About Nancy and fashion through the decades: war and cinema.

We remind you that in honor of the upcoming birthday of Nancy Drew, we will publish short articles and interesting facts from the past of the book series during the week.

1940s

Women continued to break boundaries in the forties, especially because of World War II. With most men fighting overseas, women went to work in factories doing jobs that often required mechanical skill. Of course, Nancy had always known how important it was for a woman to know how engines work.

The war affected women's fashion, too. With the rationing of cloth, skirts and jackets got shorter. Sportswear became popular, especially with Nancy, who loved the ease of movement this style provided on sleuthing expeditions. Hair was now worn longer, looser, and curled.

The first televisions appeared late in the decade, and variety shows hosted by Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Red Skelton began to air. Movies were loaded with fraud, murder, and intrigue, as in classics such as The Postman Always Rings Twice, Notorious, and Double Indemnity. Nancy saw them all--and had the endings figured out long before the lights came up!