[title]
Rationing didn't only mean a dowdy dinner table – World War II's austerity measures affected clothing too, leaving the British public to adapt their fashions accordingly. Clearly the make-do-and-mend attitude was especially effective when it came to what to wear, for the results were more casual styles and some ingenious renovating and recycling. This exhibition of accessories, photographs, film, artworks, interviews and clothing provides insight into the home lives of men and women during wartime Britain, showing their sense of identity and the ways in which they coped with having their home comforts restricted. The displays include key pieces of uniform from the men's and women's services, items from the utility fashion ranges introduced in 1941 to provide fairness in fashion and examples of marketing ingenuity on the part of wartime retailers, such as as gas mask handbags and luminous blackout buttons. Ticket prices apply.