This Hollywood pattern features a fitted midriff belt with back ties, a V-neckline created by the crossover bodice and softly gathered shoulder yokes. It was my chief source for the 1940s Swing Dress Pattern!

Here is a young Lauren Bacall, right at the start of her climb to fame. She has such a lovely personality, and her clothing–even now–is so classy.

This is a nice, tailored jacket pattern from the early to mid-1940s. I admire the clean lines and feminine fit.

A trio of beautiful leading ladies from the 1940s, looking so glamorous. Left to right: Gene Tierney looks smashing in her evening gown with cape and matching gloves; Veronica Lake (known for her trademark hairstyle) shows off a softly-draped evening gown; Myrna Loy looks cool and chic in her street dress with contrasting pockets.

What a change a year can make! Shirley Temple goes from “toddler” clothes in the 1940 publicity shot at left to the cleanly tailored, young lady look of 1941. Vive’ la Difference! I love the crispness of the outfit on the right and just wish we had a full-length view to see what the skirt [...]

Fifteen-year-old Shirley Temple sits on the diving board behind her home in 1943. Her cute play dress features a white collar and a slightly flared skirt, and note her “grown-up” shoes. (Image courtesy of Rita Dubas and 20th Century-Fox.)

This is a page of Fall fashions from Woman’s Day Magazine, 1946. Note the color samples the ladies are showing off. At this point, fashion still hasn’t moved away from the fabric-conserving lines of WWII, but skirts are a bit longer, and you can see a move toward the emphasized hipline on the model at [...]

Here is a late 1940s “wrap” dress. You can see how the style is starting to edge into the 1950s with the emphasis on wider shoulders and hips.

Here are my father’s glamorous parents, right in the middle of the “swing” era and all dressed up for a Hollywood party. My grandmother was a knock-out, wasn’t she? Wish we could see her entire dress. She was known for her beautiful taste in fashion. Above right: Here are my grandparents in 1947, shortly after [...]

These are my grandparents, holding my mother (on the right) and her sister in the late 1940s.