HOME PAGE 1900 to 1913 1914 to 1918 1919 to 1929 1930 to 1938 1939 to 1945 1946 to 1950 Other sections Never again

1939-45  • Everyday Hairstyle

Wartime hairstyle• This was the day to day style worn by thousands of women throughout the forties.
A short side parting with a few soft waves, the hair was brushed back from the face and held with hairgrips.
Once again this is a story of wartime shortages.
Shampoo and make-up were difficult to obtain and soap was rationed. On average a woman was able wash her hair once a week, perhaps less often than that.
The wartime woman could quickly brush her hair to this style.It could then be covered by a headscarf. Every woman did her best in the conditions.
Bread and potatoes were never rationed during the war, but all the nice things like sugar, dairy produce ,meat and sweet foods were. Nobody was starving but their diet was unbearably plain, dull and dreary. Very few people put on weight.
In photographs people appear "War Weary" , the harsh conditions of war shows on their faces.
In pictures the servicemen and servicewomen appear to be better fed than civilians. Generally this is because they were.

• Photo above by Greaves of Huddersfield • Written on the back:'best love sister Mary'

Date about1940: Age about 17 years old  • Estimate: born 1923 ± 3 years
everyday wartime hairstyleeveryday wartime hairstyleeveryday wartime hairstyleeveryday wartime hairstyle
everyday wartime hairstyleeveryday wartime hairstyleeveryday wartime hairstyle (My Mum)