Feminist Fashion during the Rule of the National Socialists in Germany

Introduction 

During the prehistoric periods in Germany, the Nazi party had built a nation that embraced the concept of Volksgemeinshaft, which ensured that every gender had specific roles and responsibilities to accomplish (Paulicelli, 2004). Adolf Hitler had outlined very clear guidelines about the expectations of women in the Third Reich. Women were considered the homemakers of the society, as they were involved in cooking, washing, making themselves beautiful for their men and have many children. The Third Reich period had specific guidelines for the expectations of an ideal woman. For instance, women were not allowed to work for a living; they were also forbidden from putting on the trouser, wearing make-up, high-heeled shoes, dying their hair and using slimming diets. When one closely follows the story of German feminist movement, they realize that it was very public and the government thwarted feminist aspirations, which left a majority of the women powerless and silent. The propaganda lies, and fear from the reigning government destroyed National Socialism and different women’s movement in Germany. 

In the early 1920s, the Weimar Republic had a strong feminist movement, but Adolf Hitler’s government wiped it out. The Nazi party strived to attract young women away from the feminist ideologies. One of the areas that were greatly affected included fashion and the way women dressed. Fashion was greatly impacted by the rule of the National Socialists in Germany and many other countries that were invaded. One might say that women's fashions of the 1940s were dictated by Adolph Hitler’s ideology and worldview, which can be characterized as rigid, efficient and militant with strong influences from architecture and engineering, which influenced other areas of the applied arts such as interior design but also fashion. The German invasion of Poland in September 1939 set the tone for everything that happened in the next decade. In addition, as fashion follows social trends and the events of the world economy, World War II not only facilitated but also necessitated changes in clothing styles and fashion design. 

Pre-Nazi Fashion and Its Influences 

National Socialism also referred to as Nazism was a German political philosophy that Adolf Hitler established with the belief of doing what was best for the Germans. The concept of National Socialism perceived things as if they were. Hitler majorly dismissed the women from being national socialists. While addressing the women in a meeting held in Nurnberg in 1934, he quoted…for several years, we the national socialists have been reluctant to introduce the women into politics because they were unworthy. A woman once told me that I should increase the representation of women in parliament because it will be an effective strategy to raise the standard of life. Personally, I did not believe the opinion of the woman because that would mean promoting something that was already bad.” As seen in Hitler’s speech, National Socialism did not tolerate women who engaged in politics. According to them, the woman’s place was at home producing and raising children and participating in public roles would distract her from being a homemaker. Such ideologies by the socialist were later extended to the way the women dressed thereby having an influence on their fashion. 

There have been several arguments stating that Adolf Hitler influenced the fashion of women. When the Germans invaded Poland in 1939, they set the pace for all the events that took place in the next ten years. Fashion has always been known to follow social trends as well as the changes in the world economy. It is indeed evident that the Second World War prompted the changes in dressing styles as well as fashion design. A majority of individuals may wonder how the Nazi period influenced the dressing of women. Women’s clothing became more masculine and military because of the increased enlistments in the wars. The trend was not only particular to countries who were engaged in the wars, but it spread in the world thereby changing the dressing style of women. In Germany, a majority of women clothing embraced the military look to depict the significance of the war. 

When Hitler assumed power in 1933, one of his major landmarks was the establishment of the German Fashion Institute. He named the institution the Deutsches Modeamt, which had the goal of completely transforming the all the aspects of the life of the woman, including how they dressed. Hitler’s perception female clothing was negative, and he felt it was right to introduce particular rules. For instance, some of the things that he hated most concerning the dressing of the women included makeup, hair dye, and perfume. Hitler always regarded lipstick to come from animal waste and perfumes to be disgusting. More often than not, Hitler expressed a typical ambivalence about fashion by insinuating that Berlin women must become the best dressed in the continent. Hitler confessed his interest in dining with the ladies who were well dressed. According to the perception of the Nazi, the ideal woman had blue eyes and blonde hair, was athletic yet had broad hips for childbearing, put on clothes made from home-produced substitutes, wore a full skirt and flat shoes. Her roles in the home included raising many children, taking care of her family, being a good homemaker, and cooking using the leftovers. Even though the roles of the women and men were different, they were equal members of Volksgemeinshaf; they were selfless, had pure blood, and were die-hard followers of Hitler. 

Dressed For the Regime 

The German Fashion Institute strived to incorporate fascist into fashion. It meant that the German women would only put on garments made by German designers as well as the materials. Embracing the German textile culture meant using Aryan models, which eliminated a majority of the textile trades as well as high-profile designers. Hitler was motivated to do away with the French designers living in Germany because of his hate towards Paris fashion. Besides, he felt that the works of designers such as Chanel promoted the establishment of fake slender silhouettes. Since Adolf Hitler was an avid believer in the role of women in childbearing, he perceived the French designers to promote a culture of slimming and development of masculine bodies, which discouraged reproduction. His seriousness was seen in 1933 when he declared that no more Paris models should display their works in Germany. The Nazis led by Adolf Hitler criticized the women from France and America because they considered their dressing disgusting. It is because the women from these countries dyed or permed their hair, they put on makeup, smoked, wore trousers and high-heeled shoes, and were slim as well as fashion conscious (Law, 2003). 

The Nazi policy towards the women was mainly reactionary. The Nazis were majorly focused on reversing the trends that hand increased many opportunities for the women in Europe such as access to better jobs as well as the contraceptive. It is indeed evident that the trends had been present in Germany especially during the Weimar periods as the supporter’s increasingly embraced emancipation. Some of the reactions against the trends include discrimination against the women because their levels of employment had fallen drastically. The Nazis came along and somehow delivered the women from the Weimar Republic through acknowledging their roles in childbearing and homemaking. Concerning war, women were perceived to be the backbone of German supremacy, and in most cases, the Nazi referred to them as the germ cell of the nation. 

However, it should not be assumed that every Nazi ideology was in conflict with the ongoing trends. When the regime had just commenced in Germany, women were encouraged to maintain the traditional family structures, and a majority of them were forced out of their jobs. As the intensity of the war increased, so did the need for women to join the men in the military. Hence, the government encouraged the enlistment of the women into the war and even motivated them to have children outside birth. 

Any individual who is interested in fashion will agree that the Nazi regime, as well as World War II, had major transformations in fashion, economy, politics, and the society. The fashion is seen during this era clearly represented the events that were taking place in the world in a more visible way. It is a period that set the pace for future designers and the development of the science of fashion. During the Nazi regime, fashion and costume designs followed the changes of different aspects of the world war such as social and political transformations. The war period was characterized by particular restrictions on the importation of raw materials thereby creating a popularity of synthetic fibers. The fabric options, but also the style and the shape of the garment did not only represent the impacts of the war. Initially, there was simplicity in dressing as seen from the German women. However, upcoming fashion designers felt that there was the need to introduce new designs and display their imagination and skills. One of the common goals these designers had was to make the rigid government embrace fashion. The silhouette pieces of clothing made during the world war period are still present in the contemporary fashion. The fabricated materials produced during this particular era contributed to the development of fashion. Since Hitler’s government limited the importation of garments, the scarcity of the materials ensured that the differences in the social class were not visible because the dressing style of the women was similar as per the government regulations. It was reflected in the different styles of dressing at work, at formal events, and on the screens of Hollywood (Bartlet, 2004). 

Before assessing the fashion trends, it is important to comprehend the situation of the world before the beginning of world war. Besides, it is a crucial step to understanding why the German women were affected in their clothing immediately after the Nazi party assumed power. Compared to other countries like USA and Britain that largely associated fashion with the economic and political aspect, Germans sense of fashion revolved around National Socialism. During the First World War, the allies comprising of the United States of America, France, Britain, Belgium, Italy, Russia, and Japan were against the central powers that include the Germans, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. However, by the end of the war, the Treaty of Versailles was drafted, and the Germans, as well as the other central powers, were forced to pay reparations to their allies and take all the responsibility for all the damages caused. The central powers signed different treaties that stated their terms and conditions for penalization. 

In the early 1920s, the Germans began to fulfill the terms of the treaty. To start, they loaned the United States because both of them were trade partners. However, in 1922, the United States was forced to increase the tariffs on the imported goods making it difficult for the Germans to continue with the preparation. The stock market of the United States crushed in 1929 leading to the Great Depression (Boemeke & Feldman, 1998). Since the United States had given out several loans to its allies, the effects of the Great Depression were felt globally. During these difficult economic times, Germany welcomed Adolf Hitler as their leader who publicly declared that the happenings of world war one were not Germany’s fault and reparations were to be stopped as soon as possible. Besides, he vowed to take up all the land that belonged to the Germans. By 1933, Hitler had formed the Nazi party, and he became the chancellor of Germany. A majority of scholars branded Hitler a social Darwinist because of his dangerous antiques devoted to German’s survival using the strategy of national adoption of military values and goals. It is evident that Hitler was attracted to Mussolini’s Fascism and copied his leadership styles. 

The end of the First World War threatened very important aspects of the fashion trade. For instance, there was a shift in rubber wealth especially in the producing countries in the South East Asia. There was scarcity in the supply of tire, hose, seal, and rubber used to make fashion clothes. Moreover, the supply of silk had greatly reduced. In 1939, the Germans invaded Poland and the Second World War began when Britain and France declared war on Germany. One of the most significant events that took place regarding fashion was the attack and occupation of Paris in 1940 by the Germans. Paris was considered the core of fashion world as several countries looked up to it for new styles and trends. Major fashion houses such as Chanel, JeanPatou, and Elsa Schiaparelli had their headquarters in Paris. When France declared war in 1939, most of the designers closed their shops while some fled the country. Since the fashion industry went into isolation creating a gap, Germany, United States, and Britain strived to thrive in fashion. 

Since Hitler’s government promoted rationing, there was the existence of creativity in the fashion world. The beginning of the industrial revolution in the early seventeenth century enabled the development of the mechanization of factories as well as the textile industries. The need for uniforms in the German’s army prompted the creation of ready-to-wear clothing. There were millions of measurements that were taken from the soldiers thereby making the availability of the garments easy. With time, the women’s sizes were also developed. More often than not, the most trending clothes among the males and females were military or work uniforms. Initially, the German women were to wear a blouse, long skirt, and flat shoes. However, the development of the ready-to-wear garments during this warring period made easier to advance in fashion. 

As one assesses the advancement of technology in the textile industries, they discover that a majority of clothes were home made for those in the lower class and custom made for those in the middle or upper class. By the eighteenth century, the textile industry greatly expanded and the styles of clothing were changing at a faster rate. Information from particular magazines such as VOGUE spread like bushfire and different trends were seen in different clothing lines in Germany and other countries across the world. One major sector that contributed to fashion was the development of infrastructure regarding transportation from the beginning of the twentieth century. Since the use of the bicycles was becoming more popular especially in use for leisure activities, clothes were adapted according to the forms of transportation. For instance, during World War I, women wore split skirts that allowed them to walk and ride bicycles freely. This style set the way for the practical clothing that became part of the women wear during World War II. 

War was not a new phenomenon for the German women. During the world wars, women were summoned into the factories and the fields as men went to the battlefields. A majority of women who worked in the German government had their uniforms resemble those of the men. For instance, the women who worked in the factories put on trousers while working as well as those who worked in the army and munitions factories. The Norfolk jackets that were originally meant for the men were also made for the women. There were specific social stigmas associated with the dressing of the women because some individuals felt women should not put on trousers because it was only meant for the men. The traditional German woman had blue eyes and blonde hair, was athletic yet had broad hips for childbearing, put on clothes made from home-produced substitutes, wore a full skirt and flat shoes. Her roles in the home included raising many children, taking care of her family, being a good homemaker, and cooking using the leftovers. Therefore, having women who did the opposite such as dying or perming their hair, putting on make-up, smoking, wearing trousers and high-heeled shoes, and were slimming as well as having fashion consciousness was to a total disgrace. Some men perceived the women who dressed up like this to lack respect and a sense of responsibility. Adolf Hitler greatly despised the French designers because they introduced a culture that made the women become rogue and disobey their roots. 

When it came to containing his citizens, Hitler was biased on the Jews, and he openly displayed his hatred to them. Therefore, Hitler was determined more than ever to do away with the Jews because the nation needed to be “purified.” Hitler purported that they were an inferior race and the only true race was the Aryan because they had fair hair and blue eyes. According to Hiller, this was the true German race (Hilberg, 1985). Hitler went ahead and fired all the Jews who were working in the German factories stating that they did not deserve the Aryan jobs. In a certain letter written in 1922, Hitler was not ashamed to express his hatred openly to the Jews. In a quote, he said…” If I assume power, my first task will be to destroy the Jews, and I will consider it a very important job. As soon as I am in power, I will build gallows after gallows, which will assist in the execution of the Jews. They will be hanged one by one until they all died and stink. No Jews will be found in Munich and whoever will be found afterward will be exterminated. Furthermore, the same procedure will be performed in all the German cities until the nation is purified.” A majority of people often wonder why Hitler displayed such deep hatred towards the Jews. Some of the established reasons as to why Hitler wanted the Germans dead included the belief that they cause caused the problems the country was facing including the Great Depression. Secondly, the propaganda spread by anti-Semitism enhanced Hitler’ hatred for the Jews. 

Furthermore, Hitler had restricted the Jews from using public amenities such as swimming pools, cinema, food cafés, and parks. Hitler ensured that customers avoided the Jews shops. In 1935, Hitler passed the Nuremberg laws denying the Jewish their citizenship rights as well as intermarriages between the Jews and the non-Jews. As a result, they had to put on the Yellow Star of David. The 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin stalled the persecution of the Jews because Hitler was more concerned about praising the Nazi party and glorifying the Aryan race. Hitler’s anger was visible when a black athlete from the United States won four gold medals defeating Aryan champions. In 1938 during the crystal night, persecution of the Jews was increased because their businesses were burnt to the ground and a majority sent to concentration camps. Based on these happenings, some Jews left Germany but a majority of stayed because they hoped the situation would change. Little did they not know that a mass genocide awaited them in 1942, which was to be conducted by Reinhard Heidrich and Heinrich Himmler under the orders of Adolf Hitler Hitler not only killed the Jews but he also killed gypsies, gays, and other special groups that did not fit into the German culture. 

Detail and Characteristics in Garments 

The Nazi party wanted their women to go back to their matronly style of dressing, which included limited styling in the clothes, hair, and make-up. One particular community known as the Zazous were against these rules because their favorite music genre was jazz from America, their interest was in Hollywood, and they kept their distance from the war as much as possible. The Nazis did not take this lightly, and they perceived them as degenerates and disrespectful. Therefore, they were harassed and put in particular labor camps outside the city. By using fashion, these people displayed their hate for the regime and expressed their loyalty to liberty and aesthetic value. 

When one is told to create a picture of the 1940s Nazi fashion, they will probably think of tailored military gear, tea dresses in bloomers, and makeup even though this was not the case. Fashion styles during National Socialism varied in Germany. Hitler was very specific on the look of the women and even established a German fashion board. While comparing the ideal outlook of the German woman to that of Europe and America, she was to be natural and healthy. According to him, French and American women were artificial and depended on cosmetics to enhance their natural beauty. Hitler did not like the women wearing trousers because this was only meant for the men. Besides, he despised those who put on fur because it demoralized the animals. It was very ironic for Hitler to display such a sentiment because he was capable of carrying out genocide. 

The German women were persuaded to put on clothes that were only made by the German designers who used materials made in Germany. Even though this was the case, the spouses of influential Nazi officers put on foreign fashions because they considered themselves too elegant to wear huge dresses, flowing skirts, and other traditional styles. 

It is true to acknowledge that various forms of visual media made up of the images of Hitler and the Third Reich fashion, as well as symbols, continue to influence the current fashion and culture. The use of Hitler fashion and Nazi uniforms mainly inspired three fashion areas, which include the Nazi chic, collections by different designers, and the hate couture comprising of the white power clothing. More specifically, a majority of Nazi inspiration fashion is concentrated in areas such as punk fashion, bondage, and fetish dressing. Similarly, the Asian Nazi chic, which includes designers such as Harajuku fashion, designer runways, and hate couture were meant for the whites supremacists (Harajuku, 2008). From the previous data, we have learned that Adolf Hitler was one of the most powerful individuals in the modern era. The images of Hitler’s military, rallies, and squads make up the visual history of the world. Hitler was a commander with experience in clothing and symbols, especially the swastika motif. His military often put on well-tailored uniforms, and this has enhanced the legacy of the Nazi’s fashion influence as well as the popular culture (Welch, 2002). 

Fashion Designers with a Nazi past 

“ Nazi chic” was the word used to refer to the Nazi-branded images, culture, and fashion. Some of the Nazi chic clothing and accessories included the uniforms, hats, boots, and another regalia that symbolized the Nazi party (Guenther, 2001). One group in the United Kingdom in the 1970s that embraced the Nazi culture included the punk rock subculture. In most cases, one could identify the subculture members and fans are putting on bands, jewelry, and other accessories with the Nazi symbol, mostly the swastika. When it comes to Nazi chic, the swastika represents luck, and it can be traced back to the Neolithic period where it was widely recognized and used by different religions such as Hindus and Buddhists (Wilson, 1894). In the early twentieth century, Hitler and the Nazi party adopted the swastika symbol because it represented evil. 

Furthermore, the swastika symbol, as well as other Nazi symbols, was integrated into garments that were made and sold by two major British designers Malcolm Mc Laren and Vivienne Westwood who were also attracted by the punk subculture. They came up with their designs to challenge specifically the British Establishment, initiate controversy, and attract attention. A few years later, the stories of these two famous designers were the collection point for punk rock clothing as well as other Nazi chic styles. According to the changing styles (2004), the two most famous clothing styles designed by McLaren and Westwood was the “destroy” swastika shirt and the red swastika T-shirt, which was worn by actor Sid Vicious from the 1980 film of The Great Rock N’ Rolls Swindle from Sex Pistols. 

Besides, the Nazi chic is among the leading trends in fetish and bondage costumes. For instance, the black uniforms of the Schutzstaffel (SS) were used to represent eroticism in many underground societies of Berlin before World War II began (Craik, 1993). The SS costumes were perceived by many Germans to be more of a fetish than ordinary clothing. 

Analysis 

For the longest time in history, fashion and garment have been subjects of deep sociological, anthropological, and semiotic evaluation in the modern world. The phenomenon of fashion, which is often identified by a widely known line of “you are what you wear,” provides intense and rich ideas in the manufacture of costumes. Besides, the cliché uncovers multiple and new ways through which fashion transforms the modern and postmodern self, identity, body, and relations. More specifically, the development of gender identity comprises of social constructs, which include garment and fashion within this configuration. The sociology and study of fashion are important aspects in understanding the relationship between gender and fashion. For instance, the studies related to fashion have assumed five main approaches (Crane & Bovone, 2006). First, there is the general assessment of clothing as visual texts where certain values and identities are expressed (Crane &Bovone, 2006). The second approach is the evaluation of collective and socials activities, which enhances the production of fashion. Thirdly, there is an approach of semiotic analysis and the process of communication through the media (Gottdiener, 1977). The fourth approach is the understanding of how consumers associate value with fashion as well as clothing. The last approach is an analysis of the values attributed to fashion and their variations culturally. 

To sum it up, the Nazi party strived to attract young women away from the feminist ideologies. One of the areas that were greatly affected included fashion and the way women dressed. Fashion was greatly impacted by the rule of the National Socialists in Germany and many other countries that were invaded. It is indeed true to state that Hitler contributed greatly to the development of fashion in the world. Major designers copied his uniforms and symbols to enhance different emerging subcultures. Therefore, the Nazi rule among other major historical phenomena contributed to the establishment of fashion houses and new designs in clothing. National Socialism did not empower women nor did it promote gender equality. As seen in Hitler’s speech, National Socialism did not tolerate women who engaged in politics. According to them, the woman’s place was at home producing and raising children and participating in public roles would distract her from being a homemaker. Such ideologies by the socialist were later extended to the way the women dressed thereby having an influence on their fashion 

References 

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http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1231_vivienne_westwood/changing_styl_html 

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