Final line up for collection

Yes Sir illustrations (its an army of clones)

Yes Sir concept board

Low down of 1940s fashion

Below a summary of 1940s fashion: from http://tirocchi.stg.brown.edu

Fashion in the 1940's

In September of 1939 Germany invaded Poland, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany, and the Second World War began. For the next six years the fact of war ruled the lives of people throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and North America.

Fashion had its place, even in wartime. In France, most couture houses kept going until the German army occupied Paris. Some couturiers then closed down, while others changed location. Mainbocher, an American, went back to New York City and reestablished his house there. Elsa Schiaparelli came to New York during the war but reopened her house in Paris in 1945. Edward Molyneux went back to London. Many houses, however, felt that keeping their employees working in Paris would safeguard them from forced labor in war industries.

The United States did not enter the war until December of 1941; more than two years after it had begun. Until then, some Paris fashion trends were followed in the States, but travel difficulties meant that many American designers received more attention from the press than ever before.

In all the countries at war, fashion took second place to providing basic necessities to the men and women in the armed forces. Many factories were given over to producing military supplies. The remaining fashion houses worked with restrictions on how much fabric could be used in any garment, and consumers had to fit clothing into their allotments of ration coupons.

Even before the war was over, in August of 1945 (with the surrender of Japan) Paris couturiers had begun to bring French fashion back into the forefront of style. As soon as Paris was liberated by Allied forces, fashion editors began to show French designs again in magazines. By 1947, when Christian Dior reacted against the deprivation of the war years by showing his "New Look," which drastically lengthened and widened skirts, the Paris couture was again the leader. American ready-to-wear fashion, however, had become very important, and American designers had begun to take a more prominent place in the world of fashion.

Images and ideas of conformity (now and last assignment)

Back in my last project all the images of conformity in my research had the form of repetition about them. Multiples of the same object with either one singled out (the non conformist) or all the same. I want to use this repetition throughout my assignment.....looking into repetition of buttons, embellishments....the same embellishment used in a number of garments. The idea of conformity also lead me to thinking about clones and that we are all the same because of social pressure or for in this case (project wise) because an institution requires you to be (the military). 

To me conformity reminds me of an army of clones.....everyone the same.....with no individuality or need to be unique.

Like an army of nails........

Fabrics selection

• Wool blends
• Knits
• Merino
• Cotton Drill (slight stretch)
• Cotton knit (stretch: 2 way or way)

Cotton Drill: For pants, shirts, jackets (varying thickness)

Wool blend: For Jackets, button covering (also khaki colour)

Stretch merino wool or cotton stripe: Tights, dresses, tees, basics

Embellishments!

Epaulette design Idea

Final line up for collection

developing color board

Pockets

It is true that, for both men and women, the more functional the piece of clothing, the less formal it is.

Box pleat flap pockets and classic flaps seem to be used a lot in military clothing probably because of it functionality. I want to utilise  more 'hidden' pockets in the more embellished clothing.

Military on the catwalk

Military styles emerge on the catwalks regularly and can be shown in a range on way for dramatic detailing to more subtle shapes reflecting a military feel. Doesn't have to be over the top to show military. Notice a lot of the style especially jackets have a lot on repetition with buttons an embellishments which was  strong essence in my last project

Natural colours, khaki, mustard browns with hints of reds, lots of buttons in a 'uniformed' way.

In these photos there is a lot of repetition shown with embellishments I want to depict this form of repetitious embellishment in my mid market collection keeping in mind a sense of costing.

Buttons, buttons, buttons everywhere.....definitely a way to keep repetition in my collection. Lot of pockets. To keep a more feminine feel look a more tailoring to keep out the boxy/masculine feel that some military clothing an give off

Epaulettes!!

Is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by the armed forces or other organizations.

Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or 'passant' a small strap parallel top the shoulder seam and a button near the collar.

The placement of the epaulette, its colour, length and diameter of its fringe are used to signify the wearers rank or position

Epaulette is a french word meaning 'little shoulder'.

Armed forces uniforms

Ceremonial Dress

Rank of an officer in ceremonial dress is shown on the shoulder where as a soldiers rank insignia is worn on either the sleeve or wrist.

 

Mess Kit

The dining uniform called mess kit is only worn on formal dining occasions.

Field/Combat Dress

Field, combat and fatigue dress is worn by all ranks for most forms of training and on operations. The shirt and trousers are made of 'disrupted' pattern material for camouflage. Rank badges are still worn on the shoulders

There are so many different uniforms in the armed forces. Each occasions and or season requires a different uniform, as well a being dependant on gender. The all have on thing in common, the shoulder or sleeve of a garment is important in showing rank no matter which occasion of dress you are in. This is something I an going to look at in my designs. Epaulettes are shown to have been used for centuries on military personnel's uniforms.

Design Ideas

Lets look at collars

The Peter Pan Collar

Usually found in women and girls clothing. This collar invokes innocence and is simple yet appealing to women of all ages. It has rounded edges where the edges of the rounds can meet, overlap or leave a gap between them. This type of collar is modest because it hugs the neck and doesn't leave room to show off any decolletage or cleavage.

Pointed Flat Collar (Chelsea)

Is a medium sized flat collar with pointed ends that form a low 'V' neckline in the front

Crew Collar

Usually a round neckline, sometimes made of knit ribbing. A very popular and widely used form of collar. Used for a variety of garments.

Funnel Collar

This is a large stand up collar which stands away from the face. It can be buttoned or zipped all the way up the centre front. Mainly used in jackets and coats.

Napoleon Collar

Rolls up high on the neck then turns over and extends approximately three quarters around the neck with wide lapels in the front and a double breasted closing.

Peaked Lapels Collar

Lapels are turned back in the front section of the jacket, coat, blouse/shirt where the section joins the collar. The collar folds back and can be cut in different shapes. These are more formal and nearly always used on double breasted coats or jackets

Notch Lapel Collar

A notch lapel is where there is a 45 to 90 degree angle of separation between the collar and the lapel at the point in which they join.

Puritan Collar

This is a square cut, wide flat collar or falling band. This particular collars usually extends as far as the shoulder seam.

Bow Collar

This collar has a flat stand up band sewn into the neckline, which is then tied into a bow either high up or low down on the neck depending on style and design.

These are just a few types of collars, there are many more but due to the style of my collection these are the ones I wanted to look into further.