Figure 1.--Here we see a group of children at Varazze, a coastal town about 15 miles west of Genoa. As in the whole of Liguria region, the hills begin close to the sea. This photo was taken in the early-1950s in Vignetta Street, a few hundred metres from the sea as the crow flies. It is an example of children's casual clothing before the spread of today's modern styles. In the 1950s, flip-flops had not yet been commercialised. These children certainly wore shoes in winter and very probably had sandals for everyday day life during the summer. They preferred to go barefoot, i patbcause it had beciome so common for some time even in nothern italy. Also notice the girl wearing short pants, thatb was somerhing byoun did notb see before World War II.

After World War II there was a general belief that it would take decades for Europe to recover. Now this is what occurred in the socialist imposed evomomies hehind the Soviet imposed Iron Curtain. In fact the economies there never recovered. The Germany backed by the Western Allies chose a different route. They decided to channel the amazing powers of capitalism to rebuild the econmomy. The impact was the German Economic Miracle (beginning in the late-1940s). Germany was economic engine of Europe. And soon countries like Italy were pulled along. This at first began with the Germans attracting Italian workers, but soon this led to raod advances in Italian industry as well and the Italian Economic Miracle. Children's clothing did not change immedaitelkt, but as incomes rise, we see children being dressed better in the older styles. And by the end of the 1950s decades we see children wearing fashionable new styles. The most easily observable develooment was fewer children going barefoot, even in southern Italy. By the end of the decade, Italy had not only largely recovered, but was more prosperous than at any time in its history.

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Created: 3:31 AM 9/10/2023
Last updated: 3:31 AM 9/10/2023