Clothing Goes To War is an enlightening story of civilian clothing use during World War II. Manufacturing for civilians across the globe nearly stopped when outfitting the troops took precedence and raw materials and workers were shifted to war work. People responded to the scarcity of consumer goods by using ingenuity and creativity to “make do.” We will discuss research findings about the difficulty of dealing with rationing and scarcity and the resulting creative methods used to get by. Turner will share stories of more than 50 people she interviewed from a wide range of countries involved in WWII who found ways to make-do, mend and create. An opportunity to share your own remembrances of family stories about dealing with wartime shortages will end the class.
Suggested Reading: Clothing Goes to War by Nan Turner, Intellect Books