Like food, cloth and clothing was rationed during the Second World War from 1941. People were encouraged to mend their clothes so that factories and materials could be used for the war effort rather than for fashion.

As with food, the government issued people with coupons to buy clothes. A woman's skirt or man's trousers needed eight coupons, a man's raincoat 16 coupons, and underwear three coupons for vest or underpants. Once the coupons were used up, no other clothes could be bought officially, though friends and family might give up coupons for a special occasion such as a wedding.

This book of clothing coupons was issued to Olive Thomas of 4, The Paragon, Clifton, for 1944-5, towards the end of the war.