Land girls.

Straightforward and patriotic land girl Joyce, tries her best to serve her country and do her bit to help win the war.Her parents were killed in a German bombing raid, and her house and possessions were destroyed. In addition, she is worried about her husband John, who has been posted abroad.On the surface, Joyce is sunny and optimistic, but – like the war rhetoric she spouts – it's all a way of coping with the inner pain. She's genuinely the most caring of the girls as she knows the true meaning of loss.

Forceful, opinionated, and whiney, Nancy had to enlist when female conscription started, but she worked in a recruitment office in Cambridge which suited her as well as it could. Then, to her horror, there was a shortfall in women going to work on the land, so she was transferred to the WLA.Nancy hates it at first, but realises that she can't escape the war and will do her bit. She's not work shy, just perhaps the last to volunteer for a particular task.

Bea is a 17-year-old innocent who lies about her age to join the WLA, discovering a world of adventure as a result.Inquisitive and fun-loving, Bea is headstrong with a desire to change the world. Sometimes irritating due to her constant energy, Bea will happily launch campaigns for justice, albeit ill-considered ones.Bea fluctuates between being a child and a woman and struggles to navigate a course between the two states. Her older sister Annie has always looked after her and it's no different now they're both land girls.

Annie is the oldest in her family, and has always been the responsible one. She and her younger sister Bea are already living and working at Pasture Farm when Nancy and Joyce arrive. Annie is the peacemaker of the group, holding the girls together as they face the challenges of life in the Women's Land Army.

I got the chance to watch this one off series when it was on the BBC for a week long special event. The show is set against the backdrop of war-weary Forties Britain. Land Girls is set in the Hoxley Estate, as the girls balance their working lives at the run-down Pasture Farm, and the opulent Hoxley Manor. Nancy, Joyce, Bea and Annie have all joined the Women’s Land Army for very different reasons, but they all have one outright goal which is to serve their country and help win the war. The drama follows the women as they try to live out their lives in very challenging circumstances, with lots of laughter and tears along the way.

I just wanted to borrow the little introductions for each of the women from my original source (this being the ever so lovely BBC) because I do feel that through out the episodes you really get to know these women as if you lived with them, and I wanted you to know them while reading this. When I originally watched this special series, it was because my grandmother wanted to really, But I think I got more involved with the characters and plot lines than she did! If you have read the small paragraph's on each women you can see that they all come from different walks of life. Annie is the over protective sister of Bea and always looked after her until Bea lied about her age to join the land army, so now her and Annie are equal.

Many things happen to Nancy, Joyce, Bea and Annie during there time together working on the land. They loose people close to them as well as gaining a few (at times unwelcome) guests. Over all I think land girls drama does truthfully portray how life was for the women during the second world war. Though obviously for television time purposes some aspects of the women in the land army's day to day tasks were not included in part. I also feel that the actresses brought the characters to life extremely well.

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It's a long way to Tipperary, It's a long way to go.

Military uniforms comprises standardised clothing worn by members of the armed forces of a number of nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through a lot of changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely mundane. Military uniforms in the form of basic and distinctive dress are intended for identification and display. They are typically a sign of organised military forces equipped by a central authority.


Right I just wanted to show how the Military uniforms in general have changed now since the 1940's. And yes that is a picture of prince harry it's only up because of the uniform he's wearing (and because hes possible rather beautiful). I think that during the 1940's the soldiers really only had one uniform and possibly a change of socks if they were lucky. And thankfully today I'd like to think and hope that our soldiers are treated with a little more comfort.


You can see a contrast between the uniforms I would say that from what you can see if the "formal" uniform of today's army is tailored and smart. It is also in royal colours with the navy, blue's and red's. They also have a vast amount of detail within its pieces unlike that of the 1940's wartime and this uniform was very basic and the reason for this was that it was going to get dirty and that it had to be cool during the hot days then it also served the purpose of trying to trap in warmth which is the reason behind the choice of almost potato sacking fabric.


For my designs I am concentrating on the women of the war and how they brought fashion to the rations. But we can't have the blokes being left out can we? While were on the little subject of boys I was just wondering if anyone would like to see me doing any guys styles. Not on me obviously but I am not too bad at stylist guys outfit's for certain themes. So just let me know by dropping a comment or something if you fancy seeing that.

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The Land Girls.

I was lucky enough to catch this film on TV during the Christmas holidays. I was planning on renting it anyway as part of my research but somehow film4 read my mind, that clever little thing. Anyway before I go on about the story and why I watched it and everything, I just have to say I genuinely loved this film because to be quite honest I did not aspect it to be as good as it was. From watching this film it looks like there was a fair amount of scandal going on in the country side! The basic outline of the story is that three young women from very different walks of life join the women's land army during World War II and are sent to work together on a farm in Dorset and the experience circumstances that change their lives forever.


Quiet Stella (Catherine McCormack), young hairdresser Prue (Anna Friel) and Cambridge graduate Ag (Rachel Weisz) arrive on a remote farm in the glorious Dorset countryside. These three women are the 'Land Girls' all are originally from the city and have volunteered to take the place of young men who worked agriculturally on the land have gone to fight in the war. I think these women were an unlikely trio: Prue is outgoing and blunt; Ag is quiet and well reserved as well as being innocent about life at the start; while being quite and almost in a world of her own Stella is in love with Philip her fiance a dashing naval officer, who is charmingly played by Paul Bettany, who in my opinion almost all of his characters are always the quintessential English gentlemen. Though the girls obviously have strong differences they soon become close friends but in the situation they were in I think you would be friends with anyone as long as you weren't alone. The film follows their relationships with each other and the men in their lives in the face of the war. And believe me the situation with the men in all there lives gets pretty complicated. I won't tell you the whole story of the film because then there would be no reason for you to watch it! and if you feel your a little bit like me I feel you should love it! But these three individual women don't just become friends due to there situation there friendships last a life time.


Now I'm going to talk about the uniforms and clothes. Yes there were ration books, no they couldn't just pop to Primark like so many of us do now. They had to make do with what they had and if that wasn't good enough they altered it or mended the problem. I wish I had this mantra to my life more, then maybe I would be able to wear more of my existing wardrobe. When these women dressed up or had dances they really did make the best of themselves and they looked beautiful. Postbox red matte lipstick perfectly applied, their hair hidden under scarves during the day while working, ready for the rags to be removed for the evening and to have beautifully curled hair.


In fact I have to admit I do tend to walk around my house with my hair just like this, not just because its retro or anything but because its practical. It keeps my hair from falling forward and getting in the way and if I just can't face spending an hour washing and driving it the scarf hides my greasy roots from sight. You all have to agree with me the women of the land army new what they were doing with what they wore and how as well on how to fake a great stocking (gravy browning and eyeliner pencil and if you didn't have eyeliner then coal worked quite well too). For a number of my designs and drawing I have taken inspiration from their official uniforms which you can see from a snapshot out of the film above. The woman's land army also had armbands with which group they were a member of embroidered and sewn into it. ( well as far as I am aware this is what they were for) I am lucky enough that my grandmother still owns her armband and has been kind enough to lend it to me for a day or so next week so you will definitely be seeing it up on my blog.


In the next number of week I am also planning to try and do a few outfit posts inspired by the women of the second world war. From uniforms to there outfits for functions, dances and working the land. Please tell me if I've missed anything else out about the clothing from the film, or if you want to ask me any questions about the land army and I can try and answer them.

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