40s fashion photography

[herringbonekid]

i am constantly amazed by 1940s fashion photography. the colour photographs in particular have a very modern look. gone is the softened phosphorescent bloom of the 30s and instead we see a crisp and clean use of colour and space, and some very avant garde use of setting, props and pose. but enough chin music. let's look at some examples....

erwin blumenfeld

norman parkinson

constantin joffe

horst p horst

john rawlings

cecil beaton

see more here:

http://www.condenastart.com/

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

These are some really interesting and good looking pictures. Thanks for sharing these.

 

[AcmeNews]

Glamour vs. Sexuality

One of the great things about that era of fashion and fashion photography is the emphasis on glamour and style. Today's popular fashions, and the photographs trying to sell it, are all about sexuality. Like all fashion, this, too, shall pass. Classic styles will always be elegant, and in style.

 

[herringbonekid]

the thing is you become desensitized to constant in-your-face sexuality seen everywhere, and subtle images like these seem so refreshing. it's nice to see women in photographs looking like they have dignity.

 

[AcmeNews]

Dignity

It's possible that more women in that era had more dignity than many women of this era.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Nice pics.

Some of them look like ads from the eighties. Or even current.

 

[scotrace]

Acmenews - nice to see you again. Who could forget that heartwarming avatar?

 

[AcmeNews]

Thanks, Scotrace

I guess I'd be considered an occassional visitor of electronic lounges. Thanks for the warm welcome.

 

[RetroModelSari]

The photos look georgous! Particulary they really look like taken out of a modern day magazine just with better matching clothes

 

[J. M. Stovall]

One thing I did notice, even back then the models seem very thin.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Great photos! My fave is this one:

One thing I did notice, even back then the models seem very thin.

They were quite thin, but the average 'model' height was around 5'7"--a lot shorter than what is considered desirable today.

I think the modern edge to the photography has much to do with the publication it was shot for. I have a number of Mademoiselle magazines, which were aimed for college-age women, and the photos are somewhat softer in feel. However, the look of the photos you posted holds up very well even in today's times--and at least the models look very well put together, unlike the often disheveled looks you see in fashion mags today (with hair askew and heavily smudged eye makeup)

 

[Etienne]

It is refreshing indeed to see women who look polished, feminine and bearing pleasant facial expressions. I am SO tired of looking at photos of women models today who have harsh, angry, hard looks on their faces!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

It is refreshing indeed to see women who look polished, feminine and bearing pleasant facial expressions. I am SO tired of looking at photos of women models today who have harsh, angry, hard looks on their faces!

This is so true--apparently, angry faces=haute couture these days

 

[CharlieH.]

Beautiful pictures indeed. I love the anachronistic appearance some of these have, particularly the one by Erwin Blumenfeld.

 

[mysterygal]

lol that is one thing that is kind of ridiculous in women's magazine's is all these ads for perfume or clothing that have these angry, pouting women in pretty much every single one of them. I wonder why they think that will sell me their product?[huh]

 

[DronesDodz]

These are some great pictures! My wife really enjoyed seeing some of the different hair styles.
Thanks for posting

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The petulant look.

It's everywhere today. I guess that advertisers think people in general will relate to the, "I'm petulant, and ill humored, and totally dramatic, so don't you dare mess with me,... and you best take me seriously" look.--->
lol I don't get it myself,...[huh] seeing someone that looks petulant while trying to entice me into buying a product just doesn't work on me. Has the opposite effect on me, I don't want to buy or use any product that would put me in such a bad frame of mind.

I prefer something along these lines, especially since Barbara Stanwyk is in it. :whistling

 

[herringbonekid]

i'm not so sure about this petulant thing that a few have mentioned here. go back and look at the first image. she is DEFINATELY petulant. several of the others have a cool, aloof air too. remember that these images are editorial and wouldn't have had copy all around them extolling the benefits of some lipstick or other, so they didn't have to try hard to be jolly looking. they could be petulant and moody or ambiguous in the 40s too.

 

[Naama]

Thank you so much for posting those pictures! They are so great! It's hard to believe that they are really from the 40's they look so modern..... I love them!

Naama

 

[scotrace]

Two Favorites

By Nina Leen.