Life in the 1940’s

1. Life in the 1940’s A brief overview of lifestyles in the 1940’s; designed for 6th grade students

2. Objectives • By the end of this PowerPoint presentation, you will be able to: • Know what types of clothing were worn in the 1940’s • Understand what food rationing was • Recognize how music was influenced by the war

3. Overview • The 1940’s were a time consumed with WW11. Everything, from the food you ate, to the clothes you wore, to the music you listened to, were in some way influenced by the on-going war.

4. Fashion in the 1940’s • [Women, Men, and Children]

5. Women’s Fashion Fashion Home

6. For women, there were major shortages in the fabric that they made clothes out of. Women did not dress they way we do now; dresses were below the knee, and square shoulders were actually fashionable, because of the influence of military clothes.

7. Because of the war, fabric was often unavailable to purchase. Women instead would make outfits for themselves, and for their children out of flour sacks. These were long lasting, durable garments. Though sometimes clothes were plain, women jazzed it up with “Victory Red” lipstick.

8. For a while during the war, silk and nylon hose were scarce. When women could not wear hose, they started painting their legs! To make this look more real, women would also include a painted on seam.

9. Women wore hats during the 40’s that imitated the military look. They were often small, and made out of felt. Hats were fashioned with feathers, as well as netting. • Interestingly enough, hats were one of the only items not rationed in the 1940’s.

10. Men’s Fashion

11. As previously stated, there was a shortage in fabric during the 1940’s. The suits that men had always worn had to become more simple in design, and use less fabric.

12. It was Stanley Marcus, an apparel consultant to the War Production Board, that said it was the designers patriotic duty to design fashions that would remain stylish, and use a minimum of fabric. Because of this, suits were made without vests, and trousers no longer had pleats.

13. If men were not wearing the modified suit, they would be wear v-necked sweaters, and sometimes knitted waist coats. Wool was limited due to the war, so artificial fibers such as rayon were used. In keeping with the mood of the war, colors were plain and solemn. Most colors used were dark, such as black or navy.

14. Children’s Fashion Boys Click to learn what boys and girls wore! Girls

15. Boys during the 1940’s were able to go from wearing knickers, to being able to wear jeans. Younger boys wore shorts, but teenage boys wore long pants. The 1940’s was also when boys began wearing t-shirts; this “undergarment” was worn by men in the military, and boys in the 40’s began the trend of wearing it with jeans.

16. Similar to women’s fashion, young girls had to dress simple in the 1940’s. Excess fabric was almost illegal, so dresses were basic. Shoes for girls were flat, and girls hair was generally curled.

17. Quiz Time! Answer the following questions by choosing OR True False

18. Question 1: There was so much fabric during the 1940’s that women could easily make as many outfits for herself and children as they wanted. OR True False

19. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Read Again!

20. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Go to question 2!

21. Question 2: During the 1940’s, women sometimes painted their legs to make it look like they were wearing nylons. OR True False

22. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Read Again!

23. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Off to question 3!

24. Question 3: Women’s hats in the 1940’s were one of the items not rationed. OR True False

25. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Try Again!

26. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Off to question 4!

27. Question 4: Men always wore suits with pleats in their trousers. OR True False

28. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Re-Do!

29. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Off to question 5!

30. Question 5 Colors were mostly bright and colorful during the 1940’s. OR True False

31. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Try Again!

32. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Off to question 6!

33. Question 6: Boys were only allowed to wear knickers. OR True False

34. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Re-Do!

35. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Off to question 7!

36. Question 7: Girls had to wear simple dresses because of the shortage in fabric. OR True False

37. UH OH!! You might need to go back and read more carefully. Don’t worry… you’ll get it right the next time!!  Try Again!

38. GREAT JOB!! You read and answered correctly… Keep up the FABULOUS work!!  Time to learn about food rationing!

39. Food Rationing • [What it was, and who it affected]

40. Because of WW11 going on, food that normally was imported into other countries by boat was not able to. Many boats were attacked and destroyed at sea so the countries who were supposed to receive the food would starve. This was a cruel way to fight, and as a result countries had to survive without food being brought in.

41. During this time of war, over 2,500 merchant ships were sunk. Vital supplies and food were destroyed when the ships went down. Sadly, many thousands of merchant seamen were also killed.

42. When it was clear that it was too dangerous to deliver food and goods via merchant ships, the British government set up a committee of nutritional experts to advise the war cabinet on a strategic food policy.

43. Initially, the committee came up with people surviving on: • 12 ounces of bread • 6 ounces of vegetables • 1 pound of potatoes • 2 ounces of oatmeal • An ounce of fat • Six tenths of a pint of milk per day

44. However, Winston Churchill disagreed with the committee. It was Winston that introduced a system of food rationing on fair shares for everyone. • Food prices were fixed at a standard rate, in order that none of the poorer people would go without.

45. During the 1940’s, everyone was expected to adhere to rationing- including the Royal Family! • Using the rationing system, everyone was allowed 16 “points” per month. (This was later increased to 20.) • Points were kept track in ration books, which were distributed by the government.

46. The point system is very complex, because products were rationed at different times and in different ways. Click on the boxes to see which foods were rationed! January 1940 July 1940 March 1940 1941

47. Bacon Butter Sugar

48. Meat and Preserves

49. Tea Margarine Cooking Fats

50. Cheese and Milk