Abstract
In the years that followed the end of World War II, Americans turned to synthetic fibers to transform their bodies to meet the challenges of a new era: for women, the pinched waists and thrusting bustlines of Christian Dior's “New Look;” for men, the physiological demands of high-speed, high-altitude flight. The story of foundation garments and pressure suits is not simply one of government-developed “spin-off” technologies invigorating the civilian market; rather, new techniques for the manufacture of civilian apparel infused pressure suit development. Inspired by each other, the two industries revolutionized “high fashion” with a series of radical new garments as “dangerous” as they were beautiful. Considering the two as complementary technologies may illuminate both the ways in which the consumer market enriched American innovation during the twentieth century, and the resonances these two kinds of garments have as iconic representations of postwar American modernity, beauty, and power.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
