The Nightshirt Coat plus Hat and Gloves of Ocelot - Harpers Bazaar 1944

Pure Drama. What's her story?

"The nightshirt coat in citron green Juilliard wool. It has all the time-honored features-little button-down collar, four buttons on a brief front hand, full wrist-buttoned sleeves. About $90. Saks Fifth Avenue; Neiman-Marcus, Dallas. John Frederics outsize pillbox, and gloves of ocelot. Jewelry from Trabert and Hoeffer-Mauboussin. Helena Rubinstein's Red Coral lipstick and White Flame Cream Tint foundation."
(A repost from November, 2010)

Harper's Bazaar 1944 - "Says the girl in the swallow-tail gown."

So much extra pleasure, luxury, distinction..." I just know they are talking about her gown, not her Marlboro.
(a re-post from November, 2010)

Harper's Bazaar 1944 - Not A Bra!

Improves your appearance 100%!
(Another 'I'm on vacation reprint' reprint from November 2010)

We're just little people - 1944

This brings home just how good we have it now...and let's remember who we have to Thank.
(click twice to see details)

"A United Staes War message prepared by the War Advertising Council; approved by the Office of War Information; and contributed by the Magazine Publishers of America"

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Merle Oberon for Maybelline

The final image on the back cover is the lovely Merle Oberon. Actually before 1944 when this picture was published she had been in a car accident that scared her face and "Oberon suffered even further damage to her complexion in 1940 from a combination of cosmetic poisoning and an allergic reaction to sulfa drugs. Alexander Korda sent her to a skin specialist in New York City, where she underwent several dermabrasion procedures. The results, however, were only partially successful; without makeup, one could see noticeable pitting and indentation of her skin."[see link above] Yet with the help of Maybelline she looks flawless here.

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Girdlslax - Combines Utility with Charm

"Home Front Fighters choose Girdslax. You're millions strong, you feminine warriors! Your ammunition, the assembly line, the riveter's gun, the welder's rod! Your uniform, Girdslax...cut, for fit, like a man's slack...combines utility with charm."

Strong words for women! They also list in tiny print at the bottom "Trikskirts, Swurlskirts, Slax Suits as other work clothes for those feminine warriors.

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Everyone's looking at you...

...and of course you love it, you're so completely right in your Sporteens jacket and skirt.

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Sweater Girls In Action

Wow. What is she really selling?

Glamour Magazine 1944 - A Snap Of A Suit

Young Recruit for your Spring Offensive...a snap of a suit, a LEEDS HI-HO JUNIOR...for the young in figure, the young in heart, as well as the young in years.

Glamour Magazine 1944 - "Textiles At War"

Fabric Dream Of Tomorrow - Heavenly Rayons Today!
The Textron company was making parachutes and they show up in the edges of this lovely illustration. I can't make out the artist's name.

Out of the midst of war's grim necessities will arise the beautiful, amazing new Fashion Fabrics of Tomorrow. From Textron's filmy parachutes and gossamer mountain tents, from the steel-strong fibers of tow ropes for gliders-will come exciting, fabulous new fabrics to adorn you and your home in the new synthetic century ahead. Bathing you in light and loveliness. Protecting you from cold and dampness. Warding off staining and fading. Beautiful, fragile and fantastically enduring! In the glamorous fabric world of tomorrow- remember the new name Textron!

To inspire your scissors today, Textron offers you for divinely draping evening gowns and blouses, for slim, sleek underthings- luxurious Textron Satins of finest rayon. For tailored suits and coats there are exclusive Textron Lining Twilis and Serges of rayon. Glorious lengths of fine, firm weaves in the most flattering and exciting colors. You can be lovely as a dream today-in Textron!

Glamour Magazine 1944 - The Shoes!

Send A Ration Coupon...you're gonna need it to get these fabulous shoes.

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Unforgettable -that Christy Look

"Of course, your time is at a premium now, but the brave still do deserve the fair! So save a handful of minutes every morning - another handful every night and help yourself that radiant, fresh look - the look HE won't forget."
And "Join the WACS and have a hand in the war."

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Shocking Stockings!

The idea here was to "make the legs more eyepealing", "made for wear - but also to make them stare". Seems to be working!

Glamour Magazine 1944 - It's "Good Behavior" that counts

For slips that is. Especially if we are talking about Movie Star Slips...this model is "Winged Victory" and it "behaves well when you stand, sit, walk or run". (I wonder if they actually tested women running while wearing these slips? I think not.) But the illustration is lovely, she looks like she could fly. (Bet they didn't test for that either.)

Glamour Magazine 1944 - Pregnant? This Is What And What Not To Do

The good thing about 1944 was that there were clear rules to follow, all you had to do was keep track. Just remember that " A smock fairly shouts B-A-B-Y. A dress won't blab the news." Heaven forbid you should forget "No pinhead hats for pregnants. Balance your bulk with width."
See how easy that is?

Glamour Magazine 1944 - "This is the way to dress your young"

"Hollywood Patterns and your own nimble fingers make these gay sugar and spice nursery fashions."
Pretty illustration is by Lisl Weil an artist in many beloved books. Hollywood Patterns were popular for small fry and big stars too!

Glamour Magazine 1944- The Mobile Coat- Styled Six Ways!

This is a good lesson on how to take any quality basic coat and re-fashion it six different ways. You just need to use your "old fur coat", military braid, wide belts, or ocelot or a shaggy fur cape...great ideas!

The Mobile Coat. Glamour's cure-all for tired-winter-coat blues. Mobile-"quickly responding to any stimulus ...changeable, versatile" (Webster). The perfect year-round, quick-change coat. Photographed here with Calder Mobiles-the fluid sculpture exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. This Botany wool coat with a button-in, quilted lining, has an amazing virtuosity with accessories, as shown below. Fitted, buttoned way down...a fine facade for fur, braid, belts. Gold, red, blue. aqua, green, black. Sizes 10 to 20. $39.95. Altman's, N.Y.; The White House, San Francisco; R. H. White, Boston. Coty's medium lipstick.

1. ADD A FUR FACADE this winter: a weskit and a matching beret made out of your old fur coat.

2. MOOD MILITAIRE. Swing along next spring in epaulets and a jaunty fourragere made of braid.

3. BEDECK WITH BRAID for that extra-festive look. For subtlety, match coat. For drama, contrast.

4. ENLIVEN WITH LEATHER -wide leather belt, huge leather bag, trim walking shoes, a debonair air.

5. FEMINIZE WITH FUR. Ocelot, leopard or stenciled lapin for collar, buttons and gauntlet cuff.

6. SLINC, ON A CAPE or a stole of shaggy, fur ... it's perfect with the unbulky lines of this coat.

Glamour Magazine 1944 - More Ads and Designers!

"Your Label For All The Things You Are" , "This dress can go with you from office to canteen, from campus to date", "The junior miss who cuts her fashion teeth...becomes a purist for fine tailoring and a sticker for for perfect details" but don't forget to "look pretty, please!"

Glamour Magazine 1944 - For The Girl With A Job

We are going to spend some time in 1944, looking at what a gal with a job was wearing and doing. She was doing it looking fabulous!
Many of the ads in this issue show the labels of the fashion houses or name the designers. Let's start with a few of these examples.

Charm Magazine - 1944 - For A Warm and Wonderful Christmas

Really, it's true, who doesn't want a cozy new robe? Or fuzzy slippers and gloves? The more things change, the more they stay the same.