Make do and Mend
Clothes were rationed during the war just like food, petrol and soap. Clothing rationing began on 1 June 1941. Everyone was allowed 66 clothing coupons a year, which more or less added up to one complete outfit a year.

Clothes bought from the shops were designed to use as little material as possible. On a mans suit you would have only three pockets no turn ups only three buttons and a maximum trouser length of 48 cm. On the dress for women no elastic waist bands, no fancy belts maximum heel height of 5 cm, for a night dress you would have to pay and give 6 coupons. 16 coupons for a man's overcoat, 11 coupons for a dress, 4 coupons for under pants, half a coupon for a handkerchief and 8 coupons for pyjamas.

Women were encouraged to repair and remake their family's old clothes. Old curtains were cut up to make skirts and dresses. Unwanted jumpers were unravelled and knitted into something else.

Make up and stockings were hard to come by. Some women would draw a line down the back of each leg and pretend they were wearing stockings. Others used gravy browning to dye their legs but on a hot day this drew the flies to their legs.

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/nettsch/time/wfash.html