Figure 1.--This clipping from a 1939-40 magazine was an advertisment for French war bonds--not a very good investment as it turned out. Notice the one boy in a dark school smock. The adverisement reads, "Mon papa a souscrit; et le tien?" (My daddy has underwritten, and yours?) |
The early 1940s was dominated by World War II. Fashion took a back seat. France declared war on Germany in September 1939. After 9 monthy of Phony War, the Germans invaded the Low Countries and then France itself in May 1940 and the French capitulated in June. In the armistace that folowed, southwestern France was not at first occupied and was known as Vichy France. But the Germans occuped it also after the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in October 1942. France remained occupied until the Normandy invasion in June 1944 and the defeat of the German Army in France in August 1944. HBC does not think fashions changed greatly during the occupation, but we have little actual information at this time. A French reader reports that during the German occupation, fashions for children did not really change. One French reader reports, "I have a lot of magazines of this
period and we can notice that the boys continued to be dressed in a juvenile style and did not copy adult fashions. The major problem during the War was shortages. The material needed to make clothes became sacrse and by 1944 was often not available at all. The material that was available was often quite expensive. The Germans never interfered with fashion. In fact German companies during the War copied some French fashions. Many magasines carried clothing patterns because often the only way for mothers to obtain new clothes was to sew the garments themselves. HBC notes that many boys continued to wear smocks to school, especially in rural areas. HBC notes many different styles and colors were advertized. HBC notes that most avialable photographs from the period suggest that dark smocks were the most common, but rather rare in the cities.
The early 1940s was dominated by World War II. Fashion took a back seat. France declared war on Germany in September 1939. After 9 monthy of Phony War, the Germans invaded the Low Countries and then France itself in May 1940 and the French capitulated in June. In the armistace that folowed, southwestern France was not at first occupied and was known as Vichy France. But the Germans occuped it also after the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in October 1942. The also noticed the northeastern provinces of Alasace Loraine, which nad been part of Germany (1870-18) to the Reich. France remained occupied until the Normandy invasion in June 1944 and the defeat of the German Army in France in July and August 1944.
HBC does not think fashions changed greatly during the occupation, but we have little actual information at this time. French boys during the German occupation waore the same garments as they did before the War. HBC notices no significant differences, but our information is very limited at this time. The various garments noted in the 1930s such as rompers, smocks, blouses, and pants continued basically nchanged during the German occupation--except that they became increasingly difficult to obtain as the War went on. HBC notes that many boys continued to wear smocks to school, especially in rural areas. HBC notes many different styles and colors were advertized. HBC notes that most avialable photographs from the period suggest that dark smocks were the most common, but rather rare in the cities. Footwear was especially difficult to obtain. A French reader reports that during the German occupation, fashions for children did not really change. One French reader reports, "I have a lot of magazines of this period and we can notice that the boys continued to be dressed in a juvenile style and did not copy adult fashions."
The major problem during the War was shortages. HBC is not sure what the situation was in the early years of the War, before and after the German occupation. German authorities did not put initially put their economy on a full war footing until 1942 when reverses in Russian and the entry of America in the War began to put increasing strains on the economy. Presumably this also affected German occupation policies in France. This meant that as the War went on, the Germans siphoned amore and more of French production for both the War and the domestic German economy. Another problem was that the German occupation cut off supplies of importaed materials, especially cotton. The Allied blockace of Germany was extended to France which cut rance off from suppliers. French buyers also lacked the means to pay for imported supplies, even if they could be arranged. As a result, the material needed to make clothes became sacrse and by 1944 was often not available at all. The material that was available was often quite expensive.
The Germans never interfered with fashion. In fact German companies during the War copied some French fashions. Many German department stores and clothing manufacturers were owned by Jews and seized by the NAZIs. This does mot eem to have been the case in France. As a result, the industry was not affected by actaiins against the Jews as was the situation in Germany.
Sewing bcame increasingly impotant during World War II. Material shortages limiting production was one factor. The French economy ws directed towrd the German War effort. HBC has, however, only limited information on this. Many magasines carried clothing patterns because often the only way for mothers to obtain new clothes was to sew the garments themselves.
HBC presumes that rationing systems were entroduced in France before the German invasion. There were presumably another rationing system aftr the Geman victory in 1940. This probably varied between Vichy and the area of direct German military occupation. After the Allies invaded French North Africa in October 1942, the German military entered Vichy as well which may have has consequences on the rationing system. Hopefully we will acquire some information on French rationing.
We do not notice any new French styles apparing during the World War II period. Neither German or Anglo-American styles appear to have had no important influence.
French boys during the German occupation waore the same garments as they did before the War. HBC notices no significant differences, but our information is very limited at this time. The various garments noted in the 1930s such as rompers, smocks, blouses, and pants continued basically nchanged during the German occupation--except that they became increasingly difficult to obtain as the War went on. HBC notes that many boys continued to wear smocks to school, especially in rural areas. HBC notes many different styles and colors were advertized. HBC notes that most avialable photographs from the period suggest that dark smocks were the most common, but rather rare in the cities. Footwear was especially difficult to obtain.
The War was for children a terrible period. A topic that a French reader suggests should be considered is displaced children ("enfants déplacés"). This was a problen throughout Europe, but the problen varied from country to country. In France during World War II and the immediate post-war (baby-boom era), a lot of children left their families in Paris and other cities. As soon the war began, many children were deplaced in the country for their security, far from the more dangereus cities. The British and Germans (later in the War) had Government run programs to coordinate the evacuation. We have less information on this in France. The children left the city to move in with family or family friends in the country. Some children were cared for in orphanages. The topic does not to be adequately analized. The children were often raised by relative and sometimes did not return to their families for several years. They were
thus sometimes raised differently than had they stayed in their parent's home. It often meant that the clothes and education were those of their grandparents. Many children left for only some months other were away for years. Some never returned home. For a child, even a short period seemed like a major part of his life. Some children were anxious to return home. Other children were not happy to come home at all. Sometimes the relatives did not want for the children to return home.
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