Research : 1940s Shape and Style

1940s Makeup and Hair

In the 1940s, no one really wore makeup on a daily basis.  Makeup was a product of luxury, so only the upper class could afford it (if that's how they chose to spend their money!).  Beauty changed quickly from the more exquisite pale face, prominent eyebrows, dark eyes and deep lips of the 1920s and mid 1930s into a more natural style.  Beauty became associated with a natural, healthy glow, red lips and cheeks!

Hair in the 1940s was mainly influenced by movie stars, or "Pin-up girls".  The cinema attracted a wide variety of people, as it showed news as well as films and TV programmes. In a more practical sense, long hair was inconvenient for operating heavy machinery and doing other jobs required of women during the war, so hair was cut mainly to the shoulder or higher. Layers and side partings were also popular, as they were versatile and could imitate many styles.  Hair accessories, such as ribbons, turbans and snoods were common.

In order to create the 1940s silhouette for the stage (for girls these days mainly have much longer hair that is washed much more frequently!)  it will be critical to pin the hair up, using gel as well to keep it in place throughout the show.  The nurses will have straight, relatively uninvolved up-dos, while the Doctor may have hair accessories.  For June, curls may be a slightly more glamourous option, but considering that they are all middle-to-working class people, there will not be many elaborate styles!

For the men, the hairstyles are short and heavily gelled.  During the crash scene of the plane, Peter's hair will be very messy, but when he's getting his court date (and when he does his jacket change) he will have his hair gelled neatly.  In addition, he will have a moustache, perhaps like this one:

Measuring the Cast!

In order to make the costumes, of course you need to know the shape and size of the actors!  Here are some action shots of measuring the cast:

Note: In my design book, I have a neat log of all the different measurements and all the different characters for each cast member.