1940s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook

The essential handbook for all fashion historians, students and vintage enthusiasts of the 1940s.

From the ashes of the Second World War came forward-thinking fashions, the likes of which had never been seen before.

The early Forties were defined by thriftiness and practicality, a make-do-and-mend attitude in a time of war. However, the latter half of the decade saw the emergence of the traditional femininity, elegance and luxury often associated with the era. Spanning the austerity of the war years to the introduction of Dior's revolutionary New Look, this extensive survey brings together vintage photography and illustrations to follow the season-by-season fashion evolution of the Forties, providing a comprehensive overview of this period of contrasts.

1940s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook covers every aspect of female fashions from the decade, from lace evening gowns, tailored jackets and furs to figure-sculpting undergarments, satin negligées and scandalous bikinis, offering the most comprehensive appraisal of this age of wartime and post-war glamour. This in-depth look at the styles and trends that shaped 1940s fashion features images of the decade's most iconic stars and designers. Stylish leading ladies such as Veronica Lake, Joan Bennett and Barbara Stanwyck are included as well as designs by Dior, Lucien Lelong, Balmain and Worth.

Authored and edited by renowned design historian, Charlotte Fiell, this volume also contains an authoritative introduction by fashion historian, Emmanuelle Dirix, as well as the biographies of the key designers and fashion houses of the period.

About the Authors:

Charlotte & Peter Fiell are leading authorities on the history, theory and criticism of design. To date, they have published over 60 titles and around 5 million copies of their books have been sold worldwide in over 20 different languages. Their books include The Story of Design, 1,000 Chairs and Industrial Design A-Z. They live in Chipping Campden, UK.
Emmanuelle Dirix is a fashion historian and curator. She teaches at the Antwerp Fashion Academy and Manchester Metropolitan University, and has lectured at the Royal College of Art and University of the Arts London. She is the author of Unravel: Knitwear in Fashion, 1920s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook and 1930s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook.