English 1940s CC 41 WWII Striped + Ruffled Gown

Vintage 1940s striped satiny maxi dress. Such a lovely piece!

Important piece of WWII British history with CC41 "Two Cheeses" label, now often referred to as the Pacman label. The ‘Two Cheeses’ logo was designed by the commercial artist Ronald Shipp. "The Making of the Civilian Clothing (Restriction Order) was passed in 1942. It forbade any wasteful cutting of clothes and introduced a set of instructions for tailors and dressmakers had to work to. For instance the number of pockets were regulated to comply with the “no fabric on fabric” rule, there was a maximum length for shirts and skirts. Turn ups for trousers, then very much in fashion, were simply banned. Even buttons were regulated and were restricted to three or less."

Gorgeous navy blue and pink striped silky rayon satin with fitted bodice, open shoulders and ruffled neckline. Side metal zipper and rear sash. Lovely movement.

Good vintage condition. This piece has a bit of color fade on the front stripes and at various places in the ruffled trim, which as you can see from the photos isn't really noticeable when worn but is visible when you are looking for it. See photo #8. There is also a small, 1” previously backed and repaired hole in the skirt about 8” directly below the zipper on the left side. It is virtually invisible when worn. We actually really adore this tiny blemish as it shows how much the original owner loved this beautiful dress. See photo 11  

Information on this piece retained from Flashbak Britain. You can read the article here:

https://flashbak.com/the-cc41-pac-man-utility-label-in-wartime-britain-20207/

MEASUREMENTS

Shoulders across topline (just above ruffle): 20”

Bust: 33” max

Waist: 26” max

Total Length: 6

Material: satiny silky rayon

Label: CC41 

Size: xs/s

This item was NOT clipped on model. 

Model is 5'9” | bust: 31” | waist: 24” | hips: 34” |