One of my favorite forms of visual wartime propaganda are printed textiles. We are all familiar with posters of saluting soldiers and the rays of a rising sun in the background, but printed cloth was a much more subtle form of propaganda, one which could be transformed into everyday garments. The library has some great books available with many examples, like this silk scarf from
Wearing propaganda: textiles on the home front in Japan, Britain, and the United States, 1931-1945
And this repeat print on cotton, which would have been used as yardage for garments from Soviet textiles: designing the modern utopia
Printed clothing is a powerful way to express your identity, weather it’s your favorite band or affirming your school pride. Much like the printed cloth mentioned above, your school sweatpants are not only a way of advertising the institution, but also reaffirming a belief in a brighter future. Just like this lady sporting her McGill gear.
