Fabulous 1940s Fall Fashion Inspiration

This year, the fall equinox falls on September 23rd, which means that we're just eight (seven if you don't count the one that we're on) days away from the return of autumn. Yippee!!!

While part of me would love nothing more than to cling to summer's warmth for many, many more months, the seasons will come and go as they please, and I've long learned that it's best to just smile and go along for the ride.

There's no prodding needed to get me to grin up a storm this month though, as I adore autumn to no end and elated that it's upon us once more. As much as I enjoy all of summer's pretty, practical fashions - from straw hats to sundresses, wedge heels to capri pants - there is something deeply comforting about the return of heavier fabrics, warm layers, and longer sleeve and hem lengths, too.

Nearly three years ago now, I debated the pros and cons of dressing for each half of the year in a post called Summer vs Winter Wardrobe, as I felt then that my preference was shifting from fall/winter to spring/summer fashions. Honestly, the more time that goes on though, the greater I adore and just try to make the best of each season's fashions, no matter how far on the extreme side of the thermostat the temperature might be.

Autumn, especially its early weeks, is a particularly lovely time of the year to dress for. We're usually free of heavy snow boots and wool coats, and don't yet risk getting frostbite or hypothermia while outdoors taking outfit photos for our blogs. Yet by the same token, we aren't melting faster than a popsicle dropped on the tarmac in July under the sweltering summer sun any longer either.

Much like its springtime counterpart (late April to early June), these weeks are a glorious time for fashion bloggers and the whole world alike. Just about every vintage wearer out there adores seeing beautiful images of each season's sartorial offerings, so with autumn just a handful of days away from officially beginning and the weathers starting to turn a little nippy again already in many areas, I thought that today would be a great time to share some of my favourite vintage autumn style ideas and images with you guys.

So slip on a cozy cardigan, curl up with a pumpkin spice latte, and let that gorgeously golden mid-September sunlight bath over you as you take a gander at the following selection of 15 fabulous vintage fall fashions, each of which suits the coming season wonderfully well (ditto for winter and early spring).




1. A pert, nipped waist jacket the colour of a frost tinged apple combines with serene shades of beige and brown in this elegant look that graced the cover of the August 1949 edition of Harper's Bazaar magazine. I'd add some gold, brass, or champagne pearl jewelry to mix, myself, and call it a (stylish) day.




2. Neither straw hats nor polkas dots need be reserved strictly for spring and summer, especially when a solid black coat is involved, as this cute meets sophisticated outfit from 1947 does a great job of highlighting.




3. From the streets and fashion houses of Paris that same year, comes this appealing trio of autumn perfect dress, suit, coat, and hat looks - those good sized, classic mid-century handbags aren't too shabby either!




4. From the stylish pocket square to the thoroughly awesome pocket watch on the belt (love that idea!!!) to the dark fox brown hued, over sized pocket adorned dress itself, this is one 1940s fall look that we would all be especially wise to take a styling cue from.




5. Tartan and cold weather go hand-in-hand like Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie. Follow this stylish gal's lead and draw on one of the main colours in your plaid or tartan garments for your accessories. Here she's sporting green, which is utterly gorgeous, but in this case, red would be terrific, too, especially come Christmastime.




6. Rouse your knits from their long summer slumber and put them to work with a classic a-line or circle skirt, as in this great late 40s look that draws its colour palette inspiration from the earth. Extra style bonus points if you use an oversized safety pin for as a fun finishing touch on your ensemble.




7. The seasonal appropriateness of mustard/saffron cannot be overstated on the fall fashion front. Whether you opt for a small hit or a big dose (say a skirt or dress in this warm shade of yellow), it plays superbly with the season's darker tones of brown, rust, grey, camel, black, navy, pumpkin, pine green, burgundy, and red currant, and really deserves to be a part of everyone's autumn wardrobe.




8. Looking for some great fall colour ideas? Search no further than this 1949 Milliken fabric ad, which houses several shades that suit the season to a tee and which combine marvelously with one another to boot.




9. The notion of layering a fall/winter coat over a skirt suit is almost unheard of in today's fashion world, but thankfully us vintage sporting folks know how incredibly chic and sophisticated - not to mention roasty-toasty warm - this timeless look can be. Plus, there's fall's pet colour, mustard, again - and just see how fabulously it works with this dark checkered fabric. Dreamy!




10. Bar none, one of my top five favourite fabrics ever, corduroy is worth loving autumn for alone! Warm, cozy and versatile, this awesome fabric looks amazing in everything from coats (as shown here) to slacks to vests, and is one of the first materials I reach for after Labour Day.




11. No need to completely retire spring worthy pale hues just because September comes a calling. Partner them with darker shades and lush fabrics, such as the deep brown fur, gloves and hat shown here and you've got an fall time worthy vintage look that will turn heads and garner compliments far and wide.




12. Pussy bow blouses and dresses are a smart, practical choice when autumn's winds start blowing again, as they help to keep the chill at bay much like a scarf. For extra warmth, top a look such as this classy red dress with a blazer and/or knit shawl.




13. Colour blocking and cold weather have always gone together wonderfully, and if you happen to have a knit, boucle, or wool crepe dress in two or three blocked hues (such as the super chic one shown here), all the better to help fend off those returning frosty temps. Note also the sheer celery green scarf tucked in around her neck for additional warmth.




14. Take a style note from the make-do-and-mend years of the early 40s and embellish plain, solid coloured separates with lace, crochet, studs, decorative buttons, sequins, rickrack or other fun trims and help ensure your vintage wardrobe looks as pretty as a harvest moon this fall.




15. While I certainly wear hats all year long, like many folks, I tend to sport hair flowers, scarves and snoods more often when summer's heat is out in full force. Now that it's retreating, I'm jumping with joy to don my favourite 1930s, 40s, and 50s hats again, including a couple of new ones that I've acquired this year. Borrow an idea or two for this lovely 1940s image and jazz up your vintage chapeaus with flowers, netting, feathers and anything else your heart desires.

{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Of all the seasonal colour palettes of the year, there is not that I love more - or which I've been told by numerous people over the years works better on me - that of autumn. I've already started to trade out my punchy pinks, purples, turquoises, corals, baby chick yellows, and light blues for earthy shades of amber, moss, oak, forest green, pumpkin, cranberry, slate, eggplant, and marigold, to name but a few.

Likewise, my fall and winter wardrobe is coming out of hibernation. Soon, sturdy leather, suede and velvet bags with replace breezy wicker and cloth options, closed toed shoes will become a must, and tights will take over for bare legs or sheer seamed stockings (when outdoors at least!).

There is a beautiful sense of natural order to this shifting of our seasonal wardrobes and I'm excited to embrace fall's fashion offerings again. Inspired by many different memories, ideas, and sources, very much including the fifteen 1940s autumn fashion images highlighted here today, in the process.

Tell, my dears, are you likewise eager to slip into tweeds, wools, corduroy, and more layers than Greek phyllo pastry once more or do you wish that summer would linger on for another century or so?

Five timelessly beautiful vintage fall looks

Every now and then, in the vast expanse of the web, one encounters a friend not only with whom you share common interests, but also mutual battles. Such is the case with the wonderfully dear Lottie Ryan, a fellow vintage lover and longtime chronic illness fighter. Lottie is also a passionate, inspiring writer over at her excellent website Who's That Lady, where she, in her own words, "supports women with chronic illness to achieve it all despite it all, with a touch of magic, a lot of glamour and some wise old notions".

I have the deepest respect and admiration for Lottie and was thrilled when she eagerly agreed to guest post for me while we're away on our fun holiday to Vancouver Island.

As with everyone that I invite to post for Chronically Vintage in my absence, I encouraged Lottie to write on any vintage related topic her heart desired and I had my socks proverbially knocked clean off when the post she sent me was a beautiful look at vintage fall fashion created entirely with items that are for sale in my Etsy shop. Lottie came up with this idea herself and completely surprised me with it (in fact, I was touched to the point of tears by her thoughtfulness and originality). She did a top-notch job of putting together five awesome vintage fall ensembles, which, like Lottie herself, are as sweet and stylish as the day is long.

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While our usual host, the lovely Jessica, is off enjoying a well deserved vacation she’s kindly let me hop on to Chronically Vintage to play with you for the day.
 
What does every vintage gal love to do when she hops into another vintage gal’s world? Head straight for her closet and play dress up of course. Though I can’t literally do that (more’s the pity) as we live in different countries, there is now a Chronically Vintage Etsy store and it's the perfect place to play with its myriad vintage beauties.

I popped along to the store, and with the aid of Polyvore (my new favorite hang out - I'm lottieloves1 there, if you want to connect), I played dress up, and created beautiful vintage ensembles to see us through fall and into the party season.

I had such fun! I can’t promise that all items will still be available, as frankly my closet is crying out for these gems, but to be fair, I’m going to hold off nabbing them until you’ve had a chance to umm and ahh over what tumbled into my virtual closet dreams.

Come on, let’s go play and imagine beautiful days together...




The peachy hues of this ensemble cried out for some autumn love, so I paired it with this autumnal hat and added the most perfect acorn brooch. Just imagine afternoon tea, then a stroll in the park, where leaves crunch under foot and your best friend’s giggle is echoing by your side.




Here I’m vamping it up a little with this green floral wiggle dress and some contrasting blue and gold accessories, including this stunning metal clutch. With this outfit you’re off for a lunch date with your beau, highlighting your delectable curves but leaving it all to the imagination. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you.




Blue, the color of crisp autumnal skies and slow flowing rivers. This ensemble is for the hostess with the mostess to combine with a charming smile and delightful conversation, whilst delicately sipping champagne.




Isn’t this just the most fabulous dress? This ensemble takes you to a cocktail evening, in a beautiful resort, next to white sandy beaches and the cooling, early evening sunshine. A fabulous cocktail and dream boat lover are musts.





Who needs a a little black dress when you can be elegantly divine in this luscious black velvet number? I wouldn’t wear the necklace around my neck but weave it into my hair which swept into soft curls. This calls for an evening of jazz with friends, swaying to the music that has your feet tapping and your heart softly beating with joyous contentment. This ensemble has 'festive party elegance' written all over it don’t you think?

Oh, I’m now lost in a delightful world of afternoon teas, balmy nights and lovers kisses. What a fabulous way to spend my short time here. This Chronically Vintage world is quite something. Do let me know what you think in the comments below, meanwhile thank you for having me over.

Lottie -x-

Flickr Favourites: September 8, 2013

{Illustrated magazine, week ending 10th November, 1951 ~ totallymystified}

{Un osito en otoño ~ Contando Estrelas}

{Dolcis Strollers advertisement ~ totallymystified}

{Lazy ~ hanthomas}

{Playtime 1948 ~ paul.malon}

{Maybelline 1929 ~ Captain Geoffrey Spaulding}

{Red ~ Rongem Boyo}

{Basic Recipes, c. 1945 ~ alsis35}

{Red apples in basket ~ _poseidon_}

{Martha Vickers ~ Amy Jeanne}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


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Summer lingers on - it's in no hurry to give up its hard earned last couple of weeks until the final moment - and yet slowly the first stirrings of the coming season begin to appear. Mornings are chiller until the sun rises high above the horizon, the air - still oven-like in some respects - begins to feel crispier, less burdened by a need to host temperatures near a hundred degrees, and a sense that the revamping of mother nature's colour scheme will soon be underway greets one with each blade of parched grass they see flutter in the wind.

If September was a colour, I think that it would be red - not fresh and orange tinged like a growing tomato, but deep and soulful, redolent of garnets, fields of cranberries, and regal velvet robes. This is a red that has seen the first eight months of the year and lived to tell about it. Far from shy, but not one to boast, it quietly takes on the role of bridging the seasons, tinting the world in crimson its path as it goes.

This is a beautiful time of the year. It embodies both energy - still radiating like aftershocks from the past two scorching months - and serenity, a return to the usual ebb and flow of the school year, heartier comfort foods, and foliage that yearns to remain verdant, but just can't resist giving into the siren's song and taking on a tartan like array of colours.

The first half of September in the time of the year when you can still go swimming at noon and pick juicy new crop apples later on in the very same afternoon. It's sundresses and knit cardigans, peep-toe shoes and stockings.

A happy, busy, wonderful - but generally very brief - time, these in-between days will be gone before we can blink, which is all the more reason to keep one's eyes open wide as you soak up and enjoy every last, gorgeous moment.

15 elegantly beautiful 1940s autumn looks

From between the slats in the Venetian blinds in our living room, I can see delicate little goldenrod hued leaves fluttering about like wind chimes in the breeze - their rich, Midas approved shade symbolic of so much of what I adore about late September through early December.

From my earlier childhood memories right up until today, there has never been a time when I didn't love fall, and over the years the reasons why the second-to-last season of the year gets pride-of-place in my heart have only continued to mount.

One of my favourite elements of autumn always been the evocative, captivating colour palette it brings with it, like the best dressed lady in the world arriving at a hotel and opening her grand trucks, sensual velvets, nubby tweeds, diaphanous silks, hearty wools, and versatile thick cottons spilling forth from every angle.

While summer can sometimes seem a touch manic, autumn is calm and collected, yet by no means devoid of pep and spirit. More brazen then winter, yet less innocent than spring, it is the sophisticate of the year and surely knows it, for fall has no qualms with painting her palette of style and beauty across the land - if only for a few brief weeks.

Chalk it up to the 1980s classic Colour Me Beautiful (my mother's copy of which I actually read so many times as a youngster that pages started to fall out of it) if you will, but I've long known that autumn time colours often work well on me, and indeed a scan of my closet would quickly reveal a penchant for burgundy, teal, rust, brown, grey, muted green, copper, and burnished gold.

I'm certainly not alone in this regard, as fall's wardrobe (or at least certain shades from it) looks wonderful on a great many people, and there are few amongst us who can't avail of at least a couple of this season's sublimely lovely, subtly dramatic colours.

With that thought planted firmly in mind, may I present a selection of classy, timeless, dizzyingly beautiful 1940s fashions, each one of which conjures up a sense of the autumn and all that is enchanting about this resplendent season.

{All images via the incomparably terrific stream of dovima_is_devine_II on Flickr.}

Like the rainbow of earthy hues in a harvest time cornucopia, these vintage fashions are both visually appealing and thought provoking – not to mention more than a little bit inspiring. They celebrate much of what is marvelous about fall, while also serving as a sartorial jumping off point for other times of the year, especially if this is a palette that suits you well.

And speaking of cornucopias, tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in Canada, and I'm elated about that fact that Tony and I will be sharing it together with some of my relatives for the first time ever (prior to this year we always lived thousands of miles away from them). Thus adding yet another point to the lengthy list of reasons why, now and forever, autumn - and the timelessly stylish fashions it brings with it - will always be my most beloved time of the year.