The 40s and 50s brought us the perfect, iconic style post-war that every girl should imitate at least once in her lifetime. Iconic and beautiful, whether you are a modern day maven or a retro girl at heart, you can rock this look with 5 simple things that will take your style to a whole new level… Ready. Set. Selfie.
Red Lipstick
If you want to look retro, you need to learn to recreate makeup from the era that you are trying to mimic. The sailor look become popular during the war. Women loved to pay homage to their loved one overseas and with white and blue in their uniforms… nothing went better with their outfit or their patriotism than red. Red lipstick is a solid stable of the retro look. Remember to keep your makeup simple. A winged eye, a soft, natural face, and blush go a long way.
Boat Hats
Boat hats add a signature to any outfit. If you keep your outfit simple, you can almost get away with anything and still look like you are retro beach ready. However, if you pair the look with high waisted jeans and a botanic or striped tee… you will be way ahead of the game!
Sailor Swimsuit
You remember the darling pinup swimsuits with the buttons, stripes, and anchors? That’s the ones. These iconic swimsuits are a surefire way to look exactly like a retro beauty while you splash around on vacation or just your backyard pool.
Wedge or T-Strap Heels
Both the wedge and t-strap heel were very popular post-war. In fact, in old ads and pinup posters, you will find that most models wore either a wedge or a t-strap heel. In fact, this helped to make them the main staple of the 1940s and 50s style.
High Waisted Shorts
If you are not planning on getting in the water, you may simply want to mimic the sailor look without the bathing suit. If so, no worries. All you need is a high waisted pair of shorts to look just like a retro beauty. A tie-up shirt makes the perfect complimentary piece or opt for a striped boat-neck top. Either way, you cannot lose with a high waisted short. Extra points for sailor shorts with buttons!
No matter if you are looking for the perfect retro look for an upcoming beach vacation or you just want to travel back in time a little closer to home, these 5 items will keep you looking 40s and 50s chic summer, spring, winter or fall.