Old Hollywood’s Encore, the 30s and 40s Fashion Revival

We look back at the 1930s and 1940s as an era of contradictory fashions, all at once we had the extravagant and frivolous golden age of Hollywood, but also clothes greatly influenced by necessity and practicality through challenging years. It was a tumultuous time that saw a world war and the great depression. Perhaps as we find ourselves again in turbulent times, it’s fitting that fashion returns to that familiar dynamic of contrasting style.

Just like today, public figures and celebrities led the way in setting trends in those decades, now in 2025 our new stars find themselves stepping into the shoes of ghosts of fashions past. Such as Fred Astaire (Funny Face, Holiday Inn), who was admired as someone that could not only pull off an elegant tuxedo but also glide across the room in it. Oh so graceful and stylish. In 2025 there has been a big revival of tuxedos, with designers such as Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren revisiting classic cuts, also exploring more androgenous styles, which was very much Astaire’s look. Contrastingly, the bad boy heart throb Clark Gable (Gone with the Wind) had a style that was more rugged yet equally charming.

His trademark look involved double breasted suits, with wide lapels on his jackets and high rise trousers. You can now find this style of suit popularised again through designers like Burberry, Prada and Gucci.

Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce, The Women) was the screen queen of the 1930s, and for her, it was all about the shoulders. She was a fan of Elsa Schiaparelli, an Italian fashion designer famous for her eccentric designs, who along with Chanel, was one of the most prominent fashion names in the 1930s (Chanel and Schiaparelli had a rivalry which escalated into Chanel ‘accidentally’ pushing Schiaparelli into a candle arrangement at a ball). Crawford wore a few of these Schiaparelli strong shouldered suits and by the 1940s power shoulders were mainstream.

Now just take a look at Saint Laurent’s winter 2025 collection, shoulders are back baby. Bigger and bolder than ever.

Silk scarves were an iconic fashion item of the 1940s and we are seeing a resurgence of them in 2025. These originally became trendy out of necessity. As more women entered the workforce, it became popular to wear scarves on their heads to protect their hair. This single piece of small material could also be used in different ways to make a fashion statement, such as in the hair or round the neck.

Now in 2025, silk scarves have become an unexpected summer essential. The biggest trend seems to be wearing them around the waist, pulled off by Kylie Jenner, Alexa Chung and Jennifer Lawrence. Designers such as Hermes, Gucci and Versace being some of the best-known brands for silk scarf prints.

As Cynthia Erivo discussed her outfit for this year’s Oscars, she was quoted saying she ‘wanted something that felt very old Hollywood’. She wore a bold velvet ballgown, which of course was green and would not have looked out of place in the Emerald city. The Wicked movie has taken the world by storm and the costume designer Paul Tazewell described that much of his inspiration came from the original Wizard of Oz film, which came out in 1939. This is just one of the many popular films and tv shows that have added to the recent hype around vintage fashion from this period.

The pandemic sent fashion into a spiral, never has so much loungewear been worn. Maybe after being shut away for all that time, we are looking for fashion that is highly expressive, that brings the drama. Ta-da, here we are! Others might describe today’s return to past styles as a fashion rebellion, an excellent way to show up the fast fashion and casualness of the 2010s. Embracing classy, classic and well-made pieces. That’ll show ‘em. This could demonstrate a growing change in mindset when it comes to our wardrobe. A rediscovery of quality over quantity, and pieces that stand the test of time are winning.

So, perhaps we are currently in the era where we hit pause and take stock of the great looks of the past and decide that we can find what we are looking for safely in fashion that already exists, tried and tested, that served our predecessors through tough times. Embracing the nostalgic hug that is turning back the clock and bringing a piece of the past into the future. There is certainly something appealing in the blending of today’s savvy and stylish trends with thrifting and vintage shopping. Old school style endures. Hopefully this is the permission you needed to raid grandpa/grandma’s cupboard in the name of fashion.

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