1940s Inspired Outfit

This outfit was inspired by the September 1944 cover of Seventeen magazine (see the previous post for a picture). I am also including hair & makeup so you can get the complete look!

Shop the Look:

–Top: Aeropostale, $23.16 (Color: Blue)

–Another Top Option (Not pictured): Aeropostale, $23.35 (Color: 455 / Blue)

–Cami: Emmalise, $8.97 (Color: Denim Blue)

–Skirt: Urban CoCo, $23.86 (Color: Navy Blue)

–Shoes: WFL, $18.99 (Color: Brown)

–Handbag: Alyssa, $23.95 (Color: Red/Black)

Beauty:

For a 1940s makeup look, start with a cream foundation. Cream foundation was predominantly used in this period, most famously being the Max Factor Pan Cake Makeup. I use CoverGirl because it matches my skin tone best. If you are super fair like me, I would definitely recommend it.

–Foundation: Covergirl, $13.99 (Color: Ivory)

To set your foundation and make sure that it blends properly, use a loose powder on top. I use the classic Coty Airspun Loose Powder and cannot recommend it enough. It’s sheer enough to look natural, keeps me matte all day, and has very minimal transfer, even when I’m wearing a face mask.

–Face Powder: Coty Airspun, $5.72 (Color: Translucent ; Size: 2.3 Ounce (Pack of 1))

The next step should be to apply rouge or blush. You can also do this before your powder for a more subtle look that gradually unveils itself as the day goes on. This is my preferred method so that the cream blends evenly and is then mattified by the powder. Women used cream blush in the 1940s, typically in bright shades of red or orange. The shade listed below is the one that I use. It goes on much more subtly than it looks it the container.

–Blush: Revlon, $11.49 (Color: Coral Reef)

Now you’re ready to apply your mascara. Mascara was a relatively new invention at this point and usually came in cake form, which was a dry powder that you could spit in to mix up and then apply with a brush. I don’t like to use cake mascara, though, because it takes longer and is trickier to do. I’m suggesting what I use, which is just a normal black mascara.

–Mascara: L’Oreal Paris, $11.79 (Color: Waterproof Blackest Black ; Configuration: 1 Count)

Perhaps the most important step of a 1940s beauty look is the lipstick. Almost all women wore lipstick, even if it was the only makeup you applied. Lipsticks at this time were typically matte and came in metal containers. The product listed below is what I’m wearing here.

–Lipstick: Maybelline New York, $5.48 (Color: 382 RED FOR ME)

Nail polish typically matched the lipstick at this period in time. In fact, it was sold in matching shades with lipstick. I, however, prefer a bit darker shade for my nails than my lips.

–Nail Polish: OPI, $10.79 (Color: In the Cable Car-Pool Lane)

Perfume adds a nice finishing touch to your look. Yardley is one of the oldest perfumers around and still makes many of the same scents that would have been available in the 1940s.

–Perfume: Yardley, $17.45 (Scent: English Rose)

For your hair, to be authentic you would set your hair in pin curls or rollers overnight and unfurl them in the morning for a perfectly set style. I am uncomfortable sleeping in rollers most of the time, so I instead opt to curl my hair with heat in the morning. To achieve this look, I use a straightening iron with a curved barrel. I take 1-inch sections of hair, place the straightener near my roots, and wrap the hair up and around the top barrel of the straightener. With the hair wrapped around the straightener, simply pull the straightener down your hair towards the ends slowly. This creates a beautiful, bouncy curl, much like wrapping a ribbon around scissors to curl it. It’s my preferred method of curling because it’s fast and keeps the hot tool moving through your hair, which is healthier than having a curling iron sit in one place to curl the hair. After I’ve curled all the sections of hair, I used a wide tooth comb to break up the curls and make them look more natural.

–Straightener: Bekind, $38.99 (Color: Living Coral) – This is what I use!

–Comb: Conair, $4.80

Let me know if you like this type of post and if I should do more of them.

Vintage Magazines – The 1940s

My vintage magazine collection just keeps growing! I recently acquired the September 1944 issue of Seventeen magazine (pictured above as the main photo). Magazines are such time capsules. They capture the feelings and trends of the time. In honor of that sentiment, here are some vintage magazines from the 1940s. They all feature great ideas for fashion, even if they aren’t exclusively fashion magazines.

Shop the Look:

–Magazine 1: Amazon, $12.12 (Life Magazine, November 20, 1944)

–Magazine 2: Ebay, $40.00 (Seventeen Magazine, September 1945)

–Magazine 3: Amazon, $20.99 (Life Magazine, September 11, 1944)

–Magazine 4: Amazon, $30.00 (McCall’s Magazine, September 1944)

1960s Inspired Outfit – Sabrina Spellman

This outfit is inspired by the character Sabrina Spellman, played by Kiernan Shipka, from the show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Here’s how to get the look!

Shop the Look:

Coat (Color: Red) ; Also available here

Top (Color: Blue) ; Cami (Color: Ideal Black) ; Skirt (Color: Ribbon Red) ;

Tights (Color: Black) ; Shoes (Color: Burgundy or Watermelon) ;

Handbag (Color: Red) ; Headband (Color: Black) ; Or go for a simpler version ;

Necklace (Color: Gold) ; Or get a replica of Sabrina’s from the show

Face Wash – Kiernan Shipka uses this brand!

Moisturizer – This is the exact moisturizer the makeup artist on the show uses.

Pocahontas Inspired Vintage Outfit

I really love all things Disney, especially the old animated films. I’ve decided to start incorporating a little bit into outfits. This is the result. This one features elements of Pocahontas, leaning heavily into the 1960s with sneakers and a pinafore dress.

Shop the Look:

Overall Dress (Color: Khaki) ; Another Option: Amazon, $18.99 (Color: Brown) ;

Top (Color: Yellow) ; Shoes (Color: Green) ; Also available here for $15.98 ;

Handbag (Color: Grey) ; Necklace 1 (Color: Blue) ;

Necklace 2 (Color: Gold-Tone/Emerald Green/Crystal) ; Lanyard (Color: Multi)

1950s Inspired Outfit

Pops of blue and green take this outfit to a new level. I own the shoes pictured, and I can attest that they are well worth the purchase. They’re super comfortable, even after an entire work day of wear, and very sturdy. I highly recommend Chase and Chloe for vintage-inspired shoes.

Shop the Look:

Earrings (Color: Blue Leaves) ; Dress (Color: Black(velvet)) ;

Shoes (Color: Black Pu) ; Handbag (Color: Mint Green)

Don’t forget to wear a face mask to protect yourself and others from Covid-19. This is a small, simple act that has been proven to be effective in slowing the spread of a potentially fatal virus.

1950s Inspired Outfit

Red tights take center stage in this look. Wiggle dresses (aka bodycon dresses) became fashionable in the ’50s, and the one featured here is a real winner. This outfit can be worn in practically any season so it’s perfect to have on hand.

Shop the Look:

Tights (Color: Red) ; Shoes (Color: Black) ; Dress (Color: Black-387) ;

Handbag (Color: 5-Pebbled Black Pouch Set)

Make sure to protect yourself and others with a face mask when you venture out in public. They’re not the most comfortable or fashionable items to wear, but it’s the best & easiest way to slow the spread of Covid-19.

1950s Inspired Outfit

Sweet and wild! Taking center stage in this ensemble is this adorable knit beret. Keeping cozy with a more modern pullover keeps the outfit from screaming costume. Nothing is over $45!

Shop the Look:

Hat (Color: Grey) ; Also available here ; Top (Color: Hd#pink) ;

Capris (Color: Black) ; Shoes (Color: Black Pu)

1950s Does 1920s Outfit

The obsession with fashions of decades gone by is by no means a recent one. In fact, many early films were period dramas with costumes to match their settings. Singin’ in the Rain, one of the most iconic musicals of all time, is set in the 1920s during the transition period from silent films to “talkies.” As such, there are some interesting takes on what fashion in the ’20s was like from the perspective of the ’50s.

Enter Cyd Charisse, whose famous legs do work in the “Broadway Melody” sequence alongside Gene Kelly. Her costume for this segment, a bedazzled green flapper dress and satin green pumps, has become what we now think of when we picture flappers. In fact, flapper costumes of today are still largely based on her look. However, the Gatsby-esque flapper look was not a common fashion statement and was just that, a costume.

Cyd’s beautiful and vibrant outfit is still iconic and worth recreating. Here I have given you two versions. Version 1 is true to her costume and best left for parties or dressing up. Version 2 is a more casual look that you could wear to work or out & about without raising too many eyebrows. Here’s how you can get the look!

Shop the Look:

Dress 1 (Color: Dark Green) [Also available here for $32.99] ;

Shoes 1 (Color: Green) ; Jewelry Set 1 (Color: Green Gold-Tone)

Tights (Color: Kelly Green) [To be paired with either version of this look.]

Dress 2 (Color: Green) ; Shoes 2 (Color: Green) ;

Jewelry Set 2 (Color: 2-Green Gold-Tone)

2001 Inspired Outfit

I’m starting a new series where I explore fashion from the early 2000s and beyond using old magazines as inspiration. I am going to bring these outfits up to date by modernizing them a bit but retaining their essence. These posts will be tagged accordingly under “Flashback Fashion” and “2000s” or the appropriate decade. It is a little more modern than the typical vintage posts, but I love the idea of using all of my old magazines as inspo. Hopefully readers enjoy it as much because it’s been a lot of fun to make these!

To start, I’ve used an outfit from Teen magazine, January 2001, as worn by Mandy Moore. This was back in Mandy’s blonde “Candy” days. She is wearing a Jessica McClintock top & ABS by Allen Schwartz pants. Here is an updated version of her look!

Shop the Look:

Top (Color: White) ; Pants (Color: Anne White) ; Shoes (Color: Black) ;

Handbag (Color: Black)

1970s Inspired Outfit

Simply sweet! Here is a 1970s inspired outfit with nothing over $15!

Shop the Look:

Hat (Color: Grey) ; Top (Color: Khaki) ; Scarf (Color: Pink) ; Pants (Color: Red);

For a more subdued pair of pants try these (Color: Red) ; Shoes (Color: Black)