Great War Fashion opens the woman’s wardrobe in the years before the outbreak of war to explore the real woman behind the stiff, mono-bosomed ideal of the Edwardian Society lady draped in gossamer gowns, and closes it on a new breed of women who have donned trousers and overalls to feed the nation’s guns in munitions factories and who, clad in mourning, have loved and lost a whole generation of men.
The journey through Great War Fashion is not just about the changing clothes and fashions of the war years, but much more than that – it is a journey into the lives of the women who lived under the shadow of war and were irrevocably changed by it. At times, laugh-out-loud funny and at others, bringing you to tears, Lucy Adlington paints a unique portrait of an inspiring generation of women, brought to life in rare and stunning images.
We all know that, next year, in 2014, we are going to be thinking a great deal about the First World War. We’ll spend a lot of time reflecting on the causes, the battles and the aftermath of that terrible conflict. Lucy Adlington’s Great War Fashion, then, is well timed. It offers a well-researched perspective on women’s contributions during that difficult time, but it also offers an alternative point of view from the standard war history, since it’s more about how life went on beyond the shells and trenches and how it went on for women, in particular.
This handsome volume gives fascinating insights into who was wearing what, when, where and why. There’s a central recognition that, as women’s lives changed, so clothes changed too: there was new attire for new roles and tasks. It’s no surprise that Lucy Adlington tackles the assumption of a self-evident link between proper clothes and proper behaviour. Today young women wouldn’t be cowed by the observation that “Her hat’s never on straight” (p22), an accusation levelled at suffragist Ada Chew, as a way of undermining her right to an opinion. However, it would be naive to think that young women today are not still judged by how they look, one way or another.
Lucy Adlington has drawn on a whole range of sources for her information: photographs and fashion plates as you might expect, but also diaries, memoirs, novels and advertisements. What’s so engaging is how the author considers so many different aspects of dress during the period. She talks about underwear, overwear, workwear, sportswear, uniform, accessories and high fashion. She shows us what women at the time wore when getting married, when pregnant and when widowed. She discusses the cost of clothes and how best to look after precious garments. Did you know, for example, that a touch of rice water can prevent your summer dress from looking limp?
This beautifully presented book is a great treat for the mind but also for the eye.
Now I have finished reading it thoroughly, I’m going to pick it up again to spend more time looking at the lovely illustrations. Buy it – you won’t regret it. Buy one for yourself and another one to give away to a friend, sister, daughter or niece. Anyone who reads it will love it.
Book: Great War Fashion
Author: Lucy Adlington
Review by Sue Creed
Sue Creed is an avid reader who is keen to promote books of all kinds. She has worked in education - at school and university level - for more than 25 years. When she's not reading, she's gardening.