2012 Study Day -The Wartime Woman

On Saturday 19th of May our old friends at Walsall Museum welcomed the Society for our 2012 study day - 'The Wartime Woman'
Despite the rubbish weather and an accident on the motorway (not the fault of anyone we know thankfully) we enjoyed a decent turn out of members old and new. They were treated to three lectures, and ended the day with a demonstration from beautician Kia Gorton, who specialises in period hair and makeup.

We were lucky enough to be allowed to chose a selection of genuine 1940s garments from the museum's wonderful collections, to build a display from. Society member Sheila C. visited the museum's top-secret store last Wednesday, and spent a happy couple of hours digging through the rails and boxes before making her selection. Rather than picking dresses based on their colour or style, Sheila considered the many roles of the war-time woman. In this way she found the dress of the mourning mother, the war-worker enjoying a summer's day, and the teenage girl in her first smart 'office dress', a neat little pale blue-grey number which I have become rather fond of!

The illustrated lecture given by our guest Geraldine Howell on the Utility Scheme was especially interesting, and as soon as the book hits the shelves, I'll let you know! Geraldine has a talent for placing her subject in the wider social context of the war, which made a potentially tricky subject to grasp, more accessible and hugely useful for those wishing to apply their new-found knowledge to Wartime re-enactments.

We finished the day, after tea and little cakes, with a wonderful demonstration from Kia, who works as a freelance make-up artist, and also through 'The Vintage Salon', which is based at the Custard Factory in Birmingham. A volunteer (who had appeared in public for the first time in the 5 years I have known her without eyeliner and with her hair undone.....) was pulled from the audience to act as Kia's modal. Kia explained the techniques used to achieve the various rolled styles of the 40's and also allowed us to arrange Catherine's hair (for it was she) in pincurls. She finished by arranging Catherine's hair in the Victory Roll which forms a 'V' for victory at the back of the head. Catherine wore this style later on when she went to Asda, who thankfully don't seem to be suffering the effects of rationing or the U-Boat blockades.

So that's 2012 done - anyone got a suggestion for next year's study day?