We might be a long way off drawing lines down our calves and staining our legs with gravy powder, but our bid to beat the recession has stirred awakenings in us women that had all but disappeared at the end of rationing.
With frugal fashion now considered chic and maybe even an essential part of surviving the economic downturn, there's never been a better time to revive the wartime motto of Make Do and Mend and that's exactly what we Brits are doing.
More and more women are experimenting with style on a shoestring as we begin to realise that living well and looking good needn't cost the earth.
Harking back to the good advice dished out by our mothers and grandmothers is slowly altering our status from a consumer generation to one that's thriftier and more aware of the value of money.
A mini consumer boom, fuelled by the recession, has helped to catapult the Make Do and Mend philosophy, which pretty much defined an entire generation, into our fore minds once again.
It was the introduction of clothes rationing in 1941 that led the Ministry of Information to publish the Make Do and Mend 'bible' to help families cope with the shortages and, originally printed in 1943, the booklet was reprinted by the Imperial War Museum in 2007, selling more than 5,500 copies.
Sixty-five years on, John Lewis has released a limited number of a modern day version - put together with the help of some 28,000 partners, including its shop floor, call centre and office staff, as well as its many retirees.
So for canny couture, ultimate upholstery and savvy sewing, check out www.johnlewis.com and buy the book.
