As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week wraps up this week in New York City, we’re taking a look at the evolution of American Red Cross style over the last century.
From the conservative, ankle-length nursing uniforms worn during WWI, to the tailored, menswear-inspired Red Cross Club worker uniforms worn during WWII, to the sensible yet eye-catching vests worn today by disaster workers, Red Cross fashion has always balanced current styles and practicality to get the job done.
“The uniforms usually mirrored the silhouettes of the day with a certain utilitarian function to them. Fashion often borrows from military uniforms, just reinterpreted for fashion purposes. This was true of Red Cross fashion as well. Hemlines moved up and down along with the current fashions and women’s roles in society,” said Susan Watson, manager of Historical Programs and Collections at the American Red Cross.
Today, Red Cross fashion follows more of a casual style that allows workers to change at a moment’s notice and respond to emergencies. The future of Red Cross fashion will likely continue to adhere to the fact-paced, dynamic nature of the work, where situations change quickly and one must be ready for anything.