For dudes, an important element of their culture has always been bright and even “flashy” clothing. Finding the right thing was sometimes difficult. But all the same, dudes carefully selected their wardrobe, creating it literally from improvised means.
In the forties, soldiers began to bring military trophies from European countries, among which there were a lot of clothes that had already gone out of fashion in the West. She served as the basis for the image of dudes of those years.
Dangerous, but universally used was the appeal to farmers, or to foreigners who gladly exchanged clothes for dudes for Russian souvenirs. If the staff member (so called dudes) knew the right people, he did not have problems with the wardrobe.
Since the USSR at that time established contact with many states, the dudes had their own countries - suppliers of clothes. Bright Hawaiian shirts were brought from Cuba. And the famous ties with painted dragons and monkeys were goods from China.
Dandies, these fans of everything motley, bright and even abstract, not finding the right things in the shops, themselves sat down at the sewing machine. Such clothes were called "self-made". Wide trousers, baggy jackets, puffy skirts, or dresses emphasizing the girl's figure came out from under the hands of the craftsmen.
The material for clothes was varied. For example, trousers were sewn from tent tarpaulins. Women's dresses could simply be shortened or sutured so that they completely fit the body.
After the films “Girl of My Dreams” and “Serenade of the Sun Valley” were shown in the Soviet Union, dudes began to wear deer sweaters. And there was nothing easier than knitting such a sweater on your own.
With shoes, everything was more complicated. If several types of material were present in the boots, for example, suede and leather, this was considered good taste. A light rubber sole of great thickness is the dream of every dude. But such shoes were not affordable for everyone, and staff members found a way out: they glued polystyrene or rubber to ordinary boots.
Arrow stockings were expensive at the time. And since they were included in the mandatory set for the image of a woman - dudes, the ladies twisted as best they could. And they drew arrows with a pencil right on the legs.
Things were simpler with clothes such as white socks. Girls purchased them in Soviet stores. Fortunately, they could still be found in the assortment of those times.
All kinds of accessories that complement the image of dudes, got at flea markets or from foreign guests. Some ladies, having looked in fashion magazines, made brooches, bows, and bracelets with their own hands.
So the Soviet dudes solved the wardrobe problem. Any bright thing was immediately noticed on the counter and bought. And if it was not possible to purchase a finished outfit, they created it themselves.
- Great USSR
- Elegant Lady
- Women's magazine
