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.
1940’s Swimwear The principle design factor of was to be figure flattering – often incorporating the new stretch fabrics to offer tummy support and hourglass shape to a womans figure.This marked a major departure in the history of vintage swimwear In 1946, the shocking introduction of the bikini threw the swimsuit fashion world into a …
1940s Swimsuits – Color Film Vintage swimsuits in the 1940’s and 1950’s had far a greater variety of swimwear fabrics, like lined cotton, stretch latex and nylon. The new bathing suit of that period was tailored to flatter a woman’s figure with tummy control panels,support cups for the bust and boning to create an …
1940’s makeup Tutorial – Face contouring / Lipstick and Hairstyles. The classic Vintage Makeup Guide to the 1940’s from Miss Ratherly Stern. Transcribed with illustrations.!! The ideal facial contour is supposed to be the oval. But some of us have round faces,square faces or long faces. What can we do to make our faces appear …
1940’s fashion – Keeping Well DressedAnother vintage film clip of 1940’s Fashion instruction.How to be well dressed on a tight budget!Some of Miss Ratherly Sterns advice for the 1940’s dresser1.A sagging hem or a gaping seam is a sure way to kill glamour !2.It’s not the size of the wardrobe that counts -it’s the shape …
A Brief Peek 1940’s War Hairstyles – Now see the lavishly illustrated concise history of 1940s womens fashion and style !! As women took to the factory and to the plough and tractor during the war years – hairstyles – by necessity were tied up in scarves or Turbans, cut to shorter lengths or pinned up …
Hedy Lamarr – originally from Austria – was once dubbed the most beautiful woman on film. She exhibited a style that was both unique and also expressed the fashions of the time better than most of her fellow actresses. Not only a talented and glamourous star – she was also an inventor.She co patented a …
Now read a Complete History of 1940’s Makeup – including galleries galore of beautiful imagery. The defined style for makeup in the 1940’s was glamour ! A full luscious red mouth and more prominent eyebrows, getting away from the pencil thin look of the 1930’s.Eye makeup was kept to the minimum with very little shadow. …
This vintage fashion film from the 1940s explores the ‘ scientific research ‘ conducted to improve the look of bespectacled women. Oddly informative.
Women’s Dress Codes up to Christian Dior’s New Look – Follow up to Women’s Dress Code of the 1940’s – the War Years. Now read the full Concise Illustrated History of 1940’s Women’s Fashion – 1940 to 1949. Click on the image below. If you are looking to quickly and easily recreate the 1940’s look for …
A feast of archive vintage fashion clips from the 1920’s to the 1950’s showing the finest in lingerie design. With music by the Olympic Dance Orchestra from 1927.This is the first of several films which will showcase the diversity of womens fashion from the halcyon days of glamour.