A forties look suit is a popular choice for 1940s Nostalgia events, especially during the cooler months. We all know how to wear a suit but do we know how to style a double-breasted suit to give us the most authentic appearance.
Pick the right shirt!
Lots of people, after picking a great suit simply throw on a white shirt and have done with it. This shouldn’t be the case. Don’t get me wrong, I think white shirts are a must in any man’s wardrobe and are often brilliant when worn with the right suit, but that shouldn’t go for every suit. If for example you don’t want to stand out, a simple coloured shirt is a very refreshing change from white. Trust your instincts and see what goes well! Personally, I’m a huge fan of Prince of Wales/Glen Checked suits, so I tend to choose lighter coloured shirts, I.E. Blues ad Pinks. If you want something that makes you stand out from the crowd perhaps choose something slightly different. There are loads of buttons and stripes for you to choose from! As long as it matches the suit you’re wearing it will look great. On a cold day a knitted fairisle tank topworn over the shirt still looks great!
Choose the correct neck wear.
The same thing applies for shirts andsties, cravats and scarves. The same old navy and black ties are used for years when there so much more out there! The crucial difference is that ties and other neckwear should really compliment an aspect of the shirt or suit as well as possible. For example, If you were to wear a suit with a subtle stripe running through it, try to grab a tie or cravat that matches or compliments this colour. It will not only bring out the colour in the suit but make the whole outfit look much more whole. The same can be done with a good tie and shirt combination. So long as you choose a shirt which goes well with your suit, a tie of the same or with the same colours will work wonders for your outfit. If you’re not looking for anything too formal a cravat is a happy alternative to a tie, and in my opinion gives a much more charming and cool feel than a tie.
Accessorise!
I cannot stress this point enough. Something as simple as a nice watch is enough to take your suit from plain to perfect. If you are wearing a waistcoat, you might want to wear a pocket watch and display the chain, a classic way of adding a bit of glamour to an otherwise simple suit. My absolute favourite accessories are lapel pins. The lapel pin is the ultimate way of showing your true personality in the way you dress and are sometimes a key part of making a suit yours. The reason being is that although a suit might not be your natural go to style, a personal lapel pin bridges the gap between your normal self and the suit. Lapel pins come in all sorts of themes. If you like music, you could choose a treble clef, or if you’re a veteran you could wear a pin with your cap badge on it. In this case the world really is your oyster.
A key difference between the 1940s style of suiting and the modern day is that braces were often used to hold up trousers as an alternative to belts. Typically, braces either button or clip onto the front and rear of the trousers and hold them to a desired hight. If you want to learn more about accessorising be sure to have a look at our other post:
Lace up your shoes.
In the case of 1940s suits, there is really only two colours of shoes to choose from. Brown or black. Black (as my mother so often tells me) goes with everything and it’s always good to have a black pair of shoes around. Brown on the other hand goes very well light and dark colours (depending upon the shade). In the end it’s all down to personal preference. If you’re looking for an authentic 1940s look, oxfords are really the only way to go. I prefer a shoe with a caped toe (a piece of leather covering the exterior of the toe cap) but a brogued pattern was common too. Whichever shoe you get, remember to shine them often. Not only does it make you look the part, but it waterproofs the shoes (if done well).
So there you have it. Next time you don your favourite double-breasted suit you might look that little bit sharper. Just keep these tips in mind, and you'll never want to take that suit off!
FAQs
Lace, passem*nterie, silk tassels, fringe, and beading details all returned to late '40s outfits. Blouses and sweaters were paired with short fitted jackets or shoulder capes. Two important accessories that completed every outfit were wrist length gloves and fedora, pillbox, or bicorne hats.
What to wear to a 1940's themed party? ›
Floral prints, gathered sleeves, small collars, belts and a swing style skirt are all things to look to be on the right lines. Again 1980s pillbox hats are often used to mimic 40s hardware but far cheaper than their original counterparts.
How to dress like a man from the 1940s? ›
1940s fashion was defined by its practicality and austerity due to wartime restrictions, with a shift towards more relaxed and casual styles post-war. Key elements included military-inspired outerwear, tailored suits, wide-leg trousers, and the introduction of casual denim wear.
What was the fashion style of the 1940s? ›
Typical 1940s day dresses were uniform in nature. Unlike women's fashion in the previous decades, clothing in the 1940s was uniform in nature. Dresses, blouses, and skirts had standard lengths, shapes, and patterns. Squared shoulders, below-the-knee skirts, and narrow hip suits became very popular.
What were the popular colors in the 1940s? ›
Colours varied widely as well. White, navy, black, and red never fell out of fashion, and vibrant tones such as pink, aqua, yellow, wine, and royal blue tended to be popular. Stripes were widely used to create optical illusions on the body, while prints including florals and plaids were universally liked.
What did men wear in 1940? ›
1940s Fashion for Men
During the 1940s, men not in uniform often wore suits in public. Many made do with older suits from the 1930s. Suit vests fell out of favor as an excess use of fabric. New suits were made with a wool-rayon blend instead of wool and often with patterned (especially striped) fabric.
How to dress in your 40s male casual? ›
In your 40s, they're less office wear and can readily enter your everyday wardrobe. Whether a crisp button-down or a relaxed polo, a few classic colours offer tremendous versatility; a denim shirt and a plain white T-shirt are the perfect casual companions.
Did men wear vests in the 1940s? ›
Before the popularization of central heating, men would sometimes even wear a waistcoat underneath a double-breasted suit. But, in the 1940s, that time was pretty much over and you no longer wore waistcoats with a double-breasted suit. Patterned knit vests became popular in the '40s.
Did men wear suspenders in the 1940s? ›
Trouser braces, known as suspenders across the pond, have been used to hold up men's trousers for over a century before the belt became more fashionable. In the 1940s trouser braces had leather loops and buttoned on to the trousers.
What were the most popular shoes in the 1940s? ›
Practical lace-up shoes of the era, such as brogues or Oxford shoes for daytime also featured chunky stacked heels so the women of the 40s were definitely a fan of a little extra height! The Mary Jane shoes or baby doll shoes that I love so much are typical styles of the era.
Zoot Suits
The zoot suit included high-waisted, wide-legged trousers paired with broad-shouldered jackets. Color-coordinated dress shirts, ties and suspenders, along with feather-tipped fedora hats and knee-length wallet chains, accented the look. '
What was the new look in the 1940s? ›
Christian Dior's reputation as one of the most important couturiers of the twentieth century was launched in 1947 with his very first collection, in which he introduced the "New Look." Featuring rounded shoulders, a cinched waist, a very full skirt, the "New Look" celebrated ultra-femininity and opulence in women's ...
How to make an outfit look vintage? ›
One of the easiest ways to make what you're wearing look more vintage is with the use of accessories and hair and makeup. Setting your hair in your preferred decade's style will automatically make your outfit more 'vintage'. Jewellery is also a great way to vintage-fy (I've just made that word up) your outfit!
How do you make clothes look vintage and worn? ›
Use sandpaper to distress hems, cuffs, knees.
Tuck a piece of cardboard into the garment first. This way, you won't accidentally tear up the fabric on the other side. Sand the area with sandpaper until you get the look you want. Focus on the areas that will get the most wear, such as hems, cuffs, and knees.
How to dress vintage but modern? ›
So if you stumble across a vintage colorful blouse or sweater, and you don't know what modern piece to pair it with, then just add a denim skirt, a pair of jeans, or a denim jacket to tone down the vintage piece.
How to dress stylish in 40s? ›
Invest in high-quality basics like well-fitting jeans, crisp white t-shirts, and classic blazers. Experiment with bold prints, bright colors, and trendy accessories to add interest to your outfits. Try mixing and matching different textures and fabrics to create unique and personalized looks.
