Fashion Photos from the 1940s That Continue to Inspire Today

The 1940s was marked by one defining event: World War II. From 1939 to 1945, the entire globe was on high alert. There was social, political, and economic unrest. Men were being shipped off to the front lines, trade was at a standstill, and industries began to suffer. As a result, fabric was rationed, silhouettes became more streamlined (read: masculine), and American fashion began to grow legs. With France being occupied by Germany, the major couture houses shuttered, allowing designers like Claire McCardell and Bonnie Cashin to make names for themselves.

Of course, European names like Elsa Schiaparelli and Jeanne Lanvin were still around, but their fanciful aesthetic seemed out of place during wartime. Thus, the concept of American sportswear (no-fuss separates meant for active lifestyles) was born, and so was the bikini. There to promote the trends were screen sirens, including Ingrid Bergman, Rita Hayworth, and Lena Horne. Indeed, the ’40s may not have been the dreamiest decade in the annals of fashion, but it was pivotal in forming what the industry is today.

Ingrid Bergman poses for a publicity shot wearing a blouse and jacket.

Sabine and Janet Stevenson model Claire McCardell swimsuits on the Gaspé Peninsula of Canada.

One model wears a sheer white Molyneux dress, while another reclines in the shadows in a black Lanvin gown.

Lena Horne sings on a stage set of stairs, wearing a floor-length column gown.

Barbara Stanwyck wears a white mink ribbed jacket with linebacker shoulders over a lace skirt.

Coco Chanel poses for a portrait wearing a ruffled collar and bow in her hair.

Rita Hayworth lies in the grass wearing a white bikini.

Billie Holiday poses for a studio portrait in a long-sleeved sequin dress, accessorized with a long strand of pearls and flowers in her hair.

Claudette Colbert chats with actor Paul Muni while wearing a midi skirt and matching jacket, accessorized with a fedora and pumps.

Model Barbara Lawrence wears Bonnie Cashin's "Eskimo Pants" in navy blue and white polka-dotted silk.

Joan Crawford poses in an A-line dress with pronounced shoulders and bell sleeves.

A model wears Elsa Schiaparelli's dressmaker suit in Paris.

Bette Davis wears a fur jacket and matching hat in the film Dark Victory.

Models walk in a show about British fashion for American women.

Rita Hayworth in the film Gilda wearing a black satin gown and opera gloves.

Judith Evelyn wears an off-white gabardine suit, casually cut, with simple lines for both the skirt and belted jacket. Her shoes match the brown leather buttons on the suit pocket, and she wears a liberty scarf as an ascot.

A model poses on a beach in a white halter-neck bathing suit and a large straw hat.

Lena Horne wears a tailored jacket over a sleek button-down.

Rita Hayworth poses beside an automobile in high-waisted trousers and a rolled-up shirt.

Hedy Lamarr gives the V-for-Victory sign while selling war bonds in Newark, New Jersey, wearing a dress with boxy shoulders that is nipped at the waist.

Jazz singer Billie Holiday performs at the Club Downbeat in New York wearing a V-neck dress with a large bow.

Claire McCardell in the showroom; the finished outfit is on the model. Seated are buyers from all over the country. After seeing the new creations modeled, they place orders for fall.

Claudette Colbert sits for a portrait at Selznick Productions wearing a cinched dress with pronounced shoulders.

Rita Hayworth poses for a publicity still for You'll Never Get Rich wearing pleated shorts and a short-sleeve blouse.

Lena Horne wear a skirt suit over a prim blouse at CBS studios in Los Angeles.

A model wears a white sweater designed by Elsa Schiaparelli.

A model wears the Norfolk, a suit with a longer jacket and four-pocket arrangement at the low-set belt. The fabric is made of 40 percent cashmere, but with enough wool to withstand long wear.

A woman models a herringbone tweed suit (left) by Claire McCardell, while another model shows off a Juilliard gabardine wool suit by Eisenberg in Boston's Louisburg Square.

A model shows a fitted two-piece suit, wearing gloves and decorated headband.

A model reads a piece of paper as she wears a housecoat designed by Jeanne Lanvin.

A smartly dressed woman walks down a London street. Her tailored suit has squared shoulders, and the contrasting buttons and trim on her jacket match the just-below-the-knee skirt.

Barbara Stanwyck wears a wrap dress with dolman sleeves, accessorized with a hat and gloves.

Vivien Leigh leans back on a striped chaise, wearing a chiffon dress with bishop sleeves and a ribbon at the waist.

Bette Davis, wearing a long chiffon dress, sits on a basket table for her role as Leslie Crosbie in William Wyler's film noir The Letter.

Claudette Colbert with her mother, Jeanne Loew Chauchoin, attends an event in Los Angeles, wearing a checkered jacket and trousers under a wool coat.

Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr in the film Comrade X. Lamarr wears a military-style jacket and pencil skirt.

Fashion plates of the latest styles complete with sample fabric from a book sent only to retailers to choose their seasonal collections.

Fashion plates of the latest styles complete with sample fabric from a book sent only to retailers to choose their seasonal collections.

Fashion plates of the latest styles complete with sample fabric from a book sent only to retailers to choose their seasonal collections.

Fashion plates of the latest styles complete with sample fabric from a book sent only to retailers to choose their seasonal collections.