American 1940s Fashion

5. Rent DVDs. Choose movies from the 1940s and be immersed in the fashion by noting the fashion of the characters. Fashion heads at Paramount and Universal were Edith Head and Oleg Cassini.
6. 6
   Consider the fabrics. Get tweeds, wools, silk, linen, cotton, or blends of these. Keep in mind that some synthetic materials, such as nylon and rayon, had already been invented. Rayon was quite popular in women's fashions, as a substitute for silk, which the military was using for parachutes. All the same, many fabrics we have now were not in existence then but you may be able to get away with it.
7. 7
   Recognize the special features of the '40s dress that make it special in the history of fashion. The '40s dress is:
   
   
   • flattering to the female figure
   
   • classic in style
   
   • emphasizes the waist, producing an "hourglass" silhouette
   
   •Had shoulder pads in dresses, blouses, shirts and coats to make shoulders square with a military feel.

• The two piece skirt suit became very popular in the 40's.

•Skirts and dresses were A-line in shape (not pencil tight) and dropped down to the low knee. This was shorter then the 1930's and set the standard for the 50's.

• The two piece swimsuit was invented and later the Bikini in 1946.

1. 1
   Select fake fur or vintage fur. If you want to add fur to jazz up an outfit, reuse the fur that you find in thrift stores or add fake fur.
2. 2
   Select a good fragrance to finish it off well. Most classic perfumes such as Shalimar, Chanel no 5, and l'Air du Temps were already in use, and may give you more of the authentic feel.
3. 3
   Become familiar with some of the factors that influenced '40s fashions. If you are wishing to replicate the style of the '40s, you will need to be aware that there are three distinct fashion periods of '40s - the early period, the mid-period and late '40s. Each one has a distinct flair and you should select the one that interests you the most. Each is described below.