, and are sent direct to the purchasers, the prices at which they are offered are claimed to be remarkably low.  Other factors which contributed to bring about this happy position are that no big city rents have to be met by the firm, there are no sales people's salaries, no laybys, no credits, no discounts, and no window displays.

(From Weekly Times (Melbourne) Saturday 21 May 1938) 

I haven't been able to find a copy of that first "Wake's" catalogue, but I do own a copy published a year later.  So since a picture paints a thousand words, let's see what was available to the woman shopper in the Southern summer of 1939-40: