We dressed up as fascists

The visual evidence from the era reveals the ubiquitous presence of uniforms, which became another of fascism’s connotations. Uniforms were not only recurrent in official or party events, but also used in everyday life, in all its aspects. It was not a whim that urged Mussolini, after his early years as leader, to replace his starched civilian dress with military uniforms, and to wear them continuously, sending a clear message to society as a whole. Fascism used the "metaphor" of uniforms to regiment, control and forge a new society, where everyone has his or her appointed place in orderly ranks and had to collaborate for its collective development. Nevertheless, the high-sounding rhetoric of the Duce rang hollow in the homes of the wives and mothers who toiled to fabricate these uniforms.