1940s Fabulous
If there is one thing I love in the magical world of fashion it’s that everything old can instantly become new again. And this season, the high glamour of the 1940s has been brought back to life.
There may be plenty of times you wish to escape the past, but when it comes to high waisted skirts, elbow length gloves, shimmering evening gowns, fancy hats, sharply tailored jackets, skirt suits, rolled up jeans, loose cardigans and sexy nylons – who would possibly run in the opposite direction?
This may sound strange, but World War II is actually responsible for many of the forties’ styles we covet today. With materials like wool, silk and leather needed to make military uniforms, fabric was scarce and garments were limited to certain silhouettes and lengths. Jackets came with structured and padded shoulders, and often mimicked the boxy, v-shaped silhouettes of the military jackets. Skirts were either full of swing or pencil straight but they all had something in common – they featured a high waist and a hemline grazing over the knee.
Hourglass was the desired figure shape and belts were added whenever possible to achieve the most defined waist. To further achieve this look, shoulders weren’t the only thing padded, sometimes even hips were! The fashionable women of the forties were also able to improvise cleverly. When silk and nylon were needed for war uniforms, women would coat their legs with tan makeup and draw lines up the back of their legs to imitate seams. Hats were used as a way to express individual style and were often decorated with pieces of foil, sequins, netting, paper and string.
Sexy “screen sirens” like Lauren Bacall, Veronica Lake, and Rita Hayworth inspired women in America with their breathtaking style and grace. And, in 1942, Casablanca hit theaters and Ingrid Bergman was soon added to the list of beautiful ’40s movie stars and fashion icons. Recently, Scarlett Johansson, Katherine Heigl, and Gwen Stefani are often seen borrowing from 1940s glamour with side swept ringlets, heavy brows, matte faces and fiery red lips.
Luckily, today we can find ample supplies of wool, silk and leather to satisfy our wardrobe needs, and vivid colors have taken the place of the darker shades seen in the ’40s. You can also incorporate feminine frills like ruffles, sheer fabrics and draped sleeves into the new rendition of forties fashion. On a night out, as the temperature gets closer to freezing, pair some elbow length gloves with your shimmering sequin dress. (Look for the perfect pair of slim leather ruched gloves.)
Add some glamour to your office attire with a vintage black skirt suit. The jackets on these suits should have broader shoulders and the waist should be cinched and form fitting. To make it a truly 40s era-inspired outfit, pair the vintage skirt suit with a sheer white blouse embellished with tiny buttons down the back.
For a casual day, cozy up and watch The Philadelphia Story in a pair of comfortable jeans, rolled at the hem, a men’s style blouse layered with a loose cardigan and then cinched at the waist with a skinny belt.
And, to really look the part, sweep your hair to the side, throw in some curlers, dab a little red on those lips and smile.
