Alright, let’s talk about them womens trousers from the 1940s. You know, back in them days, things weren’t like they are now. Ladies mostly wore dresses, yeah, but things started changing, they really did.
I remember my grandma tellin’ me stories, see. She said in the early part, not too many gals wore trousers. It just wasn’t the done thing, you understand? But then the war came, that big World War Two, and everything got turned upside down.
See, the men went off to fight, and the women, well, they had to step up. They went to work in the factories, makin’ all sorts of stuff – bullets, planes, you name it. And them factories, they weren’t no place for fancy dresses. Too dangerous, you see. Things could get caught, and nobody wanted that.
- So, what did they do? They started wearin’ trousers!
- At first, they just wore men’s trousers, I reckon. Whatever they could find, I guess. But then, as more and more women started workin’, they started makin’ trousers just for them.
- Now, these weren’t no skinny jeans like the young’uns wear today. Nope. These were sturdy, practical trousers.
They made ‘em from all sorts of stuff. Wool, they used a lot of wool, sometimes mixed with other things. Rayon, that was another one. And then there was flannel, for when it got cold, I guess. Oh, and gabardine, that was fancy. They also made ‘em from corduroy, and twill, and even that seersucker stuff, you know, the kind with the stripes.
Colors? Well, they weren’t too flashy. Lots of black, and blue, and green, and grey. Practical colors, you see. Nothin’ too loud.
Now, there was this one famous kind of outfit, the Rosie the Riveter coveralls. You’ve probably seen pictures. Tough women, wearin’ them coveralls, showin’ they could do anything the men could do. Those coveralls, they were usually made of that denim stuff, real sturdy.
And then there were the jeans, or what they called dungarees back then. They weren’t just for cowboys and farmers no more. Women wore ’em too, especially when they were doin’ hard work. The war, it changed everything, it really did.
If you’re lookin’ for somethin’ like them old 1940s trousers today, you gotta look for somethin’ with a high waist, they called it a “natural waistline”, and wide legs. That’s the style. You can find ‘em if you look hard enough. Some places even make new ones that look just like the old ones, imagine that!
I saw some on that eBay thing once. All sorts of prices, some cheap, some not so cheap. But if you want that real 1940s look, you gotta pay for it, I reckon. Or maybe you could get lucky at a yard sale, you never know.
So, them 1940s womens trousers, they weren’t just clothes, see. They were a sign of the times. They showed how women stepped up and did what they had to do. And they looked pretty darn good doin’ it, too, even if they were just workin’ trousers. They paved the way, them women did, for all the choices we have now. We owe ‘em a lot, we really do.
And you know, it makes you think. Fashion, it ain’t just about lookin’ pretty. Sometimes, it’s about gettin’ things done. And them trousers, they sure did help them women get things done back in the forties. They were tough, practical, and they got the job done, just like the women who wore ‘em.
So next time you see a pair of trousers, or whatever they call ‘em these days, pants, I guess. Remember where they came from. Remember them women, workin’ hard, makin’ a difference. And remember them 1940s trousers, a little piece of history, right there on your legs.
Tags: [1940s fashion, womens trousers, vintage clothing, workwear, WWII fashion, Rosie the Riveter, wide leg pants, high waisted trousers, historical clothing, retro style]