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1940s
Olivier de Havilland
Remember this photo of Dita’s stunning hair that I posted a few days ago? Well I just stumbled across an image of Olivier de Havilland sporting a similar ‘do in the late 1940s, and had to share. If anyone knows how to create a look like this, please do let us know!
You probably know Olivier de Havilland as Melanie in Gone with the Wind. She was a fairly serious actress in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, and often played in period pieces. She also happens to be Joan Fontaine’s older sister. She is still alive today (she is 93 years old).
Categories: Celebrities, Hair, Vintage PhotosTagged: 1930s, 1940s, Dita Von Teese, forties, gone with the wind, Hair, hairdo, olivier de havilland, style, thirties
The Lovely Lina Romay
Lina Romay was an actress and singer in the 1940s and 50s, with Columbia and MGM. Though she was born in New York, she was daughter to the Mexican Consul to New York City and was typically cast as a Latin American beauty. She sang with Xavier Cugat’s orchestra in the early 1940s. You may have seen her singing with the band in the Fred Astaire/Rita Hayworth flick You Were Never Lovelier (1942) or in Stage Door Canteen (1943). In the clip below, she could be singing about herself…
Categories: Celebrities, Vintage Photos, Vintage Videos
Tagged: 1940s, 1950s, actress, fifties, forties, latin, lina romay, mexican, MGM, silver screen, singer, starlet, Xavier Cugat
Alexander McQueen Retrospective Part 1: Fall 2001
In tribute to Alexander McQueen, I am going to post a retrospective of past collections, from a SwingFashionista perspective. The best of Alexander McQueen for retro-loving folk. May he rest in peace. To start, my top picks from the Fall 2001 ready-to-wear show. More to come…
Tagged: 1930s, 1940s, Alexander McQueen, catwalk, fashion, forties, retrospective, show, style, thirties, tribute, vintage, wartime, wwii
Brief Encounter - Vogue February 2010
Sean Combs/Diddy has appeared in Vogue’s February 2010 issue alongside supermodel Natalia Vodianova in an editorial entitled Brief Encounter, shot by Annie Leibovitz and styled by Grace Coddington. Natalia and Diddy were outfitted by the likes of Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. Read the full article from Vogue here.
Diddy’s next studio album, due out in April, is entitled Last Train To Paris. Coincidence?


Hot Ticket
With a mood of gathering mystery—and clothes with a mid-century-movieland mystique—the romance is set for departure. Chanel tweed suit dress. Ralph Lauren Blue Label trench (on suitcase). Christian Louboutin slingbacks. On Diddy: Tom Ford coat and suit. Ermenegildo Zegna tie. Shot at New Jersey Transit Hoboken Station.

Strangers on a Train
The couple trade glances. Her look has all the hallmarks of MGM-siren glamour: pencil skirt (check!), narrow belt (check!), Lana Turner sweater (check!). Rochas silk sweater, skirt , and belt.

The Express Track
“Is this seat taken?” and “I’m traveling alone”—before the next station, an unexpected exchange of confidences. Giambattista Valli short-sleeved gray jacket and matching skirt. Hermès bag.

An Affair to Remember
Narrow corridors and incendiary screen chemistry lead speedily to first-class sleeping compartments. She’s dressed for a private party in soft-pink washed satin. Nina Ricci dress. On Diddy: Salvatore Ferragamo shirt. Louis Vuitton trousers.

Steamy
Looking absolutely like a World War II heroine—Greer Garson, say—Natalia clings to her star-crossed lover. Christian Dior pale-pink silk-crepe belted jacket with front peplum and tulip skirt. Nina Ricci leather ankle boots.

I’ll Be Seeing You
In the closing shot, she wears a trench coat - icon of tearful cinematic goodbyes since Bogie said, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” to Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. Nina Ricci cotton trench.
Tagged: 1940s, 2010, Annie Leibovitz, Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Natalia Vodianova, P Diddy, ralph lauren, Salvatore Ferragama, Tom Ford, train station, vintage inspired, vogue
Taking Fashion Inspiration from Dolls
I wasted a whole lot of time on this doll blog, so that you don’t have to! Check out these retro doll fashions, can you believe it? The downside is, you can’t buy any of these outfits… you know, unless you’re 6″ tall. I’d wear all of these outfits! If anyone out there is a wizz with a sewing machine and wants to recreate one of these for me, just let me know!!
Categories: ClothingTagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, barbie, doll, fashion, fifties, forties, retro, sixties, thirties, twenties, vintage
Shutter Island
I am not quite sure if Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island, starring Ben Kingsley and Leonardo DiCaprio, looks like a blockbuster, but the wardrobe looks promising!

Tagged: 1940s, 1950s, Ben Kingsley, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorcese, Sutter Island
1940s Men’s Fashion Snap Shots
From the Square America Snapshot Archive…
Categories: Men's Fashion, Vintage PhotosTagged: 1940s, 40s, fashion, forties, men, suits, wartime, wwii
New Zealand’s Fashion Quarterly Spring 2009
Behind the scenes photos care of Lotus Notes
Categories: In Magazines, On CatwalksTagged: 1930s, 1940s, 2009, dress, fashion quarterly, feminine, floral, forties, new zealand, retro, spring, thirties
Haworth 1940s Weekend
Harworth 1940s Weekend is an annual event in Haworth, West Yorkshire in England (that’s Bronte country). It’s held each year in springtime. Dates for the 2010 event have not been announced yet, but here are some photos from previous years, to show just how committed the town is to recreating the 1940s for this weekend. Visit www.haworth1940s.co.uk to find out more.
Categories: Events & FestivalsTagged: 1940s, forties, haworth, homefront, weekend, wwii
Vintage Costumers, Seattle
Another great reason to live in Seattle! Costume shop Vintage Costumers specialising in authentic vintage styles to hire. Here’s a sampler, I think I’ll post some more later, there’s so many great things to hire!
7011 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Monday to Friday 11am - 7pm
Saturdays & Sundays 11am - 6pm
Tagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, beaded gown, Clothing, costume, fashion, flapper, forties, hire, men, seattle, suit, thirties, twenties, women, wwii
Arthur Elgort & Grace Coddington for US Vogue October 2008
Another 1940s-esque Vogue editorial styled by Grace Coddington, that I love. Photographer Arthur Elgort for Vogue US October 2008 issue. The model is Isabeli Fontana, and the little boy is in fact her son.
Tagged: 1940s, 40s, Arthur Elgort, forties, Grace Coddington, Isabeli Fontani, vogue, wartime, wwii
Swing Kids Los Angeles
Some pics of the über cool LA swing crew, which I Facebook-swiped from Chandrae Roettig. I spy some buddies of ours, like Minn Vo, Nick Williams and Katie Anderson. Looking awesome, you guys!
Tagged: 1940s, dance, dancers, fashion, forties, katie anderson, LA, lindy hop, Los Angeles, Minn Vo, Nick Williams, scene, swing
De L’Officiel de la Mode: Archives
This is unbelievably cool. De L’Officiel magazine (think French fashion mag) has recently published their archives and now you (yes, you!) can read through the past editions starting from 1920!!! If you read French this should be even more amazing, but even if you don’t, this is still wonderful. Here is a screen shot of the archives:
Click here to go to the gallery!
Here is a quick preview of what you can see if you head on over to the archives. This is from 1927, #66:
Go, go now! Click on the link above and peruse through the archives of L’Officiel de la Mode! What cover do you like best? What era do you most enjoy? Let us know!!!
Categories: In Magazines, Vintage PhotosTagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, archives, beauty, fashion, French, L'Officiel de la Mode, magazine
2nd Annual Seattle Vintage Fashion Runway Show
Well, the 2nd Annual Seattle Vintage Fashion Runway Show and Lecture just happened on December 4th as part of the Killer Diller Weekend, and here are some snaps of the gorgeous vintage clothes, circa 1920-1950, that were on display. If you’re a swing dancer, you’ll recognize some familiar faces strutting their stuff on the runway, and some of you may also know the mastermind behind the event, Lorraine O’Neal. Photos are by Jared Luxenberg. Click on the photo to see it larger. Enjoy!
Categories: On CatwalksTagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, fashion, forties, Jared Luxenberg, Killer Diller, Lorraine O'Neal, runway, seattle, show, thirties, twenties, vintage, weekend
African American Vernacular Photography
Some gorgeous black women of the 1930s and 40s, on Omega418’s Flickr stream…
Tagged: 1930s, 1940s, african american, antique, black, forties, photography, thirties, vintage, women






















































































































































































































































