Manufacturer, retailer and consumer misbehaviour in the United States during the Second World War

Abstract

Abstract With the entry of the United States into the Second World War clothing manufacturers, retailers and consumers became concerned about the possibility of wartime regulations. Scare buying and hoarding were one response to this worry. In this article we report our analysis of advertisements, articles and editorials in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Vogue and other newspapers and periodicals. Wartime regulations related to use of materials and pricing were implemented to support the war effort. There is evidence that regulations were not always followed. Indications of wartime misbehaviours provide a nuanced picture of the United States home front, one that indicates misbehaviours on the part of consumers and some individuals and firms in the apparel and textile industry during the Second World War. The manufacturer and retailer advertisements, often ambiguous, coupled with consumer fear drove wartime consumer clothing purchases.