gown appropriate for wartime event?

[AdelinesAtticVintage]

Hello! I'm trying to help dress a friend who is attending a World War Two evening event in the UK next late spring. We've found a lovely gown but want to make sure it is historically accurate. In short, would it plausibly be a gown a woman in England during World War Two could have worn or would the silver braiding have contravened CC41, etc? Thanks!!

 

[Jonathan]

It all depends what end of the war she is doing. Before 1942 many women continue to wear their prewar evening clothes, and those with money even purchase new clothes, like evening dresses, off ration. By 1942 however, clothes rationing makes all but the slimmest of evening gowns illegal, and most English women have some form of war work and if they don't the government finds them some work to do. Things like full length evening dresses virtually disappear from hotel ballrooms and dance halls. Its considered more patriotic to wear simple day-length clothes, or even uniforms out for an evening on the town. I think this dress would be perfectly suitable for en evening out in 1940/41, but less likely afterwards.

 

[pauline]

I will add a little more by saying you have to think also about the practicalities of wearing clothes also in War time, dashing down to a air raid shelter in a birty and somewhat dustly basement might be a little difficult in some dresses
I think I remember Vera Lynn saying she spent her full years cloths rationing on a evening dress.
And also getting to events could be hard by private transport because of the petrol shortage,
And do not forget the gas mask case.

 

[AdelinesAtticVintage]

Oh, YES, I must tell her to bring a mask/purse. THANK YOU!