During World War II the U.S. War Production
Board (WPB) was responsible for insuring that certain critical fabrics
and materials – to include nylon, rubber, silk, leather and wool – were
reserved exclusively for combat or combat support purposes. These
military priorities caused WPB to enact Limitation Order L-85 (see 2009
May II column) imposing material restrictions on the design and manufacture
of feminine apparel. Parts of the actual text of this order are reproduced
here as follows:
“(g) Curtailment on Women's,
Misses' and Junior Misses' Daytime and Evening Dresses. No person shall,
after the effective date of this Order with respect to such person, put
into process or cause to be put into process by others for his account,
any cloth for the manufacture of, and no person shall sell, any:
(1) Daytime Dresses, as follows:
(i) with a separate jacket, redingote, coat,
cape, or bolero to be sold with a one or two piece dress at one unit price.
(ii) with a separate or simulated jacket or
top that is longer than 25 inches from the nape of the neck to the end
of the finished jacket for size 16; other sizes varying in accordance with
schedule B attached hereto.
(iii) with a separate or attached hood, shawl,
cape or scarf,
(iv) exceeding 43 inches in length for size
16; other sizes in accordance with schedule C attached hereto,
(v) with a lining known as a bodice attached
to skirt of a two piece dress.
(vi) with a petticoat, overskirt or apron,
(vii) with more than 78 inches of material
other than wool cloth at its maximum width or sweep, exclusive of seams,
for size 16; other sizes in accordance with schedule C attached hereto.
(viii) with more than 72 inches of wool cloth
weighing 9 oz. or less at its maximum width or sweep, exclusive of seams,
for size 16; other sizes in accordance with schedule C attached hereto.
(ix) made of wool cloth weighing more than
9 oz. per yard, containing at its maximum width or sweep more than 64 inches
of cloth, exclusive of seams, for size 16; other sizes in accordance with
schedule E attached hereto,
(x) with a separate or attached belt or sash
exceeding 2 inches in width.
(xi) with a three-quarter or full-length sleeve
exceeding 14 inches in circumference at the bottom of the finished sleeve,
for size 16; other sizes varying in accordance with schedule C attached
hereto.”
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Captions
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Click image to enlarge
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The final allowed blouse, photographed beneath
a sketch of the original garment with excessive jabot trimming, harmonized
with U.S. War Production Board Limitation Order L-85 standards and saved
346 square inches of material.
(Collection Shelby Stanton) |
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| Double-breasted jackets were not permitted
under U.S. War Production Board Limitation Order L-85. By converting
a double-breasted jacket shown in the upper right sketch to the single-breasted
type, as photographed here, 486 square inches of wool material was saved.
(Collection Shelby Stanton) |
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Click image to enlarge
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Click image to enlarge
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The design sketch included excess material
impermissible with wartime regulations of the clothing industry.
By using only two pockets instead of four and eliminating the double collar,
the final dress photographed at left successfully conformed to U.S. War
Production Board Limitation Order L-85 and saved one-half yard of 36-inch
material.
(Collection Shelby Stanton) |
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| These two dresses have the same basic body
style. However, the dress on the left has excessive trimming. The trimming
substitutions achieved on the dress at right saved one-half yard of 39-inch
material with resulting conformity to U.S. War Production Board Limitation
Order L-85.
(Collection Shelby Stanton) |
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Click image to enlarge
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Note: The next few columns will be devoted
to a detailed survey of Limitation Order L-85 and wartime feminine dress,
along with illustrative examples. My information for this column is based
on personal research in U.S. National Archives Record Group 179.2. |