Romanian Fashions in the mid-20th Century

[herringbonekid]

When I first went to eastern Europe back in the early 1980s I was told that wearing pens in the breast pocket was a sign of wealth and western standards.

intellectual / poetic / rich... who cares as long as chicks dig it ?

 

[Fastuni]

Very interesting that this was still done in 1980s E-Europe!

It surely is intended to signal that one can write or does cerebral work and was common in societies where education was still rather exclusive.
Since ¨nice clothes¨ were also worn by affluent idlers, they weren't enough of a social marker.

...

And I thought I should throw her in just because she looks great.

This girl is also very pretty.

 

[Two Types]

Yes she is.

 

[Metatron]

Some of the shoes are in pretty bad shape. Kind of funny that some people seem to be wearing their Sunday best with two lumps of clay for shoes.

 

[Fastuni]

Handsome couples with tasteful clothes. And some interesting variations of sweaters:

The notch-lapel suit in the middle has IMO perfectly shaped shoulders.

Note the safety pin:

 

[Rudie]

Some of the shoes are in pretty bad shape. Kind of funny that some people seem to be wearing their Sunday best with two lumps of clay for shoes.

Well, if it's their only pair... My dad told me that after the the war he only had a pair of wooden shoes. He was just a boy, though. But as far as I know many poor people wore wooden shoes because they couldn't afford leather.

 

[Metatron]

In the novel Slaughterhouse Five the protagonist(presumably based on Kurt Vonnegut's own experiences) is captured by a group of German soldiers in the Ardennes, one of which is a teenager wearing clogs.
I wonder how well they function? I can't help but think that they are very uncomfortable

 

[Two Types]

Wooden soled shoes were widely worn during WW2. Prisoners of war usually wore them. I once interviewed a chap who had marched from East Prussia to central Germany in a pair. And he had a fractured ankle. He never fully recovered!

 

[Fastuni]

The German wikipedia entry on wooden shoes deals a lot with the pros and cons of wooden shoes.
The gist is that it is largely a matter of habit...

School girls in Germany 1948:

 

[Boinciel]

TT, Regarding the chest pocket (and lapel buttonhole) on the ¨wrong¨ side (except for flipped photos... but the buttoning here is correct) - this was the result of turning the suit fabric.
A common practice in wartime Europe. Those who could afford it sometimes had the slit rewoven. Sometimes it was hidden under double patch pockets.

The next time I find a really faded jacket that fits well, I'll consider trying this. An argument for two chest pockets in general, no?

 

[Two Types]

I guess the same goes for moth damaged lapels.

 

[Two Types]

Here are a few more:

Students, 1943 (some seem to be wearing slippers):

 

[herringbonekid]

lot's of youthful cockiness going on in the student photo.

 

[Two Types]

 

[Fastuni]

High-placed 4x1 buttoning (they make their first appearance in German tailoring publications around 1934):

 

[Metatron]

New pics are uploaded all the time:







This one stands out for me:


There is also one borderline risque photo which I am tentatively not posting here, but which you might enjoy.
I think Two Types posted the links to the collection earlier in the thread.

 

[Fastuni]

How to look stylish and shady...

Worst cut jacket ever?

I think berets are very becoming to women.

 

[herringbonekid]

There is also one borderline risque photo which I am tentatively not posting here, but which you might enjoy.

i've searched and searched but can't find it.

I think berets are very becoming to women.

me too.

 

[Fastuni]

The photo Metatron is referring to is titled "cuplu" and was uploaded yesterday. It's nothing lewd. Just a rather "handsy" he embracing his wife/girlfriend.

...

Some more sport suits and odd combinations:

White shoes for the tux:

 

[Two Types]

Worst cut jacket ever?

I think that's a fair assessment!

[/QUOTE] I think berets are very becoming to women.

[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! (I posted lots of photos of Romanian girls wearing berets in the 'beret' thread over in the hat forum)