After watching Triple Cross earlier in the week, I couldn’t resist looking into the story behind the movie and finding out more about notorious double agent Eddie Chapman. It sounds like he was every bit as charming in real-life as portrayed by Christopher Plummer, only with perhaps even fewer scruples. After reading up on his(…)
After last week’s disappointment watching Citizen Kane I was delighted to discover a real gem this week. Don’t be put off by the grim movie poster (right), this isn’t a harrowing war movie it’s a delightful James-Bond-style wartime spy thriller with the delectable Christopher Plummer as debonair British double agent Eddie Chapman. I knew nothing(…)
During World War 2, the American Magazine for GI’s (called YANK would you believe?) featured a number of fabulous pin-ups to help boost morale of the troops. Many were big cinema stars like Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable and Ingrid Bergman (waving below) but, however famous, all of them were fabulous.
It’s spring, and so of course my thoughts have returned to Paris, the beautiful city of blossom and boulevards, baguettes and bicyclette *sigh*. But Paris has always had a certain charm it was a very different place when Zeppelins were in the sky or there were German soldiers on the streets. Take a look at(…)
WW2 factory girls working on military aircraft in 1940s America. [4 photos]
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(…)
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(…)
English: Original studio publicity photo of Cary Grant for the film I Was a Male War Bride (1949). Doesn’t he look dashing in a uniform? He had the mole on his cheek removed the year after this photo was taken. I don’t know whether Cary Grant actually was in the armed forces during the war,(…)
Beautifully dressed pin-up girls waiting to be asked to dance at the NAS Seattle Spring Formal Dance in 1944. Who could resist such beautiful smiles? No wonder a dance with one of these ladies would raise the morale of the Navy!
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.(…)
Pin up photo of Sherry Britton wearing a fabulous bikini dress from the December 1945 issue of Yank, the Army Weekly, a weekly U.S. Army magazine.
Norma Jean Dougherty (who later became Marilyn Monroe) photographed for US Army magazine YANK on June 26 1945. There’s no doubting that Norma Jean is very pretty but it’s hard to see how she transformed to the iconic star and pin up queen she became later… See other YANK pinup girls here
American sailors photographed with their tattoos in 1944 Source and copyright: This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.
Above: A welder works on the deck of a new ship, Tyneside, 1943 A new exhibition opens at the Imperial War Museum London on 6th September of Cecil Beaton’s war time photography. I have a couple of tickets to give away, just comment below and let me know if you would like them. Which is(…)
Project #42 on Independent Fashion Bloggers is to create a Festival Look. I know that lots of people will go with bikini tops, crochet scarves and floppy hats, but I dream of wearing something inspired by 1940s land-girl style. Hair tied up, some red-tinted lip salve and a 40s’s inspired bodysuit – glam, practical and(…)
1940s photo American GIs in front of the Eiffel Tower watching the Tricolore flag flying again after the liberation of Paris.