The 40’s era was where the fashion houses of Dior and Chanel ruled according to Style.com. They dictated the austere style, which was strict and plain; yet at the same time sophisticated yet masculine. The forties decade opened up an extensive variety of original and distinctive styles and still remains to be the foundation of masculinity with a feminine edge. The 1940’s were a time marked by World War II and the succeeding independence of women thus being an important factor to not only to the development of fashion, but also to change the history of the human being. Whether it is through the foundations of Styling, graphics, Interiors and Fashion.
FASHION
In regards to the historical context of the 1940’s it is fundamental to understand what constitutes fashion and how fashion has evolved through time; emerging it’s place in society today from the historical events of the forties. The most influential historical occurrence during this period was the Second World War, as fashion design had a great transformation. The colour of fashion was evidently seen through war, with the dark shades dominating the colour palate, which represented a sense of patriotism. It was the decade were masculinity and extreme femininity merged, emphasizing the style of affordable elegance and forties glamour. It was the period that established the makings and combination of male elements through the designs of women’s fashion, as they were restricted by law and moral codes. It was through the practicality and simplicity that this luxurious wartime style was a success, exemplified through its importance and influence for designers and the needs of today’s society. There is an immersion of the then and now, the forties and the millennium of fashion.