From the late forties and early fifties, with wartime austerity still holding sway over the must have fashions of the day, the ‘make do and mend’ philosophy still held sway even among the more well to do in society.

The idea of a complete new wardrobe for every successive ‘season’ was deeply ingrained but was not always an option.

Here, a number of ideas for the modification of ‘older garments’ in the style of celebrity designers of the day (Stiebel, Hartnell, Molyneux) are presented as a cost effective way of achieving this.

The dictates of the current ‘season’ were absolute! Anyone who was anyone would be expected to at least make the effort to follow the mores and follies of fashion. A yard or two of ribbon judiciously applied could work wonders.

In these days of more austere times, for many differing reasons, would it not be nice to see an elegant lady, dressed up to the nines for a ‘night on the town’ with the aid of taffeta, coloured felt and gingham!

All of this topped off with a small, sailor style hat, piled high with fruits, flowers and yet more ribbon must have been a sight worth seeing at all the chic events and society gatherings in the Metropolis.