How To Wear A Vintage 1940s Dress

Styling a 40s Dress
I adore 1940s style, with it's discreet shoulder pads and small waists (but nowhere near as extreme as the 1950s silhouette) it's a very flattering style to wear. This grey vintage dress is one of my current favourites, and a lovely feminine shape.
Lots of people love vintage style, but they're nervous about starting to wear it. They're worried they'll either look like  they're off to a costume party, or like they've been shopping in a thrift shop. The key to wearing vintage well is to treat it the same way you would the rest of your clothes, don't be frightened to add modern accessories or accessories from a different era, just enjoy yourself. Vintage is all about individuality and confidence!
If you would like to create an authentic 40s look go for some medium height chunky heels - not stiletto heels or kitten heels those are more typically 1950s, and not block heels - those more 1960s. Go for a rounded toe classic court shoe with a thick heel. I've added a red pair of 1940s vintage heels, a red clutch bag and a cute red brooch to pick of the colour of the buttons on the dress.
Take a look at some beautiful 1940s vintage here to see the styles people wore

1940s Handbags
Bags and purses in the 1940s varied hugely in style, from crochet bags (like this one, right), to metal bags, straw and more traditional leather. See some of the different styles available in the 1940s here.

1940s Shoes
I love the cherry red color of these shoes. These ones have seen plenty of dancing but I wanted to include them because I love the style and the colour.  Round toes and modest platform heels and wedges were all popular 1940s styles. Take a look at this range of 1940s vintage shoes to see more styles.
It's also worth knowing you can find plenty of genuine vintage 1940s shoes which have never been worn.

1940s Jewelry
Pearls, coloured beads and brooches were all popular jewelry styles in the  1940s and animal and flower motifs were really fashionable. Take a look at some more examples of vintage 1940s jewelry here.

1940s Dresses
40s dresses ranged in style from smart tailored shapes to floral tea dresses and super-glamorous evening gowns. Take a look at the different styles of 40s dress available here.