A Simple Formula for Vintage Fashion From the Bergdorf Goodman Archives

To wear a 1940's inspired contemporary look, pair a blouse with a looser pencil, A-line, or pleated skirt, and aim for no shorter than knee-length and no longer than mid-calf. (wrangler/Shutterstock)

If you dream of making your wardrobe more stylish but dislike the latest trends, you can draw inspiration from America’s most glamorous era: the mid-20th century. These modes were immortalized by movie stars and fashion icons, but you don’t have to be Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe to enhance your wardrobe with these stylish, feminine, classy, and modest styles.

To see how real women of the day dressed, as opposed to lavishly costumed actresses, look at fashion magazines and catalogs. One fascinating resource is a collection of original sketches of designs created for Bergdorf Goodman’s custom salon, dating from 1929 to 1952, that were donated to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1966. They are now part of the Costume Institute Collections, and are available for the public to view on the Met’s website.

The designs include gorgeous dresses, suits, and coats that today one would be lucky to find sold by retro retail sites, let alone mainstream stores. However, a few mid-1940s sketches offer more casual styles, which you can easily replicate with clothes from any department store—if not your own closet!

Let’s look at five of them, which we'll refer to as Sketches 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

These five sketches from 1943 to 1947 all feature a simple pattern: essentially a blouse of some sort, paired with a contrasting skirt. The skirt makes the look instantly feminine and fancy. The fitted yet modest cut emphasizes the hourglass figure, flattering any body size. The beauty of this outfit is that you can make it as dressy, casual, vintage, or modern as you like, depending on which pieces and accessories you wear. The possibilities are endless!

Choosing Your Separates

The first step in creating your vintage-inspired ensemble is finding a good skirt. To stay retro, aim for no shorter than knee-length and no longer than mid-calf. Closer to ankle-length skirts evoke the 1930s, and swing skirts are very 1950s. To stick to the 1940s, like these sketches, look for looser pencil, A-line, and pleated skirts.

It’s usually easiest to find such skirts in black, but the same styles also look beautiful in navy, gray, brown, or brighter colors, like the blue skirt in Sketch 5. As illustrated by Sketch 1 and 4, the skirt can have a print, like plaid, check, animal prints, or houndstooth, or a pattern, like polka dots, flowers, or other designs. This style also works well with a long skirt for dressier occasions, colder weather, or if you want to cover your legs.

Pairing your skirt with the right blouse is essential. If you’re wearing a patterned or colorful skirt, opt for a simple black or white blouse. Button-up blouses were very popular in the 1940s; the kitten-front design can soften the look with its bow at the neck. Look for blouses with puffy capped sleeves and a button at the neck for a pretty summer look that is uniquely feminine. Avoid low necklines to stay modest.

If you wear a patterned skirt, you can copy Sketch 1 and match one of its shades with a solid color blouse. If you opt for an all-black skirt, a blouse of almost any color or pattern will match harmoniously. You can wear the same skirt year-round by changing your blouse, depending on the temperature.

Do It Yourself

Here are the steps to creating your own vintage-inspired ensemble. Once you’ve created one outfit following this pattern, you can style dozens more for every occasion!

1. Start with your dominant piece, either the blouse or skirt, whichever has the brighter color or pattern.
2. Find a coordinating separate which complements your dominant piece. Do the colors and styles match? Consider the fullness of the skirt versus the blouse. While everything must blend harmoniously, a contrast in volume makes any outfit attractive.
3. Decide whether to tuck the blouse in. If it has its own sash or decorative details at its hem, you’ll want to leave it out. If the skirt has a belt or fitted waistband, tuck the blouse in. If you don’t like how the skirt fits your waist, hips, or upper thighs, you’ll feel better if the untucked blouse covers the area.
4. Tie the outfit together with a belt. Unless it has an attached sash, you should belt an untucked blouse for waist definition. If you tuck the blouse into a skirt with a fitted waistband, the belt is optional.
5. Black pumps work with any outfit in this style, unless you change the base color to navy, gray, or brown. Avoid stilettos or heels higher than 3 inches to remain period-appropriate. Wear whatever heel height is comfortable for you, including nice black flats. For an extra vintage touch, try thicker heels or slingback shoes, like in Sketch 1.
6. Experiment with accessories to complete your desired look. Try a scarf that matches your skirt, as in Sketch 5. Maybe add matching gloves, as in Sketch 1. Simple jewelry, such as pearl or diamond earrings and a matching ring, will dress up your outfit.
7. If you want a retro look, add a hat! A black beret, found in most department stores, imitates the look in Sketch 5. Fancier hats and fascinators (hats on headbands) are sold in department stores around racing season, at hat stores, or in vintage shops. Amazon offers a wide variety of hats at reasonable prices.

The next time you need a new outfit, why not follow Bergdorf Goodman’s pattern for simple, retro beauty?