Women’s fashion in the 1940s was a time of great restrictions on design, fabric, and trim materials. The war forced clothing designs to be simple, but it also forced manufacturers to get creative with what they could use and invent new materials. The 1940s brought new women’s fashion inventions, many of which still exist today.

1. the girdle Prior to the 1940s, women’s shaping was done with corsets made of metal bones. In the 1940s, the girdle was invented as a form of tummy tuck underwear. It shaped from the middle to the hips and created the smooth hourglass silhouette associated with vintage fashion. The girdle was uncomfortable and was eventually replaced by nylon stockings or non-shape undergarments. Today the girdle returns with shapewear, control stockings, control underwear and other base garments to suck and smooth. They may have changed names, but these garments are just updated girdles in disguise.
2. Wedge shoes. Leather and wood were needed for warfare, so shoe designs had to be creative. The solution was cork. A cork sole was used for the heels of the shoes and then wrapped in pretty fabric, mesh, or even reptile skin. It was inexpensive and allowed for a higher heel than what was considered a safe high-heeled shoe. Today, wedges come in and out of style, especially in the summer when wedge sandals hit the beaches.
3. Lightning. If you didn’t know, rayon is a synthetic fabric. It was invented and became very popular in the 1940s. Until then, wool, silk, and cotton were what clothes were made of. Silk and cotton were needed for warfare, so Beam was used instead. It can be light as silk or heavy as wool. Today, rayon is still used in fine fabrics, especially in the summer.
4. nylon stockings. Before the 1940s, women’s stockings were made of silk. They were very delicate and needed frequent grooming and hand washing. Dupont later invented nylon, and thus “Nylons” became a brand name for stockings. Today, nylon is still used to make all kinds of hosiery and fabrics.
5. The zipper. Thanks to new inventions in the 1940s, women were able to zip up clothes instead of using buttons, snaps, or drawstrings.
6. The plastic. Although various forms of plastic had been around since the 1920s, it wasn’t until the 1940s that they really took center stage in the fashion world. The jewelry was made from Bakelite plastic in large colorful designs. Handbags, makeup cases, and household items were made from Lucite. You may not recognize these plastic names, but I’m sure you know that plastic is in fashion everywhere, from cute barrettes to zippers to bag handles.
7. Shoulder pads. You might think that the 1980s were the first decade to wear shoulder bags. They actually date back much further than the 1940s, but as a regular fashion accessory for women, the 1940s were the first. They used shoulder pads on dresses, jackets, and blouses to square the shoulder for a boxy military feel. The 1980s were heavily influenced by 1940s fashion and thus shoulder pads came back into fashion.