Vintage Style – A 1940s Inspired Look

In a series of posts, exclusively for ‘It’s A Shoe Thing’ Jenny takes us through the decades, showcasing her favourite Hotter styles to suit her vintage outfits. In her second post Jenny creates a 1940s inspired look…

In early 1940s Britain, Austerity restrictions were placed upon heel heights, and open-toed shoes were strictly not permitted. But in the later years of the decade, as soon as the restrictions lifted; this led to a surge in popularity of open-toed shoes – particularly as the ‘cover the foot’ requirement of the Austerity scheme was removed in mid 1947.

Simultaneously, during this time designers were experimenting with new materials and alternatives to leather such as cork, wood, straws and raffia’s, materials made popular by Italian shoe designer Ferragamo in the late 1930s.

In this second installment of my Vintage Style Series, I show how Carnival can be styled to suit a 1940s look.

With its low 1.5inch woven heel and open toe; Carnival nicely fits in to suit the later styles of the 1940s. For this look, I have styled a smart daytime outfit – wide legged trousers, paired with an original vintage blouse and jacket, turban and 1940s spectacles. This kind of daywear was a look often sported by movie stars of the era – Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland and Lauren Bacall when they were ‘off-duty’.

Carnival also lends itself perfectly to leisure wear in warmer climes and months. Pair with a half-circle skirt and blouse for an effortlessly feminine style, or for a more formal look; a cocktail dress to wear in those warm summer evenings.

Whichever way you choose to wear Carnival, you can be sure your feet will be comfortable all day long!

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About Jenny…

Jenny Mearns from vintage fashion blog https://missjennyfrances.wordpress.com/; is a historical fashion consultant, writer and lingerie designer.

Her love of clothing often sees her wearing her own creations and designs. When not in her sewing and design studio, she can be found  along the seafront admiring the views of the South coast.’