Focusing on all things female in preparation for A Year of Yes: Reimagining Feminism at the Brooklyn Museum,I chose to highlight the 1943 exhibition entitled, Women at War: Work Clothes for Women which was the first comprehensive showing of clothing and accessories designed to meet the needs of women employed in industry, and agriculture,and those in the uniformed services—essentially displaying “…what the properly and well dressed woman war worker wears.” Even women on the assembly line were held to certain standards. For instance, one of the seven sections of the exhibition focused on “cosmetics and coiffeurs for the woman in industry.” This included a fashionable turban for the female welder with suggestions for hairstyles that will remain appealing for non-working hours after the headgear is removed. No “hat hair” for these working women! An interesting period of time when women were still highly objectified but slowly breaking out of their traditional roles to select on jobs typically performed by men.
Posted by Kim Locont
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