Fashion Photos from the 1940s That Continue to Inspire Today
From screen siren Ingrid Bergman to designer Claire McCardell, these are the women who influenced style in the wartime decade.
The 1940s was marked by one defining event: World War II. From 1939 to 1945, the entire globe was on high alert. There was social, political, and economic unrest. Men were being shipped off to the front lines, trade was at a standstill, and industries began to suffer. As a result, fabric was rationed, silhouettes became more streamlined (read: masculine), and American fashion began to grow legs. With France being occupied by Germany, the major couture houses shuttered, allowing designers like Claire McCardell and Bonnie Cashin to make names for themselves.
Of course, European names like Elsa Schiaparelli and Jeanne Lanvin were still around, but their fanciful aesthetic seemed out of place during wartime. Thus, the concept of American sportswear (no-fuss separates meant for active lifestyles) was born, and so was the bikini. There to promote the trends were screen sirens, including Ingrid Bergman, Rita Hayworth, and Lena Horne. Indeed, the ’40s may not have been the dreamiest decade in the annals of fashion, but it was pivotal in forming what the industry is today.
1940s
Ingrid Bergman poses for a publicity shot wearing a blouse and jacket.
1946
Sabine and Janet Stevenson model Claire McCardell swimsuits on the Gaspé Peninsula of Canada.
1946
One model wears a sheer white Molyneux dress, while another reclines in the shadows in a black Lanvin gown.
1940s
Lena Horne sings on a stage set of stairs, wearing a floor-length column gown.
1940
Barbara Stanwyck wears a white mink ribbed jacket with linebacker shoulders over a lace skirt.
1944
Coco Chanel poses for a portrait wearing a ruffled collar and bow in her hair.
1940
Rita Hayworth lies in the grass wearing a white bikini.
1943
Billie Holiday poses for a studio portrait in a long-sleeved sequin dress, accessorized with a long strand of pearls and flowers in her hair.
1940s
Claudette Colbert chats with actor Paul Muni while wearing a midi skirt and matching jacket, accessorized with a fedora and pumps.
1948
Model Barbara Lawrence wears Bonnie Cashin's "Eskimo Pants" in navy blue and white polka-dotted silk.
1940s
Joan Crawford poses in an A-line dress with pronounced shoulders and bell sleeves.
1947
A model wears Elsa Schiaparelli's dressmaker suit in Paris.
1940s
Bette Davis wears a fur jacket and matching hat in the film Dark Victory.
1940s
Models walk in a show about British fashion for American women.
1946
Rita Hayworth in the film Gilda wearing a black satin gown and opera gloves.
1943
Judith Evelyn wears an off-white gabardine suit, casually cut, with simple lines for both the skirt and belted jacket. Her shoes match the brown leather buttons on the suit pocket, and she wears a liberty scarf as an ascot.
1940
A model poses on a beach in a white halter-neck bathing suit and a large straw hat.
1940s
Lena Horne wears a tailored jacket over a sleek button-down.
Rita Hayworth poses beside an automobile in high-waisted trousers and a rolled-up shirt.
Hedy Lamarr gives the V-for-Victory sign while selling war bonds in Newark, New Jersey, wearing a dress with boxy shoulders that is nipped at the waist.
Barry Samaha is the former style commerce editor at Esquire, where he covered all things fashion and grooming. Previously, he was an editor at Harper’s Bazaar, Surface, and WWD, along with overseeing editorial content at Tod’s Group. He has also written for The Daily Beast, Coveteur, Departures, Paper, Bustle Group, Forbes, and many more. He is based in New York City and can't seem to find enough closet space for all his shoes.
