Men's Clothing

    Strict rations altered men’s fashion just as much as they had affected women’s fashion. Before the war, men didn’t really have the choice to wear different styles of shirts, pants, jackets, or shoes. Everyone typically wore the same types of drab things. Although after World War II, men took more chances and wore more colorful and stylish clothing. This resulted in a new kind of fashion and design to come into play. Full- cut trousers, double breasted and long jackets, wide pants, colorful Hawaiian shits, and hand-painted ties were worn. The ties were a very popular item allowing the men to express themselves by wearing these different articles of clothing. The working class wore plain, solid colored suits. Navy and black with white shirts were the most common. Elegant suits were worn more and more common after the war. The “Esquire” jacket was a loose fitting jacked with broad shoulders. Zoot Suits were common among African and Mexican Americans youth. Older generations stayed tied to their roots and considered the Zoot Suit offensive. Fedora Hats with wide brims were worn by all people; from gang members to the president of the United States. Casual shirts became more common in the late 1940’s. Hawaiian shirts were the most common type. Men wore these to the store, out on the town, and with their families. Younger generations wore sportswear and began to dismiss the drab and plain styles that older generations wore. Many of the men in the United States fought in World War II. Soldiers that were visiting or returning home wore their uniforms on a regular basis. They wore them when they weren’t on duty to show the people of America their dedication and patriotism. Soldiers were held in high regard and were looked upon as heroes. The military and war uniforms inspired the creation of the Eisenhower jacket. This was created in regards to General Eisenhower. It had a fitted waist and bigger, puffier chest. Men, like women, exchanged plain and simple for young and more edgy. Men began to dress a little more on the wild side and took more risks with what they wore. A new kind of woman and man emerged as a result and fashion continued to move forward and take off during this decade. Some of what was worn then left an effect on people and as a result are still commonly worn today.