- [Narrator] This is Dottie Hinson.
You probably know her from the movie
"A League of Their Own."
You may remember this look,
and this look.
But are they accurate?
We got this fashion historian.
- Hi, I'm Raissa Bretana and I'm a fashion historian.
- [Narrator] To walk us through what this movie got right
and what it got mostly right about these looks.
First, let's establish the setting.
- The film opens in 1943 and tells the story
of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League,
which was formed to keep baseball in the public eye
when men were off fighting during World War II.
Many women took up jobs on the home front
that were traditionally held by men.
At one point in the film, we see a poster that says,
"Find your war job,"
which was typical messaging for the time.
- [Narrator] So, where does our story start?
- A scout discovers Dottie and her sister, Kit,
in their small hometown in Oregon
before whisking them away to Chicago for the league tryouts.
The sisters are chosen to play for the Rockford Peaches,
which was a real team based out of Rockford, Illinois.
- [Narrator] Let's get into the looks.
First up, the Rockford Peaches uniform.
- Female players were recruited
from amateur softball leagues from around the country.
The women were selected not only for their athletic ability,
but also their looks.
In the film, Marla, who is a phenomenal ball player,
almost doesn't make it to the tryouts
because she doesn't fit the desired look.
- You mean you ain't taking her 'cause she ain't pretty?
- It was of utmost importance to the league's founders
that the players be conventionally attractive,
distinctly feminine, and non-threatening.
- You can not only play ball, but you're kind of a dolly.
That's what we're looking for.
- As you might have already guessed,
the league's owners were all men.
Women's baseball uniforms were modeled after athletic attire
for other popular sports,
like tennis, figure skating, and field hockey.
These short tunics were ultimately designed
for style and appeal,
and not necessarily comfort and practicality.
- [Narrator] Let's draw this look layer by layer.
First up, undergarments.
- Throughout the 1940s,
the bra evolved to have pointier cups.
Players would've likely worn a simple cotton bra
without an underwire,
which would've been the most comfortable and easy to wash,
but not necessarily the best for wicking sweat and moisture.
The sports bra as we know it was not invented
until the mid 1970s,
a time known as the running revolution,
AKA when jogging became a popular form of exercise.
In terms of underwear in the 1940s,
panty girdles were the norm,
though panty girdles were generally constricting
and not conducive for playing sports.
Instead, the players likely would've worn
knit high-wasted briefs,
which had stretch and allowed for greater ease of movement.
- [Narrator] Next, the shorts.
- Women's baseball uniforms
were worn with a pair of coordinating satin shorts.
These were presumably worn for modesty
because they didn't exactly provide much protection
when sliding into the bases.
As a result, we see players in the film sustain injuries
to their bare thighs and legs.
This was a departure from the men's major league uniforms,
which featured knee-length trousers,
and those offered significantly more protection
on the field.
- [Narrator] And then, the tunic and belt.
- The Peaches uniform was a short-skirted flared tunic
made of wool.
This was nearly identical
to the uniform worn by the actual Rockford Peaches.
The actual uniforms for the league were designed
by the Wrigley company's art director, Otis Shepard,
in collaboration with Mrs. Wrigley and Ann Harnett,
who was the first player signed to the league.
In the film, we see Ann Harnett modeling said uniform
to a not-so-enthusiastic crowd of newly-recruited players.
A waist-defining belt in a contrasting color
ensured that the uniforms fell in line
with the fashionable silhouette of the era.
Each city had a distinctive patch on the chest
modeled after their city's seal,
as well as the official league logo on the left sleeve.
There's an obvious contrast
between the major league's uniform
and those worn by Dottie and Kit
when playing for their hometown team.
This one-piece uniform offers more protection,
and seems to be more practical and less overtly feminine.
This is because they weren't governed
by the strict rules of the league.
- [Narrator] Moving on to the socks.
- The players wore knee-high socks in a coordinating color
that matched the belt.
For the Rockford Peaches, the accent color was red.
These socks would've been made of knitted wool
and offered protection to the lower part of the leg.
One important detail we see in the film
is the layering of the stir up-style sock
over a thinner white stocking.
This is accurate and these double socks were standard
for both men and women in professional leagues.
- [Narrator] Next up, the shoes.
- Cleats were worn by both men and women
on the baseball field.
Players in the film sported brown leather shoes,
which is accurate for the time period.
Cleats were made of leather
and traditionally were black or dark brown.
Spikes or studs were attached to the soles
to provide additional traction to players
as they ran on the grass or dirt.
It wasn't until 1967 that the Kansas City A's
wore the first ever white baseball shoes.
- [Narrator] And then, the baseball cap.
- A matching baseball cap completed any ball player's look.
Stitched brims became the norm for baseball caps
in the early 20th century.
This helped the brim retain its shape
and act as a visor to shield the player's eyes
against the sun.
In the women's league,
the soft fabric crown had an elastic band at the back,
which made the caps one-size-fits-all.
Dottie plays catcher and often wears her cap backwards
to accommodate her catcher's mask.
- [Narrator] Lastly, hair and makeup.
- During spring training,
the players were required to attend charm school,
which was run by the renowned beauty industry mogul,
Helena Rubinstein.
There, they learned everything
from how to do specific hairstyles
to which shades of lipstick to wear.
They also learned about posture and etiquette.
- The hair, soften and shorten.
- Looking prim and proper was par for the course
for the All-American girl ball player.
Each player received an official
All-American Girls Baseball League beauty kit,
which included cleansing cream, astringent,
face powder, lipstick, rouge, deodorant,
hand lotion, and body hair remover.
The charm school guide provided very detailed instructions
when it came to lipstick application.
There are several moments
when we see Dottie looking understandably disheveled
on the field.
While this is reasonable for someone playing sports,
this could be considered inaccurate,
as looking unkempt likely would've resulted in suspension.
In fact, players were expected to reapply
and refresh their makeup throughout their games.
Any violation to the league's Rules of Conduct
would have resulted in a fine of $5 for the first offense,
$10 for the second,
and suspension for the third.
- [Narrator] So, here's what Dottie would've looked like
compared to what she wore in the film.
Pretty much exactly accurate.
Let's move on to the second look.
- When her husband unexpectedly returns from the war,
Dottie decides to leave the team ahead of the playoffs
in order to return home to Oregon with him.
This costume marks a pivotal moment
when Dottie has to contend with her dual identity
as a dutiful wartime wife and a celebrated baseball player.
We see her wearing a fashionable ensemble
that is a standout amongst her civilian looks.
Throughout the film, we see her wearing tasteful ensembles
that are not overly stylish for the period,
which makes sense because the league's Rules of Conduct
also governed what the players could wear off the field.
As with the other regulations,
the priority with the clothing was neatness
and feminine appeal.
- [Narrator] Let's get into the layers.
First up, undergarments
- Because she doesn't need to be particularly active
in this ensemble,
we can assume that Dottie is wearing
a standard brassiere and panty girdle.
During the 1940s,
the bra would likely be made of rayon satin
and the cups would form a moderate point.
However, the cone shape would become more extreme
towards the end of the decade and into the 1950s.
Another alternative would've been the long line bra,
which extended down to cover the ribcage.
The panty girdle was worn to shape the body
into the fashionable silhouette,
which during this period included a nipped waistline
and slender hips.
- [Narrator] Next, stockings.
- For this civilian look,
it would've made sense for Dottie to be wearing stockings.
They were the norm for everyday attire
and we actually see one of the players removing them
in the locker room before a game.
These stockings would be sheer, nude-colored,
and made of nylon.
Nylon was a synthetic fiber
prized for its strength and its sheerness.
It revolutionized the hosiery industry
and nylon stockings were wildly popular
when they became commercially available in 1940.
Still, it is totally plausible for Dottie
to not be wearing nylon stockings in 1943
because during World War II,
nylon production was diverted to the war effort,
which made stockings a lot more difficult to obtain.
- [Narrator] Now, Dottie's skirt and blouse.
- Dottie's off-the-field wardrobe
consists of interchangeable blouses and skirts.
This was in accordance
with the charm school's recommendation for simple clothes
that were easily laundered and packable for road trips.
Dottie sometimes pairs her light-colored blouses
with cardigan sweaters,
but they could also be worn alone
or underneath a suit jacket.
Due to wartime fabric restrictions,
skirts became more narrow
and hems were shortened to just below the knee.
Throughout the film,
we see the other players wearing similar ensembles.
Although it's important to note
that smoking was not allowed for women in the league.
Even though it wasn't unusual for women to wear slacks
for sporting or leisure activities,
it was strictly forbidden for them to be wearing them
at any point of the season,
which makes this look inaccurate.
- [Narrator] And then, the jacket.
- Dottie wears a taupe tailored sports jacket
with broad padded shoulders,
a defining hallmark of 1940s fashion.
Coordinating suits were standard in women's dress practices
and the league's charm school guide
recommended that players travel with a dark-colored suit
made of a material that was not easily crushed.
Tailored suits and sports jackets
were typically made of wool,
and Dottie's would likely be lightweight given the season.
- [Narrator] And now, her shoes.
- Dottie wears two-toned saddle shoes
with white bobby socks,
which would've been appropriate for casual wear
and permitted in the Rules of Conduct.
Players were, however, required to have at least one pair
of formal shoes to be worn for social functions
and dressier occasions.
If Dottie were wearing stockings with this ensemble,
it would've made sense for her to wear leather pumps
or heeled oxfords.
In fact, we see Kit wearing dress shoes
in the charm school scene.
- [Narrator] And let's not forget hair and makeup.
- Dottie has her curls arranged
in a more elaborate hairstyle than usual,
which signals a distinct shift
of her character's priorities.
Throughout the film, we see the girls using
various overnight hair curling methods,
which makes sense because they wouldn't have been able
to get their hair regularly set at a salon.
At-home hair care became more common during the war.
Some fashionable hairstyles in the 1940s
included the page boy, the pompadour, and victory rolls.
At one point,
we see Dottie with her hair covered in a scarf,
presumably because she has it set in pin curls or rollers
for the night.
Dottie's makeup is relatively understated in this scene,
but she still wears the regulation lipstick
required by the league.
Wearing nail polish may not necessarily be right
for Dottie's character,
but it was a common practice for wartime women
who wanted to retain a touch of femininity.
- [Narrator] But last and not least, the accessories.
- Dottie wears a fashionable hat that elevates her ensemble.
It has a shallow crown and slightly asymmetrical brim,
and is secured at the back with a hat pin.
Hats during this period were often worn at a tilted angle
with the brim coming down over one eye,
like we see with the yellow hat that she wears
after the final game.
- [Narrator] So, this is what Dottie wore
compared to what she would've worn.
So, overall, how did the film do?
Final thoughts?
- During World War II,
American women proved themselves to be strong,
formidable members of society.
As a result, there was a persistent tension
between aesthetics and practicality.
This movie provided a unique challenge
to the costume designer to consider a history
with so many documented rules and regulations,
while also not getting too caught up in the details
and losing sight of the story.
Ultimately, the costumes in "A League of Their Own"
aren't necessarily high fashion,
but they do perfectly illustrate the tension and pressure
that many women in the league faced.