Put out that light!
October 4, 2010 12:48 PM Subscribe
Help finding a cute 1940s-era military-style navy skirt suit for an ARP warden costume?
I've been reading a lot about the Blitz lately, and I'm interested in being an ARP warden for halloween. I've had a hell of a time finding any information online, but as far as I can tell the men were given navy blue coveralls and the women were given a navy blue mac or wore a military/cop-style suit with the appropriate pins, armbands, and badges. As interested as I am in being historically accurate, I don't really want to wear a coat throughout a whole party, so I was hoping I could spruce up a cute retro-style navy skirt suit with the right accessories (seamed stockings, the right hair and makeup, a gas mask, tin hat, badges, armband, bell, etc.). The closest thing I've been able to find online, though, is this, which is entirely the wrong color. I'm tall (so lots of actual vintage is out) and pretty slim, and am willing to do some limited sewing and crafting.
I think that what I want is this, but have no idea how to start searching for it.
I've been reading a lot about the Blitz lately, and I'm interested in being an ARP warden for halloween. I've had a hell of a time finding any information online, but as far as I can tell the men were given navy blue coveralls and the women were given a navy blue mac or wore a military/cop-style suit with the appropriate pins, armbands, and badges. As interested as I am in being historically accurate, I don't really want to wear a coat throughout a whole party, so I was hoping I could spruce up a cute retro-style navy skirt suit with the right accessories (seamed stockings, the right hair and makeup, a gas mask, tin hat, badges, armband, bell, etc.). The closest thing I've been able to find online, though, is this, which is entirely the wrong color. I'm tall (so lots of actual vintage is out) and pretty slim, and am willing to do some limited sewing and crafting.
I think that what I want is this, but have no idea how to start searching for it.
Response by poster: That's perfect, but I'm not sure how I could find a jacket to match - there are so, so many kinds of navy, and it's impossible to tell colors over the internet.
posted by you're a kitty! at 1:39 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by you're a kitty! at 1:39 PM on October 4, 2010
Warhorse and Reproductions of History sells reproduction women's WWII uniforms -- but they're kind of pricey.
posted by Comrade_robot at 2:00 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by Comrade_robot at 2:00 PM on October 4, 2010
Ohhh I misread your post and I thought you were saying you were going to do without the coat.
My alternate suggestion would be to find the jacket. "Military Style" is the watchword for searching - I'm not sure of your location, but that's where you should start. Then, once you have that, you can more or less match the fabric at a store - it won't be exactly the same fabric, but you can get really, really close in color and weight - and then you can make a pencil skirt. I've used the linked pattern (and have a skirt in that pattern in navy blue as it happens) and it's not too complicated - easy, really. Eight pieces if you choose to line it and a zipper.
posted by Medieval Maven at 2:05 PM on October 4, 2010
My alternate suggestion would be to find the jacket. "Military Style" is the watchword for searching - I'm not sure of your location, but that's where you should start. Then, once you have that, you can more or less match the fabric at a store - it won't be exactly the same fabric, but you can get really, really close in color and weight - and then you can make a pencil skirt. I've used the linked pattern (and have a skirt in that pattern in navy blue as it happens) and it's not too complicated - easy, really. Eight pieces if you choose to line it and a zipper.
posted by Medieval Maven at 2:05 PM on October 4, 2010
I just realized that link is useless. You want this one.
posted by Medieval Maven at 2:09 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by Medieval Maven at 2:09 PM on October 4, 2010
You might also try searching for "service dress blues," "service dress," "dress blues," or "SDBs." These present-day Public Health Service Officer uniforms resemble what you're looking for, but don't have all the pockets, and would be a pricey investment for a halloween costume. I don't know where the market for secondhand SDBs goes (eBay? craigslist? some specialized military website?). Salvation Army uniforms might also be a workable approximation; I don't know where/how to find them for purchase.
p.s. I assume that it's OK to buy the military uniform pieces for civilian use as long as you don't dress them up with accurate, current insignia and otherwise go about impersonating an officer, but I don't really know anything about the law in this respect.
posted by Orinda at 6:06 PM on October 4, 2010
p.s. I assume that it's OK to buy the military uniform pieces for civilian use as long as you don't dress them up with accurate, current insignia and otherwise go about impersonating an officer, but I don't really know anything about the law in this respect.
posted by Orinda at 6:06 PM on October 4, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
I think generally you're looking for a navy blue pencil skirt, or the bottom half of a ladies' suit, as long as the skirt is narrow and not a-line.
posted by Medieval Maven at 1:21 PM on October 4, 2010