Grand-grandmom’s parachute wedding dress, 1939
Lisa Deurer
History of Fashion
Section A
Catherine Acosta
03.12.18
My Grand-Grandparents, Anna & Georg Stehle, wedding photograph on
Nov. 11.11.1939, in Augsburg Germany
My Grandmothers parachute dress references a time of economic, social and political repression, which shortages in fabric supply forced people to repurpose and ration clothes/fashion. In flowing essay, I am going to focus and examine the wedding dress of my grandmother, in the year 1939 in relations to its social, political and economic factors that influenced the style, the life and lifestyle of my grand-grandparents as depicted in the photograph.
Germany, back in the 1930s, which was not only suffering among the world economic crisis, unemployment, and WW2 later in the decade, it also lived through a dictatorship by the Nazi regime under the control of Adolf Hitler (from 1933-45)[1]. The Nazi regime was a political party for members of National Socialist German Workers, who controlled the nation by using a totalitarian government, territorial expansion, and anti-Semitism policies causing the break out of World War 2 and the Holocaust[2]. The nationalistic political movement created a total dictatorship and full control by A. Hitler, who promoted a strong army force, love and pride for the fatherland. Soldiers and students were equipped with Nazi uniforms and Nazi greeting, rituals, and symbols to encourage public dedication and quality among every citizen ensuring a nation’s wealth was kept at a similar level1. In fall of 1939, Germany started WW2 by invading Poland September 1st which triggered the effect that France and Great Britain also declared war on Germany, especially on the Nazi regime while already launched an internal war against German political refuges by mass murdering them in several concentration camps which were spread across the country[3]. Though the country was suffering from significant depression undergoing the dictatorship, many young couples decided to marry and so did my Grand-grandparents.
The official wedding photograph, taken November 1939 in Augsburg, Germany, on their official wedding day, ornamenting the political, social and economic influences on their life’s which is visualized in the identity of their garments. Having said that, the 30s which celebrated the beauty of femininity and the S curve changed when utilitarian clothing needed for the war[4]. Yet all industries were occupied and are necessary to produce practical clothes. Due to significant shortages in fabric, clothing supply, and closure of former fashion industries were now used to create uniforms for the war and weapons. Textile supplies were short, and the government introduced a nations coupon systems knowns as the “Reichskleiderkarte”[5]that limited the yearly consume of clothes for a family.
Nevertheless, that didn’t hinder people to be creative by patching working any material found and changing old garments into new which was the unique style of the late ’30s that expressed the identity of people’s lifestyles. Magazines and advertisement zines were now popularizing Home-Made-Style, meaning that particularly housewives like my grandmother, were encouraged to make clothes for themselves and their families, (also buying fabric was cheaper than an actual garment) known as the fashion rationing[6]. Having said that, my grandparents never got a chance of owning magazines, but posters, their community, and friends must have been their way of accessing news and trends. With almost nothing but something, my grand-grandmother made her wedding dress herself by patching and changing a parachute into a wedding gown, evidencing that my grand-grand mom was part of the Home-made style movement (do it yourself) who found their ways to be creative and beautiful with the little things they got. Their wedding garments included a cream, white parachute dress, and a Nazi uniform, memorizing a time where fashion was influenced by rationed fashion and Home-Made Style through the shortages and repression of World War 2 and the dictatorship.
Though I know very little about my grand-grandparent’s lifestyle and experiences, I imagine my grand-grandma to have been an excellent and inventive tailor since the wedding dress was tailored and designed by herself such as the clothes she did for herself and her family later on. My grandmom Renate (the daughter of my grand-grand mom) remembers her mom tracing and making patterns herself for the clothes my grandmom and her two siblings got to wore which proves how invested her mom was in saving money while having fun to make garments such as toys for her children. The fabric of the wedding dress as already stated is made from a patched, old parachute which was cheap and accessible for my grandparents who come from more poor, middle-class society and merely the fact that World War 2 was about to happen. Additionally, the lightweight texture, the full shape and the cream white shade of color were ideal to play with raffles, gathers, and pleats to create an attractive feminine form by just pulling the nylon threads of the parachute (acting like the grain line of the weave)[7]. Zooming in even closer on my grand-grandmothers wedding dress one can see the collar, and the seam of the shoulder sleeve was decorated with a bias tape which is a repeated anagram. Secondly, pleats and gathers were heavily used to tone the volume of fabric to the female curves and body which highlights and celebrates femininity and beauty. The size of the material was cleverly sculptured by using gathers at the stet in armholes of the wedding gown, creating a very puffy sleeve. This may convey a feeling of a strong, powerful woman with bride shoulders that support her husband at the front and takes care of the family business by transforming from the girl into a mother role with their marriage. The main job of the women during the war was supporting and safeguarding men and their children[8]. According to my grandmom Renate, born 1944 during the war, the hemline of her mom’s wedding gown was 40cm from the ground, which allowed her mother to show some skin while still foreshadowing what beauty there is underneath which highlights the treasure, the beauty, my grandfather made with marrying my grand-grand mom. Albeit, my grandmom Renate, never got a chance to see dress since the dress was lend and given away by her mom to other couples who got married to share and safe resources. My Grandfather had to wear his uniform because that would have been the only compromise to get a free day from the army he was subjected to in Hannover. The Uniform is a made of Marino Wool also known as Schurrwolle (grown in manufactured in Augsburg, Germany), which was very commonly used for protective, utilitarian uniforms like the Nazi uniforms evidenced by the Nazi logo that is ornamented in my grand-grandfathers hat piece. My Grand-grandparents didn’t wear any jewelry except for their rings. The “diadem decoration” on my grand-grand-mothers head is made out of wire with fake pearls (costume jewelry) and woven/intertwined flowers known as Mürte and Astratus (Interview, Maurer). Both flowers were decorating the living space in my grandparents’ home, visualizing a piece of memory wanted to express with using those flowers as embroiders on the diadem and the opening of the neckline. Suggesting that “Even in the midst of the Depression, brides wanted to make a statement about the importance of their wedding day”[9].
After the marriage 1939 and during the war years my grand-grand mom gave birth to 3 children, Helga, Heinz and Renate, which she had to manage and nourish all by herself until the war was over. As already announced my grand-grand mom Anna, was a keen tailor who made all the clothes for her and the children, which she also taught her 3 children.
My grandmom Renate and her two older siblings learned how to knit, sew, cook, and take care of house and animals since they owned a small scaled farm with chickens, dug’s and rabbits they used to nourish themselves. The picture on the right-hand side, shows my grand-grandmother Anna and Georg with their children, including all the self-made garments she made for her and her family. The knitted sweaters, Georg and the children wore are all self-made and inspired by sailors as my grandmom Renate recalls. Although my grand-grand mom didn’t pay attention to fashion nor magazines during and after the war, she took inspiration from her community, her home and only what she imagined looked good (Maurer, 2018). Even the teddy bears my grandmom played with were made from repurposed army bags. All in all, my grand-grand mom, valued a well-represented and educated family which is again reemphasized in the picture above that shows them all neatly dressed in their self-made garments.
After the war was nearly over, the trend of the parachute dress has spread the word. Movies like “Gone with the Wind” were already visualizing and forecasting a romantic epoch with the opulent gowns, tiny waistline and men acting as the savior in the film10. Similarly, at the same point of time Hensinger, a B-29 pilot was proposing to his girlfriend Ruth in 1947 with a parachute that saved his life while he was returning from a bombing in Yowata, Japan which may be symbolic for love and sacrifice he dedicates to Ruth and promises he makes for their marriage[10]. The opulence style and romanticism also inspired Ruth parachute wedding dress[11]. The romantic period after the war should brighten people’s lives after the war and forget about the depression. Interestingly though the dress of my grand-grandmother also included an opulent style, with a tiny waist and lots of pleats, and gathers which depicted a very feminine and playful look. However, my grand-grand mom refused to wear a corset because firstly there was no money and secondly her body size was kept in shape to be able to wear tiny waist dresses. Differently, then my grand-grand mom, Ruth only made the skirt while giving the dress to a local seamstress to make the bodice and the veil[12], depicting a more luxurious and less depressing lifestyle. Also, Ruth dress was given to her daughter which didn’t happen in the case of my grand-grand mom, which was given away to other couples to be able to marry in a cream white dress with raffles, a style, and color which was very popular and productive in the time 30s and ’40s. Suggesting a very caring grand grandmom, which again emphasizes the role of motherhood in her and among her family. Since a good taste of style, presentation, do it yourself mentality, sensibility to food and good craftsmanship such as the proper manner of the family was vital when representing themselves in the community and helping each other when needed. These traits my grand-grandparents, lay the grounds for, roots still in the characteristic of my family and are values my brother and myself got taught with, which expresses a particular local culture that unifies myself with my grand-grandparents though I never meet them.
In conclusion, I agree that the social, economic and political repression which shortages in supplies of food, shelter, and clothes caused my grand-grandparents to save resources by reusing, repurposing fabrics, and materials they could to sustain their family business. Though the Nazi regime forced total utilitarian thinking and dress codes such as the uniforms in schools, for soldiers and their families, that didn’t hinder people like my grand-grand mom to be creative and wear their style they found themselves in such as the parachute wedding dress that already wished for a romantic period. Traits such as learning how to sew, knit, cook, styling yourself well and taking good care for the family she even passed on to her children which my grandmom passed on to my mom and myself. All in all, I am proud of my family history, and about the traits, we experienced and benefit from even decades later.
Bibliography
Primary sources:
Primary source: 2ndPicture of my Grand-grandparents and their family
Interview:
“Grand-grand Moms Parachute Dress, 1939.” Interview by Renate Maurer, Mrs. 2018.
Guenther, Irene. “Fashioning Women in the Third Reich.” In Nazi Chic?: Fashioning Women in the Third Reich, 91–142. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2004. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781847888792/NAZICHIC0008.
Guenther, Irene. “The War Years.” In Nazi Chic?: Fashioning Women in the Third Reich, 203–264. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2004. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781847888792/NAZICHIC0011.
Why is it a trustworthy source:
It’s a trustful because author and publisher have been stated. The source also has been found in the bloomsbury library, which mostly provides well researched and original sources.
Reynolds, Helen. “‘Your Clothes Are Materials of War’: The British Government Promotion of Home Sewing during the Second World War.” In The Culture of Sewing: Gender, Consumption and Home Dressmaking, edited by Barbara Burman, 327–340. Dress, Body, Culture. Oxford: Berg, 1999. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781847888884/CULTSEW0026.
Why is it a trust worthy source, because author and publisher have been stated again. I also searched for this book in the bloomsbury library throughout the new school library, which mainly provides us with academic, and well researched sources/information.
Howell, Geraldine. “Shopping for Fashion in the Pre-War Years.” In Wartime Fashion: From Haute Couture to Homemade, 1939–1945, 7–22. London: Berg, 2012. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781472572448/Howell0003.
Rational: Why is it a trust worthy source? It’s a trustful because author and publisher have been stated. The source also has been found in the bloomsbury library, which mostly provides well researched and original sources. It provides useful information about homemade couture, the lifestyle of people, etc.
Mee, Janice, and Irina Safronova. “An Historic Perspective of English and Soviet Bridalwear Between 1917 and 1960.” In Wedding Dress Across Cultures, edited by Helen Bradley Foster and Donald Clay Johnson, 141–156. Dress, Body, Culture. Oxford: Berg, 2003. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781847888983/WEDDRSCULT001
Rational: Why is it a trust worthy source? It’s a trustful because author and publisher have been stated. The source also has been found in the bloomsbury library, which mostly provides well researched and original sources. It provides useful information about bride wear, its significance and meaning behind decorations, fabric choices and stories.
Emery, Joy Spanabel. “The War Years: 1940s.” In A History of the Paper Pattern Industry: The Home Dressmaking Fashion Revolution, 133–158. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2014. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781474223775/JEHISPPI0011.
Why trust worthy? I used the Bloomsburry library to find my books, which is written by more than one author so a less bias information gathering and recording.
Academic or University press text:
Peacock, John, and Christian Lacroix. Fashion since 1900: The Complete Sourcebook. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Chapter 4: 1939-45: Rationed Fashion and Home-Made Style
Why trust worthy? Content was covered in class and is part of our course curriculum. I use this source as an overall understanding of the era’s social, political, and economic influences.
Journal article:
Wells, H. G., and George Gallup. “The Shape of Things to Come–1939.” Hearst’s International Combined with Cosmopolitan02 1939: 26,27, 139-140, 138. ProQuest. 2 Nov. 2018.
Why trust worthy? I used the pro-quest library to find this journal entry, which provides qualitative and a variety of resources and information such as journals, articles, books, images, videos, etc.
Website article:
”Parachute Wedding Dress, 1947.” Smithsonian Insider. July 19, 2018. Accessed November 02, 2018. https://insider.si.edu/2011/06/parachute-wedding-dress-1947/.
Why trust worthy? Because Mrs Morano recommended this website for further research and as a comparison for my parachute dress.
[1]Guenther, Irene. “Fashioning Women in the Third Reich.” In Nazi Chic?: Fashioning Women in the Third Reich, 91–142. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2004. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781847888792/NAZICHIC0008.
[2]“Grand-grand Moms Parachute Dress, 1939.” Interview by Renate Maurer, Mrs. 2018.
[3]“Grand-grand Moms Parachute Dress, 1939.” Interview by Renate Maurer, Mrs. 2018.
[4]Peacock, John, and Christian Lacroix. Fashion since 1900: The Complete Sourcebook. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Chapter 4: 1939-45: Rationed Fashion and Home-Made Style
[5]Emery, Joy Spanabel. “The War Years: 1940s.” In A History of the Paper Pattern Industry: The Home Dressmaking Fashion Revolution, 133–158. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2014. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781474223775/JEHISPPI0011.
[6]Peacock, John, and Christian Lacroix. Fashion since 1900: The Complete Sourcebook. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Chapter 4: 1939-45: Rationed Fashion and Home-Made Style
[7]“Grand-grand Moms Parachute Dress, 1939.” Interview by Renate Maurer, Mrs. 2018.
[8]Guenther, Irene. “Fashioning Women in the Third Reich.” In Nazi Chic?: Fashioning Women in the Third Reich, 91–142. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2004. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781847888792/NAZICHIC0008
[9]Emery, Joy Spanabel. “The War Years: 1940s.” In A History of the Paper Pattern Industry: The Home Dressmaking Fashion Revolution, 133–158. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2014. Accessed November 02, 2018. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.newschool.edu/10.2752/9781474223775/JEHISPPI0011.
[10]”Parachute Wedding Dress, 1947.” Smithsonian Insider. July 19, 2018. Accessed November 02, 2018. https://insider.si.edu/2011/06/parachute-wedding-dress-1947/.
[11]Peacock, John, and Christian Lacroix. Fashion since 1900: The Complete Sourcebook. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Chapter 4: 1939-45: Rationed Fashion and Home-Made Style
[12]”Parachute Wedding Dress, 1947.” Smithsonian Insider. July 19, 2018. Accessed November 02, 2018. https://insider.si.edu/2011/06/parachute-wedding-dress-1947/.
