The Sewing Place

1940s clothing for kids (Help)

Roger

1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« on: September 07, 2019, 11:59:22 AM »
HELP!

DD’s school is having a 1940s day and I’m stumped! Even Google isn’t being that helpful.

Do you lovely Sewists have any ideas?

Thank you!

R.
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Sheilago

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2019, 12:08:49 PM »
You could make siren suits. My mother was a child in Glasgow in the 1940s and talks about going to their bunker in siren suits, which were like modern day onesies with hoods.
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I googled 1940s knitting patterns and clothing patterns and saw lots of examples of clothing, but not sure if you want a pattern you can buy.

Lowena

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2019, 12:16:59 PM »
I had a siren suit in the late 1940s.
Boys wore what men wore only smaller.
Girls wore longish skirts, blouses and cardigans
Triumph of hope over experience :D


StitchinTime

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2019, 13:57:03 PM »
This what what WW2 children are expected to wear in Cambridgeshire schools  :P
http://www.cees.org.uk/evacuees_dress.htm

Greybird

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2019, 15:38:36 PM »
I started school in 1949. I can clearly remember long grey socks and a knee length skirt - I remember the length because the back of my knees got chapped in the gap between the socks and the skirt. In cold weather my Mum would fold a scarf in half and sew up about 8-9 inches from the fold down one side to make a pixie hood/scarf which looked rather like those on the siren suits shown above. No sweat shirts in those days - it would be a button front blouse and a hand-knitted jumper which was on the tight side.

In summer it would be a dress with smocking on the front and short puff sleeves gathered into a binding on the edge. The grey socks were just as likely to go with the dress.

As rationing was still in force there would be no attempt at uniformity. All the children would be dressed in whatever their mothers could come up with.

HenriettaMaria

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2019, 17:32:46 PM »
DS did this in Y6.  He wore long shorts, long socks, a checked shirt from the wardrobe and a sleeveless cardie that I picked up at a re-enactors' market - specifically marketed at this demographic!  Everything else was out of the wardrobe.  I think the parcel was just bubble wrap in brown paper.

BrendaP

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2019, 22:08:25 PM »
I had a siren suit in the late 1940s.
Boys wore what men wore only smaller.
Girls wore longish skirts, blouses and cardigans
I had a siren suit in the early 1950s.
Boys wore short trousers, not ankle length like the men wore.
Girls wore knee length skirts with blouses and cardigans.

Boys and girls wore knee length socks in winter and ankle socks in summer.  Girls also wore dresses in summer.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Roger

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2019, 12:53:30 PM »
Thank you!

I’d love to make a shelter suit but I only have till Friday and I’m travelling with work 3 day this week, I was wondering if you thought I could get away with a shirt dress, cardigan, long grey socks?

I’ve got a couple of men’s office shirts that have very worn cuffs/collar that could be used.

Or have I veered badly off piste?

We’ve also found a short white smocked top and lightly embroidered skirt in white, green cardigan and long grey socks... does that sound about right?

Thank you,

Roger
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Lowena

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2019, 13:20:19 PM »
Sounds fine to me.It's an interpretation after all
Triumph of hope over experience :D

LeilaMay

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2019, 13:52:19 PM »
I would for sure get the opinion of the young person too :) I remember being very impressed with my version of medieval yokel, but the child hated the whole day because of it :(

Greybird

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2019, 14:22:38 PM »
Sounds fine to me.

Roger

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2019, 16:53:41 PM »
Thank you! we'll definitely engage Ma'am before we go too much further as she is more than a touch opinionated...

:) 
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Greybird

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2019, 22:56:39 PM »
Just a thought @Roger - the smocked top should be tucked into the skirt. They (we) didn't wear blouses untucked.

BrendaP

Re: 1940s clothing for kids (Help)
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2019, 09:41:48 AM »

I’ve got a couple of men’s office shirts that have very worn cuffs/collar that could be used.

We’ve also found a short white smocked top and lightly embroidered skirt in white, green cardigan and long grey socks... does that sound about right?

Roger

Don't bother with the men's shirts for a girl, the smocked top etc sound just right.  The 1940s was a time of rationing and shortages, with a lot of make-do-and-mend, hand-me-downs and improvision.

Unless it's very early 1940s before the rationing kicked in or very late 1940s with Dior's New Look.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.