Though the U.S. economy was till recovering from the Great Depression of the 1930s, it was definitely on the upswing.

Between the late 1930s and early 1940s, the female mannequins were characterized as "women of the world" to the "American pert and perky doll."

With the U.S. entering World War II, American mannequins became "visions of purity," somber and concerned woman waiting for the return of her husband from the war.

During World War II, mannequins were shorter and the clothes they wore did not have a lot of trimmings.

This reflected the socio-economic forces of the time, the materials were rationed (to save on material, it was taken off the mannequin legs, hence shorted mannequins) and clothing were restricted to yardage and trimmings.

The display windows were a reflection of the times, not the beauty ideal.

"After the war, Mayorga Mannequins premiered a collection of Welcome Home Mannequins: the female and male held their hands outstretched towards each other, while a small girl looked up eagerly toward her "father." (Source: Vital Mummies: Performance Design for the Show Window Mannequin, Author: Sara K. Schneider, published by: Yale University Press)

Mary Brosnan, a mannequin manufacturer and artist (she designed mannequins with Kay Sullivan) during the 1940s carried the tradition of social realism in mannequins.

Brosnan's mannequins were modeled from specific people but broadened to represent broad social types. Mary Brosnan found regional variations in the mannequin trade. New York likes them well-bred, Miami wants them glamorous, and California demands healthy tans.

Toronto and Montreal like drama in their mannequins. They want them elegant and ladylike but a little unusual, and will accept extreme hairdos.

During the late 1940s, mannequins looked "happy and prosperous." Some of them even wore a radiant smile.

Male mannequins in particular looked relaxed, and some even had holes drilled between their lips for inserting pipes.

The war was over. It was peace time. Little did everyone know that the 1950s will bring the Korean War and the 1960s will totally change our way of life.