Friday, 11 March 2016

Poem ~ War On Dresses - Saturday, 11 March 1916


Impression sketch of The 'Lucie' Gown: Barkers Advertisement. The Daily Telegraph p11 col 5-7 - by Jamie. From an original image that can be seen at : <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12189272/Daily-Telegraph-March-11-1916.html> [Accessed: 11 March 2016]

Amid murmurs of shortages and needs of economy,
Came latest call for cutbacks with extravagance
Of women’s fashions - National Organizing Committee
For War Savings had highlighted wastes, already
Made in domestic places and motorcars for pleasure.

Reformed values were to be issued by Press Bureau
To highlight the crisis of wartime - to suggest
How most women realise 'bad form,’ in buying fancy
Varieties of dress - pointing out facts that many
Within the rich and poorer class kept up the habits.

Any excessive occupation in ladies buying fashion
Was to be frowned upon - advice being
To avoid boots, shoes, gloves, hats, stockings or veils
Of luxury quality - stating that only new
Clothes should be bought, when absolutely needed.

Such new clothes ought to be of durable standard
And flexibility to wear for all occasions -
National Organising Committee for War Savings said
A halt in dress expense can only be wise
In times of trade upheaval, till peace was secured.

Alongside lay another agenda, from the National
Organizing Committee for War Savings,
To set free all labour in the clothing trade, assuming
They were not caged animals, for war
Reasons, as posters proclaimed 'Bad Form in Dress.'

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Extravagance In Dress. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 11 March 1916. P.9. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12189272/Daily-Telegraph-March-11-1916.html [Accessed: 11 March 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 March 2016). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1women

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