Fashion on the ration
This was a
beautifully arranged show with eye catching displays and really good use made
of first-hand accounts. The labelling was just enough. It didn’t labour where
items had come from except when this related to something else in the case eg
where they had a letter from someone and some of their clothing. There was good use made of paintings of the
time, particularly in the early section on uniforms such as Michael Ford’s
picture of war weapons week in a country town.
I was most moved
by the Make do and Mend section as my mother had helped out one of her aunts at
sessions by carrying a tray of sample work round the audience to a particular
piece of music. For some reason the pathos of this always made me laugh! How
amused she would have seen her own life presented as history. Also in the show
I learned that Eric Gill had designed the silver ARP Badge and one of my
abiding memories of going to the Imperial War Museum with Mum was her wearing
her father’s ARP badge inside her coat and flashing it at anyone she thought
might have a passing interest!
Interesting odd
little facts kept appearing such as not all parachute silk clothing had been
made from downed parachutes. It was actually sold off in 1945 once the need for
making parachutes had passed. Also that for a month after VE day red, white and
blue clothes were free of the ration. However best of all the fact that women’s
knickers were one of the few garment’s where elastic was still allowed to be
used for the sake of morale and I suspect morals!
Review
Guardian
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