Your Complete Guide to the Vintage 1940s Swing Dress
This post may contain affiliate links
1940s Swing Dress Inspiration and Vintage Swing Dress 1940s Style.
This post is all about Vintage 1940s Swing Dress Inspiration
This is part of our 1940s dresses series.
Other posts in the series:
Your Guide to 1940s Dresses Formal
Your Guide to the 1940s Cocktail Dresses
What is a Swing Dress?
A swing dress is an A-line silhouette dress with a fitted waist and a looser skirt that would "swing" as you move, especially when dancing.
The swing dress has remained a fashion staple in contemporary fashion due to it's flattering silhouette.
Why was the swing dress popular in the 1940s?
In the 1940s, teenagers and adults both loved dancing.
Rumba and Swing were on fire, and Jitterbug was the craze!
Swing dancing is characterized by lots of swinging, flipping, and throwing.
To really light up the dance floor, ladies needed dresses that could keep up with the beat.
This often meant fuller skirts and short sleeves to allow for more movability.
Swing dresses were characterized by their fitted waist with an a-line skirt.
Remember that during the war years, many households were tight on money, so fashion had to be reusable, and go seamlessly from day to night.
This meant that everyday 40s dresses (and popular 40s dress styles) would be paired with the right accessories (comfy saddle dance shoes) and voila, say hello to your 40s swing dress outfit.
During the WWII days of fabric rationing, ladies creatively gathered the top of their narrower skirts or cut them a tad wider for more swing.
After the war ended, and fabric rationing came to stop, ladies went all out on the gathers and pleats to ensure their skirt had the ultimate swish.
Keep reading for ideas on vintage ways to style this versatile wardrobe staple.
“When you stumble, make it part of the dance!”
Vintage style clothing: 1940s Swing Dress Advertisement
The 1940s swing dress style was often a variation of the classic 1940s dress with a fitted bodice, and a-line skirt.
We adore this two piece peplum style 40s dress for the “Swing Siren” that is advertised as “dateable, danceable, adorable!” The “full skirts swirls ‘n’ swings at each step” (top left image)
You can get this chic 40s dress in aqua, pink, powder blue, and grey.... and... drumroll... it’s washable!
And all of this for only $7.98.
We also love this 1941 ad in LIFE Magazine for Air Step shoes (top right) “the shoe with the magic sole.”
The girl’s neutral 1940s swing dress in the ad is also so on point, as are her adorable and comfy vintage shoes!!
1940s Swing Dress: Versatile House Dress
What was the 1940s house dress?
The 40s shirt dress was chic style was a WWII masculine and military-inspired style that was a practical solution to the no-nonsense dressing of the early to mid 40s.
Buttons were in the front of the dress (versus the back) and either buttoned from the neck to the waist, or all the way from the neck to the bottom of the skirt.
Remember, money was tight for many households in the 1940s and versatile dresses that could be worn and repurposed for multiple occasions were a must.
This was another popular swing dress style... just throw on your favorite dance shoes, ensure those waves (or braids), are ready for action, and it’s time to dance the night away.
1940s Swing Dress: 40s Style Jumper Dresses
Need a chic fashionable 40s swing dress to wear to your jitterbug dance contest?
What better stylish option than a 40s jumper dress for a a type of 40s forerunner dance competition to Dancing with the Stars.
This 40’s swing dress style has lots of fabulous swirl and is practical too.
The fabulous vintage style of this couple is only rivaled by their concentration and creativity on the dance floor!
1940s Swing Dress: 40s Style Patriot Dresses
In the 1940s, a popular style for ladies, teenagers, and girls was the sailor, or patriotic dress!
This dress style is an bright combination of the key patriotic colors, like navy blue, white, and red.
Girls showed their love for her homeland (and men abroad) by wearing this style of dress, during the 40s, a decade where countries across the globe were embroiled in World War II.
What better 40s dress for swing dancing the night away with your partner, especially if he is enlisted?
1940s Swing Dress Outfits: Skirts + Blouses
Vintage skirts paired with colorful blouses were a perfect 1940s style to dance the night away.
No need to be shy with 1940s boogie moves or colors for your swing outfits.
Add a dark practical swing skirt, 40s white wedged sandals and black socks, and voila say hello to everyday 1940s swing style.
Girls typically chose either slimmer a line silhoutte or a slightly fuller circle skirt -- both of which were “in” styles the 40s.
Check out how the girls combine white 40s skirts with matching tops, or light tops and dark skirts, or patterned tops and white skirts.
The finishing touch... in order to be dance floor ready? Practical and stylish saddle shoes and chic wedge sandels.
“There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.”
1940s Swing Dress Outfits: Teenage Style & Pleated Skirts
“Dance... enjoy each step along the way.”
These 40s teens and young adults sure are cutting up the rug with their jitterbugging moves at the state fairgrounds in Detroit, Michigan (Fall 1942).
The evening entertainment at the scrap salvage rally sponsored by the Work Projects Administration (WPA)?
Swing dancing!
Check out how some of these 40s swing dance outfit skirt styles are hitting just above the knee, and also the full pleated edition.
1940s Fashion icons wearing the swing dress
Rita Hayworth Swing Dress Style
All eyes are on Rita Hayworth as she dances the night away with Fred Astaire in the 1942 You Were Never Lovelier film.
In Buenos Aires, a father seeking to marry off his daughters in order, agrees to let the visiting American Dancer, Fred Astaire, perform at his club, only if he plays pretend suit to a club owner’s daughter (Rita Hayworth).
Notice how Rita Hayworth is wearing a matching shirt and skirt, and classic black and white saddle shoes.
Her button-up top is tied to show just a hint of skin and her skirt has full lots of gathers to allow lots of swing.
We totally love this chic vintage style outfit that is so feminine and perfect for twirling the night away on the dance floor.
Paulette Godard Swing Dress Style
“Dance with your heart and your feet will follow”
Paulette Goddard, the Old Hollywood Glamour actress and socialite, turns heads with her swing dress style and catchy moves as she performs across from Fred Astaire in the 1940 film Second Chorus.
In the movie, Fred Astaire and his college bestie both compete for Paulette’s character as they try to get jobs with the Artie Shaw band, one of the most popular big bands in early 1940s in the United States.
What are the characteristics of this early 1940s swing dress?
Full a-line skirt, paired with a fitted bodice, and soft sleeves for easy movement.
And wow, how she sure moves in those gorgeous vintage spectator pumps!
This post was all about the 1940s swing dress
Which swing dress look your favorite?
Do you prefer the two piece swing dress styles or the one piece 40s dress styles?
Other posts you might like:
Chic Vintage Maternity Clothes, from Retro Dresses to 50s Fashion
31 Beautiful Old Hollywood Actresses - Old Hollywood Glamour at it’s Best