“Black is the charm that never fails: the fashion of simplicity or sophistication; the fashion above all others this year. Every color goes with black, and adds a different flavor to it. A black coat succeeds where a red or a green one might not. A black suit has endless possibilities, no limitations. A good black dress is a priceless pearl. With these three you could travel around the world – or meet a world of emergencies at home. Add to your heart’s content. Nothing could be smarter than a grey jersey dress, bright jersey blouses, a Persian-lamb fez, a jewel- tone velvet hat and matching hat. Use color as your personal insignia, accessories as the connecting links to your wardrobe.”
– By Ruth Mary Packard
The Ladies Home Journal, October 1945
A good black coat, dress, and suit can be excellent foundations to any wardrobe and especially a vintage one. Building a specifically 40s one for an event or for life? Black is an excellent way to start and then to build on. For today’s brief post, I want to celebrate the “ . . .charm that never fails”: black.
By 1945, the war was coming to an end, rationing and shortages were still in effect, and women desired more than ever before to look fashionable and up to date. Women too wanted to make do with what they had and still maximize their wardrobes. To guide women on how to build their wardrobes and to expand their current ones, Harpers’ Bazaar, McCall’s, and the Women’s Home Journal advised women that black suits, dresses, and coats were excellent foundation pieces. In addition to these simple and basic pieces, colorful accessories like red scarves, green shoes, and even a great black hat could add personality and diversity to an otherwise bland outfit. These colorful accessories could expand a wardrobe for all seasons and reasons.
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| McCalls Magazine, September issue 1945 |
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| McCalls Magazine, September issue 1945 |
Using black suit or dress as a foundation was a budget saver too. Styles and lines change and frequently buying a new frock to keep up is not always an option for the average girl. What is an option thought is a current hat, bag, or necklace. Those simple, cost effective updates make a girl current, fashionable, and money savvy. By sticking to simple dresses, suits, and coats, and then adding an occasional accessory, a girl can invest smartly.
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| Ladies Home Journal, October Issue 1945 |
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| Ladies Home Journal, October Issue 1945 |
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| Ladies Home Journal, October Issue 1945 |
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| Ladies Home Journal, October Issue 1945 |
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| Ladies Home Journal, October Issue 1945 |
