Thelma and Lowell's Diary: Feb. 6, 1943
She buys fabric to make a dress; she was doing her patriotic duty!
Thelma went uptown to do some banking for Lowell, paid the gas bill, and went shopping. He had gotten paid the day before — a net check of $106.54 — so she spent some of it. Her purchases included $2.13 for material to make a dress plus 25 cents for thread and a zipper.
Dresses during war time were very different from the previous decades. They were shorter, had narrower skirts and far less fancy trims, including buttons. This 1943 pattern, being offered on Etsy, is a good example. It cost 45 cents.
Clothing wasn’t rationed in the U.S. during the war, but conservation was encouraged. To read more about this, you’ll need to be a paid subscriber. Click the button below to upgrade from free and get the full benefit of Thelma and Lowell’s Diary. Thanks for reading!
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