Fashion on the Ration in Hobart

It’s 1942. You’ve searched the shops and found just the
outfit you want for that special event. But wait! You don’t
have enough coupons. Coat 15 coupons, hat 3 coupons,
stockings 4 coupons, gloves 3 coupons. You can have the
coat. But hat, stockings or gloves? Which to ditch?

That’s precisely the conundrum facing Australian women
between 1942 and 1948, when clothing was rationed. You
could be as rich as Rupert Murdoch, but if you couldn’t
hand over enough coupons from your government issued Ration Book – along with the cash – you couldn’t
buy. At least not over the counter!

You could, of course, do what everyone had to do in wartime Australia. Make-do-and-mend. No point in
dad’s or brother’s or husband’s suit hanging in the wardrobe for the duration
while he’s away, when you could remake it into a smart suit (or
costume as you would call it) for yourself. Or you could cobble
together the skirt of one old dress, the yoke and sleeves of another
and the bodice of yet another. You could cut the bottom off your
petticoat and make it into a pair of French knickers by adding
buttons, and a strip of fabric as a gusset.

And who needed stockings, when you could stain your legs with
gravy, and draw seams up the back with an eyebrow pencil or a
crayon?

Fashionistas at Frock Up Hobart won’t need to bring their Ration
Books. But they will be able to snap up great vintage fashion from
not only the 1940s but almost every decade of the 20th century.

They won’t have to stain their legs either or draw fake
seams………although if they want to there are eye liner pencils
available.

Once again Frock Up Hobart is bringing together local and interstate dealers selling fabulous vintage
fashion, accessories and jewellery. And fashionistas can see what fashion was available in the 40s with
our Fashion on the Ration exhibition.

What? Frock Up Hobart with Fashion on the Ration
When? Friday 8 November 6pm – 9pm, Saturday 9 November 10am – 5pm
Sunday 10 November 10am – 4pm
Where? Masonic Hall, 3 Sandy Bay Road

Info? 0408 380 524 thewaywewearfairs@bigpond.com
thewaywewearfairs@bigpond.com