RATIONING OF CLOTHES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23379, 12 July 1941, Page 10

RATIONING OF CLOTHES

CIVILIANS’ “BATTLE DRESS” QUALITY REPLACES FASHION (F.0.0.C.) LONDON, June 4. • Clothes rationing in England will have the effect of putting aU. civilians into battle dress-clothes that will be bought for their wearing qualities rather than their cut or style. Its introduction took the country by surprise; although a last miAUte rush of: buying indicated that the secret was beginning to leak. H has caused more comment than food rationing, which was universally anticipated and introduced gradually. . Generally speaking, women will be more directly affected than men for the simple reason that women have always thought more about their clothes and their fashions, which have changed constantly. Again millions of men throughout the country are now wearing one or other of the forces’ uniforms and many more will do so as the war proceeds. Special ration books are to be issued for clothing within a month or two. and each person will be allowed 66 coupons a year. The official list of coupons to be surrendered for the various types of clothing has been announced as follows: For men and boys: unlined mackintosh or cape, 9 coupons for a man, 7 for a boy; overcoats and raincoats, 16 (11); coat, jacket, blazer and like, 13 (8); waistcoat, pull-over, cardigan, jersey, 5 (3); trousers (other than fustian or corduroy), breeches, kilt, 8 (6); fustian or corduroy trousers, 5 (5); shorts, 5 (3); overalls, dungarees and like, 6 (4); dressinggowns, bathing-gowns, 8 (6); nightshirt, pair of pyjamas,.B (6); shirt or combinations —woollen, 8 (6); do., other material. 5 (4); other undergarments, athletic vest, bathing costume, child’s blouse, 4 (2); pair of socks or stockings, bathing trunks, 3 (1); collar, tie, pair of cuffs, 1 (1), two handkerchiefs, knee-caps, ankle supports, 1 (1); scarf, pair of gloves or mittens, 2 (2); pair of slippers, goloshes, 4 (2); pair of boots, shoes. 7 (3); pair of leggings, gaiters, spats, 3 (2). • . , , For women and girls: unlined mackintosh or cape, 9 (7); other raincoats, coats (over 28in in length), and like, 14 (11); jacket, blazer, short coat, 11 (8); dress, gown, frock, and like—if woollen, 11 (8); do., other material, 7 (5); gym. tunic, girl’s skirt with bodice, 8 (6);, blouse, sports shirt, jumper, bed-jacket, 5 (3); skirt, divided skirt, 7 (5); slacks, 8 (8); shorts, 5 (3); furs, ties, and like, 5 (5); overalls, dungarees and like, 6 (4); apron, pinafore, 3 (2); dressing-gown, bathing-gown, 8 (6); pyjamas, 8 (6); night-dress, 6 (51; petticoat, slip, combinations, cami-knickers. 4 (3); other undergarments, 3 (2); pair of stockings, 2 (1); pair of socks (ankle length). 1 (1); collar, tie, pair of cuffs, 1 (1); two handkerchiefs, 1 (1); scarf, pair of gloves, mittens, muff, 2 (2); pair of goloshes, 4 (2); pair of slippers, boots, shoes (including overshoes), 5 (3); pair of leggings, gaiters, 3. (2). At the most a woman will be able to buy no more than six dresses a year, and to do this she would have to forego all other items of clothes or shoes. A man can buy two suits, one shirt, five collars, and a neck-tie. If he wants boots, socks, and underwear, he will have to forego one of his suits and use the coupons for these other articles. A woman can buy two dresses, one woollen, one silk (18 coupons), a skirt and a jumper (12 coupons), a pair of pyjamas (8 coupons), and have 28 coupons left for a year’s underclothes, stockings, and shoes. Coupons will be required for fur coats, the same as ordinary coats. Trafficking in coupons is forbidden. It will be illegal to buy or sell them, although a wife using her husband's book can shop for. him. Purchasers will not be confined to any one retailer, and the coupons may be used at any shop. , , , No coupons will be needed for infants’ sizes of clothes—approximately up to the fourth birthday, but babies will need a certain number of coupons for knitting wool and footwear, and these will be obtainable in the new clothing cards. . Children’s sizes of garments, similar to thoe exempt from the purchase tax, can be purchased, with the reduced number of coupons shown in the list. - For children who are too bie to wear these sizes extra coupons will be issued with the new cards. When buying cloth for dressmaking or other purposes the number of coupons required will depend on the width of the cloth and the nature of the material. For example, one yard of woollen cloth 36in wide would require three coupons, and one yard of cotton cloth 36in wide two coupons. Where the scale shows a fraction of a coupon the purchase should j be rounded up to the nearest whole coupon. ''