In September 1939; just three weeks after the outbreak of war; Gladys Mason wrote briefly in her diary about events in Europe: Hitler watched German siege of Warsaw. City in flames. And; she continued; Had my wedding dress fitted. Lovely.For Gladys Mason; and for thousands of women throughout the long years of the war; fashion was not simply a distraction; but a necessity - and one they werent going to give up easily. In the face of bombings; conscription; rationing and ludicrous bureaucracy; they maintained a sense of elegance and style with determination and often astonishing ingenuity. From the young woman who avoided the dreaded forces bloomers by making knickers from military-issue silk maps; to Vogues indomitable editor Audrey Withers; who balanced lobbying government on behalf of her readers with driving lorries for the war effort; Julie Summers weaves together stories from ordinary lives and high society to provide a unique picture of life during the Second World War. As a nation went into uniform and women took on traditional male roles; clothing and beauty began to reflect changing social attitudes. For the first time; fashion was influenced not only by Hollywood and high society but by the demands of industrial production and the pressing need to make-do-and-mend. Beautifully illustrated and full of gorgeous detail; Fashion on the Ration lifts the veil on a fascinating era in British fashion.
#3323695 in eBooks 2014-12-02 2014-12-02File Name: B00QBBQNJY
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. One of the Better Titles in the SeriesBy Andrew RooneyFirst off; 33 1/3 books are really hit and miss. This is a shame; because the concept of the series is brilliant. Some are terrific; some are terrible; but most are pretty good. This title falls into the pretty good category; but tiliting towards terrific. Himes is a terrific music journalist whose writng has appeared in a variety of publications over the years. "Born in the USA;" Springsteens masterpiece in the authors eyes; is the focus of this title; but he also deals heavily with the entire 1980-1984 period and traces Springsteens songwriting throughout this time.If you want insight into Springsteens songwriting process which I always love this book is great. If you want to know about the many; many songs Springsteen wrote and recorded in the early 1980s; but did not officially release until years later; this book is great. I wish a bit more time would have been spent on the individual songs themselves as opposed to a few songs taking up the majority of certain chapters. If you love this album; you will like this book. Short and sweet; like this review.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This short book gives a history of Springsteen before the ...By JimThis short book gives a history of Springsteen before the Born album. It gives a song by song breakdown of the album. Then it gives the effects of this album on the music world.I found this to be a complete telling and complete story. It was well worth the time and money.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent book for Bruce Fans!By SwedefishLoved this book so much; bought a copy for my brother. Thanks for prompt delivery!
