Make Do and Mend In 1941, during World War II, clothes rationing
was introduced in the United Kingdom and designers, along with
ordinary men and women were forced to become more resourceful
with their existing garments. In 1943 the Ministry of
Information released a booklet aptly called 'Make Do and Mend'
which gave families tips on how to recycle their wardrobes.
Certain fabrics were unavailable to manufacturers as they were
set aside for the war effort. The garments that were produced
were very simple and often showed a military flavor. In 1942 the
British government introduced sumptuary laws under the Civilian
Clothing Order that forbade manufacturers from embellishing
clothing for sale, adding fancy trimmings, unnecessary buttons
or more than was essential to function. In order to boost morale
the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers, under the
direction of Charles Creed designed the 'Utility Suit', which
was officially approved by the Board of Trade for manufacture.
It featured squared should