1940’s in fashion for women in WW2. Trends, utility dresses, seamed stockings, peplum’s, shoulder pads, and the post war New Look.
Women in World War 2 left us an iconic and beguiling style which is forever celebrated in movies, books and magazines. Rationing encouraged women to “make do and mend”. With all resources going to the war effort, Fabric shortage meant longer skirts and less revealing evening dresses. Austerity was reflected by a more austere fashion in the early 1940’s. Makeup and hairstyles however never looked better.
Browse the 1940’s fashion trends as worn by women in that troubled decade. Find inspiration for your next 1940’s style dress, victory rolls hairstyle.
Now you know the highlights, dive in to our archive of 1940’s fashion history. Find out how women in WW2 lived, worked, served in the forces and of course dressed.
A selection of Parisian women from a recently published selection of photos – taken by French photographer Andre Zucca. Though not a card carrying Nazi, he was quite happy to sell his photos taken with rare Agfacolor film, to the German magazine Signal. After the liberation of Paris he was arrested but never charged. He …
1940s Fashion – Cute day suits for sunny Autumn days. Time travelling vintage fashion columnist Carolyn Van Wycks gives us a peek at two cute day suits for early autumn 1940 style worn by actress Irish Meredith.The early 1940s fashion silhouette was well established. Pretty Iris Meredith, now appearing in Columbia’s “The Return of Wild …
Deanna Durbin, Myrna Loy reveal their Autumn outfits for 1940. Originally published in Sept 1940’s Photoplay by fashion editor Gwenn Walters. The USA’s entrance into the Second World war is still over a year away. Deanna Durbin poses in 1940s College fashions. The perfect little arbiter of good taste in feminine clothes is of course …
Leading authority on 20th Century fashion and design – Charlotte Fiell talks to Glamourdaze. Last year while browsing in the famous Blackwell’s bookstore in Oxford I was riveted to one spot and eventually one comfortable sofa (Blackwells is my kinda book shop) leafing through two thickly illustrated and sumptuous books by Charlotte Fiell and Emmanuelle …
An exclusive video showcase of the Irish Kinsale based vintage style design label. Recently Charlotte Cargin and Jane Skovgaard of Charlotte and Jane visited Ruths Pharmacy in Letterkenny in Donegal and Charlotte assumed the role of mannequin, rather spectacularly I might add, for our little vintage fashion video presented here. Charlotte’s a natural when it …
Exclusive in-depth interview with the co founders of the Irish Vintage Style Design Label – Charlotte and Jane Charlotte & Jane – Silks, Seams and Silhouettes. Every year at the London fashion week – quite a noticeable proportion of designers showing have come through the cloistered halls of Central St Martin’s ( ok – …
1940’s Department Store Fashion – Louisville. All images – Royal Photo Company Collection Deep in the heart of Louisville, Kentucky was the now long departed Kaufman Straus Department store which carried up to date women’s clothing from 1879 to 1969. By the 1930’s and 1940’s – fashion shopping was a family affair where mothers,daughters,aunts and …
The Neiman Marcus Department Store – 1940s Fashion. The photos featured here were taken between 1939 and 1945 by Life photographers Nina Leen and Alfred Eisenstaedt and curated by the online Life Photo Archive “I dreamed all my life of the perfect store for women. Then I saw Neiman Marcus, and my dream came true.” …
Winter Shoe Styles of 1942. 1- The wooden sole oxford to wear with all tailored things. Uppers are that kitten-soft crush leather that looks so smart and feels so good. Wooden soles are skillfully carved and hinged so that you can walk away easily and bend your foot naturally. The perfect oxford for holiday festivities. …
12 Steps to a 1940’s Hollywood Makeover. Paramount Studio make-up guru Eddie Senz reveals his beauty secrets to Modern Beauty Shop in 1943. An exclusive behind the scenes look at a 1940s Hollywood makeover. A step by step guide of adapting the Hollywood makeup look for a 1940’s beauty street look. Eddie Senz ” The …