WW2 factory girls working on military aircraft in 1940s America. [4 photos]
WW2 factory girls
1940s
Vintage 1940s denim shorts
Isn’t this a fabulous look? Denim shorts and a plaid shirt from 1948. The girl is Candy Tilton Ulrich painting at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.
Vintage swimwear: 1940s bikinis
Some great 1940s bikinis modelled by the ‘Sarasota Sun-Debs’. The photo was taken at Lido Beach, Florida in January 1949. I wish it was warm enough to wear bikinis in January in the UK!
The realities of war: 1940s breast-protecters (yes, really)
I know industrial accidents are no laughing matter, but I’d seriously never considered a need for breast-protecters before (as modelled so beautifully by this brave lady). I guess it’s just the female equivalent of a cricket box, I wonder whether they’re still worn in certain industries today…? This photo is from 1943. The original caption(…)
A soldier’s goodbye from a (hungry) cat’s point of view
Yeah yeah, I know you’re off to war, but you know you haven’t FED ME YET? This photo was taken during the Second World War as an Australian solider said goodbye to his wife before leaving. If you had a full view of the couple you would undoubtedly focus on their faces, but shot like(…)
Esther Williams: So long and thanks for all the fish
I’m a bit late to the party on this one, but I couldn’t leave the occasion unmarked. Last week (on June 6th) swimmer and movie star Esther Williams died in her sleep at the age of 91 in California. I have happy memories of watching re-runs of Esther Williams movies growing up. The first time(…)
Josephine Baker in her 40s
Josephine Baker photographed by Carl Van Vechten, October 20, 1949 which would make her 43 in this photo I think. It’s nice to see her in a ‘normal’ outfit instead of one of her stage costumes. Her smile just lights up the photo doesn’t it? Beautiful!
A 1940s summer wardrobe by Lynn Lester
A series of 1940s adverts for fashions by Lynn Lester suggesting a summer wardrobe for June 1947. This summer capsule collection has some wonderful descriptions underneath each item – you just don’t see that any more! There are some great new fangled fabrics, like “SnoSilk”, and also some unusual clothing styles. I had no idea what ‘cape(…)
Esther Williams in a swimsuit aged just 17
Olympic swimmer and later movie star Esther Williams photographed in 1939 “on her way to the 1940 American Olympic Games” aged 17. Just a week before this she broke the national record for the 100 yard breast stroke. She never competed in the Olympics in the end because of the outbreak of World War 2.(…)
1940s Hollywood sewing patterns: Betty Grable
A vintage sewing pattern from the 1940s, designed with Betty Grable in mind by Hollywood Patterns. I think I prefer the short sleeved version of this dress best. Thanks to Julie Kirby for scanning this and sending it in to me, if you have any vintage photos or magazines I’d love to see them! The(…)
Vintage swimwear: Stunning 1940s Cole of California bikini (maybe?)
Isn’t this wonderful? The illustration is just gorgeous, but is this the vintage swimwear in this Cole of California advert actually a swimsuit or a bikini? I’m not sure. The text reads: Streamline – beautiful new backsweep… in a Lastex swimsuit… from Cole’s “Westward to the Sea” beachwear collection.
Child actor Elizabeth Taylor
A publicity photo of the very young Elizabeth Taylor, I’m guessing this dates from around 1944 when she got her first major part in National Velvet. That would make her aged about 12. Does that sound about right?
Vintage fashion meets bondage in the 1940s
These photos were taken in January 1949, and very little is known about them. They were discovered in a collection of photos by Turners Photography Ltd in Newcastle (UK) and juts labelled with the date and the label ‘Mr Steinberg’s Model.’ They seem to me to be a strange mixture of fashion and bondage, as(…)
A man-pyramid, 1940s
A very impressive man-pyramid from the 1940s. Acrobats never cease to amaze me with what they can do with their bodies, just wow! This photo was taken in the 1940s (some towards the end of just after the Second World War) in Egypt.
Young Princesses Elizabeth & Margaret laughing on a train
Young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret photographed blowing the steam whistle on a train during a visit to South Africa in 1947.
Edward Steichen’s war photographs
Edward Steichen is best known (at least to me) as being one of the main photographers for Vogue and Vanity Fair during the late 1920s and 1930s. He made a name for himself as a war photographer during World War 1 and between the wars became one of the best paid and well-known fashion photographers.(…)
A teenage Shirley Temple in a fur coat
A 16 year old Shirley Temple photographed in 1944 with William Lyon Mackenzie King, the Prime Minister of Canada. I don’t think I’d ever seen a ‘grown-up’ photo of her before, wasn’t she gorgeous? I wonder why she didn’t make it to be a grown-up movie star…
Young women of Naples in their swimsuits, Italy 1948
Young girls in bikinis posing for a photo in Naples, 1948. Which is your favourite swimsuit? I think mine is the striped bikini. Source and copyright: his photograph is in the public domain in Italy because it was first published in Italy and its term of copyright has expired. Edited with BlogPad Pro