The Skirt Length Theory goes something like this: When the stock market plunges, so do skirt lengths. Fashion is often dictated by peripheral circumstances such as the state of the economy and if the world is going through a peaceful stage or embroiled in wartime activities. In the 1940s people were just starting to recover from The Great Depression and were in the midst of World War II.
The parallels that can be drawn from the events of the past few years are uncanny. The entire world is desperately trying to hang on to tenuous glimmers of hope that the current economic crisis is coming to an end and President Obama has just committed to sending more troops to Afghanistan. Sure, World Wars I and II had Hitler, who was hell bent on ridding the World of the pestilence of anybody that did not fit into the Arian ideal. But, we've got Islamic extremism. Again, the parallels which can be drawn are mind boggling. It just goes to show you that given enough time the most significant lesson of the Holocaust must be revisited: Lest we forget, we are destined to repeat.
Just prior to the recent world-wide economic collapse, a common lament amongst many women was the revealing nature of modern clothes. First, it was the crop tops. It was difficult to find a store that sold shirts which were long enough to be considered decent attire. Fortunately, the tides turned but, not for the better. Although the tops got longer, the change was offset by the rise of the low cut pants. Plumber butts became the norm.
When the stock markets crashed in the fall of 2008, many retailers suddenly started providing more conservative waist heights. People began focusing much more on how to put food on the table than how to be inappropriately sexy. It appears that the shock to the economic system has also had a drastic impact on a return to a certain level of propriety that would probably even be passable back in the 1940s.
The 1940s were marked by refinement and understated elegance. Skirt lengths were typically just below the knew and were not overly full or flowing. Clothes and footwear were rationed and people often struggled with being able to have enough to put on the dinner table. Rather than running out each season and buying the latest trends, women were encouraged to make and mend. This meant that clothes were often repurposed. When a scarf got torn it might have been used as a trim for an evening dress. With so many people affected by war, patriotism was at an all-time high so fashions often reflected military styles.
In modern day fashion, the military look is not back quite yet but, there does appear to be a resurgence of formality and return to decency. There is a push back against all the skin of recent years. More and more people are going back to what they have in the back of the closet than running out to the stores. While it is unlikely that the 1940s fashion will ever fully come back, it can be viewed as the haute couture edition of what is actually being seen on the streets.
