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This period started at a time when unemployment for the working class was at a very high level. These people would just wear what clothes they had and mending holes and going out in darned clothing was not at all unusual. Just as things began to improve so along came WWII and clothes were in short supply. During World War Two, men would wear a sports jacket to give some variety to their dress at a time when clothes were rationed. Rationing came in on 1 January 1941 and remained until 15 March 1949. Clothing was rationed on a points basis and initially you could probably buy one new outfit a year. Later in the war, all your allowance would go if you bought a new coat. Women would draw a line on the back of their legs, pretending they were wearing the stockings that were not available. Children's clothing was often adult clothing in miniature with boys wearing short trousers and girls wearing dresses. It was a time when people just had to survive and fashion didn't really matter. Once again women went back to be seen wearing trousers as they worked in the jobs left by the men who were off fighting.
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