I’m all inspired by 1940s fashion right now! I thought, to share inspiration, I’d pass on some of my top favorite 1940s movies for fashion and costume design.
In no particular order:
#1- Cover Girl(1944). Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly. Costume Design by Travis Banton, Muriel King, and Gwen Wakeling
Image source: Nancy Girl Blog- Go to the post for great screen shots of this film.
#2- Pin Up Girl (1944)- Betty Grable, Martha Raye. Costume Design by René Hubert.
Image Source: Andi B. Goode on retroaesthetics on Livejournal. Check out the link for more great screen caps.
#3- The Philadelphia Story (1940)- Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart. Gowns by Gilbert Adrian.
Image Source: Vili Flik Blog.
#4- State Fair (1945)- Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews. Costume Design: René Hubert.
Image source: Ruffles & Whiskers blog.
#5- Casablanca (1943)- Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart. Costume Design: Gowns by Orry-Kelly.
Image Source: Fashionable Forties. Check out the blog post for more great images.
#6- Now, Voyager (1942). Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains. Costume Design: Edith Head.
Image source: She’s in Vogue blog. Check out the link for more images.
#7- Ball of Fire (1941)- Barbara Stanwyk, Gary Cooper. Costume Design by Edith Head.
Image Source: Screwball Cinema Blog.
#8- The Lady Eve (1941)- Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda. Costume Design by Edith Head.
Image Source: Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule
What are your favorite 1940s films for fashion?
I haven’t seen lots of these!
Go check them out! They’re worth it
I love State Fair! It’s my favorite movie for 40s fashions.
State Fair for the win! More ruffles, more rick rack, and more color!
Ohhh! State Fair is one of my favorites! I love how bright and colorful the clothes are. Not to mention the great music and story!
The later Thin Man movies have wonderful costume too. Who is more elegant then Myrna Loy?! I love the scenes in “The Shawow of the Thin Man” where Myrna Loy is trying to keep her huge hat perched on her head while investigating the murder with William Powell.
I think a 40s playsuit is on my list for this year too. I just to to get it done before the summer is over!
Ooh! Good call! Myrna Loy always looked amazing in those films, and her hats are fab!
Thanks for this great post! I haven’t seen a lot of these, but will put them all on my list. My favorite 1940s fashion movie is Laura. I love everything Gene Tierney wears in that one. For just a glimpse, see http://jmsewingstudio.com/2012/02/04/vintage-fashion-theater-laura/
Well for everyday UK fashion I’d say ‘green for danger’ from 1946 based on a 1944 book. Great film too. And any of the ealing films like ‘passport to pimlico’ or ‘Went the day well?’.
When it comes to US 40′s fashion You never were lovelier’ & ‘blue skies’.
I’ll have to watch those! Thanks for the recommendation.
Ooh… yes on “You Were Never Lovlier”!
Wowee!!! I’m feeling the same kind of inspiration right now. You know “State Fair” is my favorite, but I definitely have “Cover Girl,” “Pin-Up Girl,” and “Now Voyager” on the list as well. “DuBarry was a Lady” with Lucille Ball has some KILLER clothes and hats. Gene Tierney’s clothes in “Leave Her to Heaven” are pretty magnificent too!!!
YES! I almost added “Du Barry was a Lady” but got lazy by about movie #7
Haha. Lucy had some amazing clothes in that one!
I love the dresses in State Fair though most of them are wildly inappropriate for me. I love Barbara’s outfits in the Lady Eve and I just plan love that movie. I am trying to impress upon my friends and family the brilliance of that film but they just don’t get it. And now I’ll be humming Drum Boogie for weeks. (:
The Lady Eve is one of the best movies EVER!
Oh you have some wonderful films on here. There used to be a Bar in Burbank called the Now Voyager – near Warner Bros studios – that Bette supposedly used to slip into the back for a cocktail, or six! I also adore Gilda (more Rita) That black dress in the “Put the Blame on Mame” number kills me. I would also like to nominate every last stitch in Moon Over Miami 1941 starring Betty Grable. Friends, she wore this white dress with butterflies all over it http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/film/moon-over-miami/w448/moon-over-miami.jpg?1299209901 (best photo I could find) I tried to make this for myself in high school and failed. Oh well. It is my holy grail.
Seriously lady: we could be twins with our favorite 40s movie picks! hehe. I think the only one I haven’t really seen in full is State Fair (I’m not much of a musicals girl… :/). But I need to because every time I see a screen capture the clothes look so cute!