Shoulder Pads and Hats.

The dominant silhouette of the early 1940s featured broad shoulders that gracefully tapered into a tailored waist over a narrow skirt that fell just below the knees. Shoulder pads were found in nearly every dress, suit, and jacket. The padded, broad shoulders lent women an air of strength and authority, traits valued in women in the 1940s and seen as crucial to surviving the war. Most outfits were topped with a hat, which aided in the popularity of American milliners such as Lily Dache, John Frederics, and Sally Victor. Hat designers added tall brims that gave the appearance of height or wide ones that gave a sense of summertime grace. Others trimmed the crown to the bare minimum, topping it with wiry fabric curls, veils, bows, jewelry, or fur. When wool was scarce, Dache used yarn, specifically mop yarn...