While doing research for another blog post, I found some very interesting news stories on the CBC Archives on what life was like for Canadian Women after WW2. Here is a sampling of what they talked about…
Nylons Return Post-War: “The Battle of the Nylons”
About the Battle of the Nylons:
Nov 2024 update-The story on CBC archives is now gone. Sorry! I will look for something else to share here.
The battle of the nylons was fought this week and, luckily, there were no casualties. Women started lining up early in the morning outside clothing stores across the city as nylon hosiery came back on sale for the first time since 1939. As we hear in this brief radio clip (below), one merchant took no chances, erecting barricades in case of a riot. The sale went off, however, without a snag.
Air Canada (TCA at the time) flight attendants rejoice! In 1946, the post-World War II uniform reintroduced nylons. During the war, the material used to make nylons was reserved for military purposes, making the fashionable item impossible to find (Source).
Here are some images of similar “battles” that happened in the United States.
A crowd of 10,000 in San Francisco await their Nylons.
“Feminine Curves are Back, Post War”
Forget the glamour gals — it’s cute-as-a-button Suzy from next door who’s turning the heads of ex-soldiers.
Take a listen to learn all about how men after war are looking for a curvy shaped gal (Nov 2024 update: Seems that CBC Archives has deleted all this content)
1940s Vintage Photo: “The Regular Gals” Celebrating VE Day on Bay Street in Toronto.
Further Reading: Canada Celebrates V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) May 8th, 1945: The Vintage Photos
And… “Working Women After the War”
Should women get the same wages as men? That’s the question tackled in this excerpt from a spirited radio debate about “the fairer sex” in the workplace.
A female Teamster wonders why women were applauded for keeping factories running during the war and then handed substandard pay in peacetime. A male corporate lawyer allows that there are some jobs where women excel – tedious tasks, for example. A female executive says employers may have a point because it costs more to employ women. For example, their uniforms need to be “fussier”, company washrooms need to be “brushed up” and women take rest breaks while their male colleagues continue to toil.
Take a listen…. (Nov 2024-Another clip removed by CBC)
So friends, what did you think of these little snippets of postwar Canadian life (Share in the comments section below)?
Thanks for stopping by!
FURTHER READING:
- World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts
- Women’s History Blog Posts (Vintage Archived Blog Posts)
Liz