The 1940's!! Although, it was before my time, this decade feels like home to me:) People had true style and panache, an air of sarcasm and humor hung in the air, big band music filled clubs with swinging sounds and big movies were on the silver screen.
The 1940's was an incredible time of change. Women became more of a force in the workplace, we were at war and the stakes were high, technology was in full swing and government (not only in the US but Worldwide) was changing, implementing and enacting laws and organizations that would shift our thinking and way of life forever...
Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell and Ralph Bellamy in His Girl Friday
1940
Nylons Make Their Debut, Billboard's Inaugural Chart is Released
1941
Pearl Harbor is Attacked, Mt. Rushmore is Completed and The Jeep is Invented
1942
Casablanca is Released, The T-Shirt is Invented and The Congress of Racial Equality is Formed
1943
The Casablanca Conference is held to plan the next course of action for Allied Forces, Oklahoma Opens on Broadway and The Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire in Boston Kills 492 People
1944
Anne Frank is Captured by German Forces, FDR becomes the First President to be Elected to a 4th Term, The GI Bill Becomes Law, Allied Forces Cross The English Channel to Land in Normandy, The Dialysis Machine is Invented and Sunscreen is Invented by Benjamin Green (to protect the troops)...he then went on to create the Coppertone Company!
1945
FDR Dies in Office, V-E Day Signals the end of WWII in Europe, Annual Wages for the Average American were $2400.00, Cost of a Gallon of Gas - 15 cents, Truman Releases the Horrific Power of the Atomic Bomb on Japan
1946
Bikini's Make Their First Debut in Paris, AT&T Announces the Release of the First "Car Phone", Jackie Robinson Makes His Debut with the Montreal Royals, The US Army Establishes the first Radar Contact with the Moon in Belmar, NJ (Go Jersey!:))
...and speaking of Jersey...
Good Old Frank (Not so old here:))...Singing, "One For My Baby"
1947
The Average Cost of a New House was $6,600, The CIA is formed (uh-oh), Roswell (uh-oh, again), The First of the Dead Sea Scrolls are Found and Polaroid Demonstrates the first Instant Camera
1948
The Average Cost of a New Car is $1250, Israel is Declared an Independent State, The First Transistor Radio is Introduced from Bell, The First Nightly Newscast Debuts on CBS and Christian Dior's "New Look" Collection Debuts in Paris (view the Life Magazine Photo's here)
1949
South Pacific Opens on Broadway, The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) is Founded after Allied Occupation, Ireland becomes The Republic of Ireland, The First Record "Single" is Released and many local TV Stations (Across the Nation) Begin Broadcasting for the First Time.
There are many sites that list US and World Events by Year. If you have time, I recommend giving them a look. Some events you'll know and some will surprise you, at the very least, it's an interesting read!
and for the 1940's Fashionistas
Thanks so much for reading!
~Pam
1940
Nylons Make Their Debut, Billboard's Inaugural Chart is Released
1941
Pearl Harbor is Attacked, Mt. Rushmore is Completed and The Jeep is Invented
1942
Casablanca is Released, The T-Shirt is Invented and The Congress of Racial Equality is Formed
1943
The Casablanca Conference is held to plan the next course of action for Allied Forces, Oklahoma Opens on Broadway and The Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire in Boston Kills 492 People
1944
Anne Frank is Captured by German Forces, FDR becomes the First President to be Elected to a 4th Term, The GI Bill Becomes Law, Allied Forces Cross The English Channel to Land in Normandy, The Dialysis Machine is Invented and Sunscreen is Invented by Benjamin Green (to protect the troops)...he then went on to create the Coppertone Company!
1945
FDR Dies in Office, V-E Day Signals the end of WWII in Europe, Annual Wages for the Average American were $2400.00, Cost of a Gallon of Gas - 15 cents, Truman Releases the Horrific Power of the Atomic Bomb on Japan
1946
Bikini's Make Their First Debut in Paris, AT&T Announces the Release of the First "Car Phone", Jackie Robinson Makes His Debut with the Montreal Royals, The US Army Establishes the first Radar Contact with the Moon in Belmar, NJ (Go Jersey!:))
...and speaking of Jersey...
1947
The Average Cost of a New House was $6,600, The CIA is formed (uh-oh), Roswell (uh-oh, again), The First of the Dead Sea Scrolls are Found and Polaroid Demonstrates the first Instant Camera
1948
The Average Cost of a New Car is $1250, Israel is Declared an Independent State, The First Transistor Radio is Introduced from Bell, The First Nightly Newscast Debuts on CBS and Christian Dior's "New Look" Collection Debuts in Paris (view the Life Magazine Photo's here)
1949
South Pacific Opens on Broadway, The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) is Founded after Allied Occupation, Ireland becomes The Republic of Ireland, The First Record "Single" is Released and many local TV Stations (Across the Nation) Begin Broadcasting for the First Time.
There are many sites that list US and World Events by Year. If you have time, I recommend giving them a look. Some events you'll know and some will surprise you, at the very least, it's an interesting read!
and for the 1940's Fashionistas
Vintage 1940s Trifari Sterling Aquamarine Rhinestone Bracelet Brooch Earrings from The Vintage Carousel on Ruby Lane
Vintage 1940's Saks Fifth Avenue Goldtone Purse Clam Shell - Made in Italy at WhimsicalVintage on Ruby Lane
~Pam
I love why sunscreen was invented, I never knew that!
ReplyDeleteI know Lisa...me too!! So many interesting tidbits in this type of thing!
DeleteThis is a real treat, I got to sing along with Ol Blue Eyes while I learned several new things, I never would have guessed that the T-shirt has only been around since '42! Thanks so much Pam, for such a fab & fun blog and for including my Trifari, can't wait to read your next installment :)
ReplyDeletelol Mary Ann - I know, I did the same while I was writing! Can you imagine...what in the world did people do before the T-Shirt!! I would have been lost:)
DeleteThank you so much for commenting and I'm so glad that you enjoyed it.
That set is really Wowza...the color is amazing!