Mens Fashion in the 1940's

Overview: Men’s Fashion in the 1940s

As the Great Depression came to an end and war descended on Europe, fashion for both men and women was dictated by economics more strongly than it had been during the first world war and the 1930s. The war meant Paris and Italy were no longer fashion leaders, and strict rationing, beginning in Britain in 1939 and America in 1941, meant designers had their work cut out for them. Substance mattered much more than style. Everyone needed practical, sturdy clothing, and no one wanted to be accused of a lack of patriotism by wearing something too flashy. Natural fibers weren’t used for civilian wear, because they were needed for uniforms. Men’s suits lost their vests, pocket flaps and trouser cuffs. Since most of the men were at war, those who remained at home mostly wanted to look as austere as possible.

The end of the war and rationing in America saw the development of the style that is most often associated with the swing era. Clothes were full-cut again, with double-breasted, longer jackets and wider trousers. Shirts and coats came in a range of colors and hand-painted silk ties ran the range from elegant to exotic – featuring geometric designs or pin-up girls. Everyone wore a tie and through it, one could express one’s individuality.

The Zoot Suit

The Jazz Era’s wide suit, hugely popular in Harlem in the 1930s, was worn predominately by African-American and Mexican-American youths in the 1940s. It was considered unpatriotic and even illegal because it went so far against the standards of rationing. The fact that so many of the Mexican-Americans who wore it were gangsters did not help its reputation. However, the high-waisted, baggy and low-crotched trousers with the narrow ankle and oversized jackets had a powerful influence on men’s fashions in the 1940s. Besides being an ideal outfit to wear while jitterbugging, the high waists and boxy, roomy coats were flattering, as well as comfortable. They gave a man more substance, something he wanted to project during such desperate times.

The Swing Scene

The look most commonly associated with men’s fashion in the 1940s, was what a man wore to take his honey out on the town. If he wasn’t in uniform, is look was strictly adhered to by today’s swing revivalists. Daring young men wore zoot suits, but others simply took off their single-breasted jackets to dance and showed off their style through their accessories. Even after the war, the accessories really made the man.

The tie, as mentioned above, was crucial. In the 1940s, high-cut trousers meant ties were shorter and wider. They were brightly colored when everything else was austere. They were held in place by clips, because you wouldn’t put a pin through your good tie.

Shirts were held in place by good cufflinks and dressed up by suspenders, which fastened to the trousers by buttons. Suspenders were especially popular when the leather that would make belts was all going to the war effort.

Almost everyone wore wingtip, spectator shoes, which were not terribly different from men’s shoes in the 1920s or 1930s.

The Hat Makes the Man

When he wasn’t wearing an Army-issued cap, a man distinguished himself with his wide-brimmed fedora. A smart, strong, stylish hat, the fedora was worn by everyone from gangsters to businessmen to President Roosevelt.

The Birth of Sportswear

The brightness and promise of the postwar years saw men and women alike looking for fun and leisure. The tropical shirt, so popular in Hawaii, was seen in such non-tropical cities as New York. While drab conformity would define much of men’s fashion in the 1950s; especially younger men were adopting sportswear for daytime or after work. Everyone was very happy to see the end of the uniform.