This is a resource for reenactors, living historians, and film. This is nonpolitical! This blog explores the everyday attire worn by women in 1930s and 1940s Germany and offers tutorials and instruction for an authentic, historic look paired with research and primary source documentation.

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How To Tie a 1940s Turban

Following along with my most recent post about turbans and headscarves in wartime German fashion, I have a tutorial for you on how to tie a scarf into a stylish and practical turban as a head covering. to start, you want a headscarf. . .duh. but what kind? I like to find scarfs that are not slippery or too smooth. If they are super slippery like most polyester ones are then they will not work as well. You want something with a little "grip" if that makes sense. Next, what size? Now I know this is not too scientific, but I like a head scarf that when folded in half diagonally can stretch from wrist to wrist when stretched out. So, fairly good size if not larger. You want something that you can actually tie and wrap around your head and hair. As a note, the larger the scarf, the larger your turban will be. To tie a turban from a head scarf, take your scarf and fold it in half diagonally. Next place the folded edge at the back of your head. Bring the long ties to the front and...

The Study of an Original 1940s German Dress

Photographs, illustrations, and patterns books are great but sometimes you just can't beat studying original clothes. In my collection I am fortunate enough to have a few original pieces, clothes included, and I figured a nice addition to the blog would be featuring them here. I think by adding them here you can study them as well and use the knowledge gained to apply towards shopping and sourcing your own wardrobe. What is great about studying original clothes is that we can see how the skirts were pieced together, how buttons may be did not all match, and all the little lovely details that a illustration or photo simply cannot convey. This velvet dress was the first original garment I added to my collection many, many years ago. To this day it still one of my favorites to admire. At my first WWII event in Rockford Illinois, this is what I wore. I don't fit into it anymore, so it is now a lovely study piece. The material is a deep wine-red velvet, I am guessing based on th...

How To Wear a 1940s Tilt Hat and Keep it on Too

I get asked at events all the time about tilt hats. Probably one of the most iconic pieces of 1940s clothing and fashion next to red lipstick. These are great questions because tilt hats are so very 1940s - in America and in Germany. In German photographs and fashion magazines tilt hats abound in many shapes and sizes. So, when I got this question and found this image in my magazine collection, I thought it was a great opportunity to do something. The image is from a 1941 dated German Fashion Magazine. Then I went through all my originals. then it hit me, why not show you my collection and how they are worn? This blog post is a companion post to the live video presentation that is on this blog's Facebook page. if you are interested in it, you will have to view it there. For here, you get the photos of some of the hats I sampled in the video. To start, tilt hats get their name because they are worn at a tilt, either tilted forward towards the face or else at the side a littl...

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