1940s Fashion & Style

The 1940's served as a decade of glamour and femininity. The decade became defined by a feminine silhouette including shoulder pads, high-waisted looks and v-necklines. During wartime, restrictions and rationing proved difficult for women to obtain fabrics such as nylon, rayon and metal for buckles. For color palettes, the earlier half of the decade popularized khaki, browns and greens. Later in the decade, the 40's saw bold colors such as yellow, pink, blue and green on-trend. The pencil skirt also took the spotlight and came in a straight and flared hemline style.

1940s Fashion for Women

For hairstyles, women wore full pin-curls as well as victory rolls. Medium-length hairdos were popular during the decade. Women favored side parts in lieu of center parts. Short hairstyles were worn earlier in the decade but waned as it went on.

For makeup, the 1940s embraced deep red lipstick shades as well as heavy mascara on the upper eyelashes. A soft smokey eye also became popular during the decade. Jewelry for the 40’s focused on large brooches, rhinestones, pearls and pendant earrings.