1940's Fashion - A womans guide to Posture

Learn how to be glamourous, 1940's style with correct posture

Its interesting to remember that Pilates, now a hugely popular guide to posture was developed in the 1940's and named after Joseph Pilates.
Women of the 1940's simply had to master correct posture. There was no option.
Corset makers like Spencer did their bit to help, but there is no better alternative than simply learning how to stand, walk, and sit like a lady.

On our Youtube channel, Miss Ratherly Stern pops back in her time machine from the 1940's  with her advice on good posture.



Her finishing school for girls is a good example of what was considered important for women then. As antiquated as it appears, it's always worth grabbing the useful advice that was dished out to young women in the 1940's, as they still apply when it comes to being glamourous.

Also do visit Gerties new Blog for better Sewing, for her take on this subject

Street Fashion in small town America

The street fashion and hairstyles of everyday women in the 1930's from a unique film by Ivan Besse shot in the small South Dakota town of Britton in 1938
The Wall Street Crash had a huge impact on womens fashion in the 1930's.
Lots of women took up sewing and the Womens Institute became famous for it's sewing manuals and in particular those of the famous Mary Brooks Picken.
Everyone had a Singer sewing machine in their house as thrift was the name of the game. This film shows typical late 1930's fashion and hairstyles of normal everyday women. Hollywood fashion now had a huge influence. All the latest designs were draped over the female stars of the day like Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Myrna Loy It's interesting to see the extensive wearing of furs, capes, coats, stoles, and wraps of all kinds.
Hats had to be worn at a jaunty angle ! The famous Cloche was replaced by the Beret, Pill Box and
the newer brimmed hats, and the turban .Hangbags were of the beaded or mesh variety and personalised clutches were hugely popular with women. 1930's shoes were pumps, flats and ankle strap.
Dresses were made from easy washable fabric and synthetics were becoming more and more prevalent.



copyright glamourdaze 2010

Victorian Women - One Amazing Photo of two great female artists

Margaret and Francis Macdonald - Fashion and Art icons !

 Photo of Margaret and Francis taken by Charles Mackintosh 1894

These two remarkable sisters were highly regarded artists of their day and were the bright young things of their time ! Margaret was married to the famous Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a member of the Glasgow ' Immortals' in the late 19th century, and her decorative style of artwork along with her sisters Francis influenced Mackintosh and also one other particular artist called Gustav Klimt. It could be argued that they helped pave the way for the later Art Deco styles. But it was a mans world then, and their names are mere footnotes in the history of Art. The Sleeping Princess [ below] was published in the famous Redbook in 1895. It has Klimts style all over it, except that Klimt had not painted anything in this style yet.

Margaret was described as a woman who was totally original in looks and style. She had no poses, great masses of coppery burnished hair, above a broad brow and quiet eyes. Francis went on to marry Herbert McNair, another of the Immortals, and subsequently her work was overshadowed by her husbands. Shockingly after Francis died, McNair burned all of her work, so very little survives of her. On the other hand Charles Mactintosh remained a true devotee of his wife Margaret and cited her as a major influence on his life and work. They were both cremated, so there are no graves to visit.
Sources - Part Seen- Part Imagined - by Timothy Neat

1940's Fashion - A young womans wardrobe plan 1947

A typical yearly clothing plan for a 19 year old San Francisco woman in 1947 for 1940's dress, hats, underwear, shoes, stockings, gloves,handbags etc. The chief fabric is the new Rayon !

See also:
1940's Fashion Wardobe Plan - How to dress Accurately
1940's fashion in the War Years
1940's Fashion after the War

Other great posts on other aspects of a 1940's woman.
A 1940's Housewifes Daily Routine
1940s' Makeup Guide
Vintage MakeupTutorial Film

 And the definitive guide [ instant download ] for 1940's Makeup styles.

So now, on to our typical 1940s woman's clothing plan ,It's an interesting insight not only into the normal clothes a fashionable young woman of moderate means would wear in the post world war two years, but of the actual cost !
Even with the limited budget, a 1940's woman still managed to be glamorous

Hats and Coats

2 Felt hats
1 Straw hat
1 Winter coat
1 Summer coat

 Dresses

1 Evening Dress - rayon
2 Afternoon dresses - rayon
2 Street dresses - wool
2 street dresses- rayon
2 house dresses - cotton

Paris Evening Dress - 1946 [ not made from Rayon of course ! ] Many women of a sewing disposition would attempt to copy these with patterns,

Typical Street Dresses from 1947

Underwear

2 Slips - rayon
2 Girdles
3 Brassieres
3 Panties - rayon

1940's Shoes

2 Pairs of Street shoes - Oxfords
1 Pair of Dress shoes

Henry Fonda started out his film career as a shoe fitter to Barbara Stanwyk !

1 Bathrobe - cotton
3 Pajamas - cotton
3 Pair of Stockings - rayon
1 Pair of Slippers - leather
1 Pair of Galoshes
2 Set of Gloves - leather
1 Handbag

Total purchase cost annually - $ 112.00
Annual maintenance costs

Cleaning and pressing - $ 2.20 total
Heels - 5 replacements at $ 1.35 total
Toe Tips - 5 replacements at $ 1.70
Half soles and heels - 1 replacement $1.37

Clothing budgets is not a term that modern women in the developed west tend to think about these days, but back in the frugal post depression and war years, it was a necessity. These budgets for women were usually published in magazines by budgeting experts and were for anything from one year up to three years.That's all !
Original source material - Clothes for Girls -1927 by Elizabeth Todd
copyright glamourdaze 2010

The 1940s Make-up & Beauty Guide

See also 1940's Fashion - Womens Dress code in the War Years

1950's Fashion - Vintage Beauty Guide - Haircare

1950's Beauty & Hair Guide

Joan Holloway - Mad Men

Step 4 - Hair Care

We probably spend most of our attention on our hair.

Our hair needs careful attention !
Like caring for the skin, proper care of the hair
requires some understanding of its structure and function.

A healthy scalp has plenty of oil to which
dirt will cling, so wash your hair frequently.

Your hair should be washed once every two weeks,
or more often if necessary, with water and a mild soap.
Rinse your hair thoroughly.

A few drops of lemon juice or vinegar during the second
rinse, removes any remaining soap residue.

The final rinse however should be in fresh water.

If your hair squeaks after final rinsing, you know it's clean.

Most girls follow washing, by doing up their hair in pins
or curling rods.

This is a good time, since damp hair is more elastic than
dry hair, and you'll find it easier to manage.

Permanent waving, if skillfully done, will not damage your hair.

However, the use of strong dye or bleaches, is very likely
to make the hair brittle.
Brittle hair in turn is likely to break off in larger quantities
than you care to lose.

For normal daily haircare, your hair should be methodically
combed and brushed.

Careful brushing, not only gets rid of dirt clinging to scales,
but increases the lustre of your hair, by spreading out its oil.

A small amount of hair always comes out during a brushing.
This is normal.
Natural hair beauty is possible, if you take care of your hair,
and make the most of what nature has given you.

See more great posts by Glamourdaze on 1950's Fashion.
Copyright - Glamourdaze 2010

1950's Make-up and Beauty Guides - Download instantly.

1950's Fashion - Vintage Beauty Guide - Hair Removal & Nail Polish

1950's Beauty Guide

Joan Holloway - Mad Men

Step 3 - Hair removal and Nail Polish

The removal of hair, is sometimes a problem.
You can take care of single hairs with a pair of tweezers.

But for leg and underarm hair, your best bet is a safety razor.

Don't worry that shaving your legs will make it
grow back faster or denser. That isn't true.

But it is true that chemical hair removers have been
found harmful to the skin in some cases.

Nail polish is harmless, but you should remove it
for short periods in order to prevent cracking
of the fingernail!

See other great Glamourdaze posts on 1950's fashion.
copyright -Glamourdaze 2010.

1950's Make-up and Beauty Guides - Download Instantly.

1950's Fashion - Vintage Beauty Guide - Skincare 2

1950's Beauty Guide

Joan Holloway - Mad Men

Step 2 - Daily Skincare


It goes without saying, that only clean
lingerie should go next to that clean skin!

While it may not be necessary for all of you,
some girls use a lubricating cream or lotion to
prevent skin roughing or chaffing.

Expensive creams or powders however aren't
necessary.

A healthy and beautiful skin can be kept attractive
with only a few simple preparations.



See more great Glamourdaze posts on 1950's Fashion.
Copyright Glamourdaze 2010.

 1950's Make-up and Beauty Guides - Download now !

1950's Fashion - Vintage Beauty Guide - Skincare 1

1950's Beauty Guide

Joan Holloway - Mad Men

Step 1 - Skincare

In addition to soap and water, there are other
good aids for cleaning your skin.
One of these is cleansing cream !

Many girls find this helpful in removing cosmetics.
However, nothing can take the place of your
daily bath or shower !

This is the time to give your skin a good
invigorating workout.
Your bath or shower should end with a brisk rinsing!
This is really the best part of the shower, it
stimulates the skin and wakes it up all over !



Have a look at other great posts about 1950's Fashion.
copyright 2010 -glamourdaze

Download Instantly - 1950's Beauty Guides