How World War I and World War II influenced womens fashions

This pinup history article from the early 1950s is about how World War I and World War II influenced women’s fashions during the early 20th century.

“Militant suffragism plus the fervent patriotism of World War I opened up a number of hitherto male spheres to a number of women in varying adaptations of male dress…”.

This article goes on to assert that 11,000 women served in the Navy as “Yeomanettes” in World War I, and a total of 400,000 women joined the WACs and WAVES in World War II. Out of necessity, in both World War I and World War II women donned male coveralls and clothing to perform work in shipyards and as subway guards.

I think the photos that illustrate how World War I and World War II influenced women’s fashions are most interesting. They include:

• a well dressed postwoman in 1918, wearing trousers and posed with her bicycle
• a Brooklyn woman subway guard dressed in a man’s coat with a woman’s skirt, during World War I
• a “Farmerette” milking in 1917, dressed in a middy blouse and bloomers.
• Bill posters, tucked pants in high laced shoes
• American Women’s League for Self Defense, dressed in Doughboy uniforms during World War I, practicing bayonet charging incase the Germans invaded New York City.
• Servicewomen posed with Venus De Milo during World War II
• Women dressed in pants at a factory or shipyard during World War II