Mickey, Donald, Minnie, we can’t be the only ones who still have a soft spot for our childhood favourites? Whenever we find a box of vintage sweatshirts or dungarees, we always have our fingers crossed that we’ll pull out some super cute Disney emblazoned pieces.

A cartoon sweat is the perfect addition to any 90s inspired outfit. So it’s time to dig out your baby pics and recreate those incredible outfits. We’re not the only ones who can’t get enough of Disney clothing, the whole of the fashion industry seems to be totally obsessed! So check out our top Disney fashion moments...

Top 10 Disney Fashion Moments

1. Comme Des Garcons X Minnie Mouse

Designer Rei Kawakubo’s found a muse in Minnie Mouse for the CDG 2008 fall/winter collection and we have to say this fascinator alone is completely adorable!

2. Supreme X Mickey Mouse

What happens when you cross a streetwear Goliath with the biggest cartoon character in the world? Well, you get Supreme’s 2009 collaboration collection. Mickey took over classic styles like tees and hoodies, which sent fans into meltdown.

3. Annie Leibovitz Reimagines Scarlet Johansson As Cinderella

Known for her ethereal and otherworldly photography style, Annie Leibovitz created this enchanting imagery with superstar Johansson as Cinderella. She nailed the fairytale glamour.

4. Carine Roitfeld In Givenchy

The Met Gala is always a place to find the most diverse array of styles and in 2013 fashion royalty Carine showed her love for Disney. This Givenchy Bambi number is really cute, but in a totally goth way.

5. Zendaya As Cinderella

Another Met Gala look that blew us away from 2019, former Disney star Zendaya arrived looking regal in a dress that can only be described as Cinderella realness. Don’t forget you can see ALL of our favourite campy looks from this years' Met Gala here.

6. Disney X Opening Ceremony

Not only is this particularly adorable, but founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim went all out for the Disney theme by taking over Disneylan’s ToonTown to stage the show. Avante-garde meets adorable AF, we love it!

7. Levi's X Mickey Mouse

When two icons collide you know it’s going to be good. Disney denim, what’s not to love?

8. Lindsay Lohan Becomes The Princesses

Disney provides us with a whole lot of Halloween costume inspiration, but Lindsay Lohan really went all out for her Cover shoot for Paper magazine in 2018. Along with Cinderella and Ariel, they recreated Snow White and Aurora’s iconic looks with a modern fashion spin.

9. Vogue Japan 2014

This super fun and quirky shoot is peak Disney. Over-the-top and a little cheeky this is the perfect cartoon editorial.

10. British Vogue 1991

The ultimate vintage Disney fashion throwback, this shoot from the early nineties is camp and cute in equal measures. Now where can we find a Daffy Duck cap?

Our Top Vintage Disney Picks

If you've caught the Disney fashion bug then head into store or check out our website to shop classic vintage Disney pieces and our own Reworked Vintage Disney. If you want get some more inspo then you can read up on our favourite camp fashion icons or get some 90s dungaree styling inspiration here.

Words By Eloise Gendry

After the hype around Bohemian Rhapsody it’s no surprise that an Elton John biopic has been announced. One of the most iconic figures in British music, Sir Elton John has inspired generations after him with both his music and his style. His stage outfits are instantly recognisable in the same way that his voice could not be confused for anyone but him.

So before we see Taron Egerton portray the living legend in Rocketman lets take a look at Elton John’s most iconic fashion moments.

Top 10 Elton John Looks

1973 - Winged Wonder

A truly iconic outfit, this all white, angelic get-up is an ethereal look. The oversized sunglasses are the perfect accessory to top it off - definitely inspiration from for the festival season.

1974 - Definitely Not Mellow Yellow

This in-your-face yellow stage outfit is exactly what you think of when you think of Elton; tight spandex, a plunging v-neck and massive white feather sleeves. YAS.

1975 - Home Run

This crystal covered costume made Elton’s performance at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles a memorable one. Harry Styles was even inspired to recreate this look for Halloween 2018, down to the tinted-lens square sunglasses.

1980 - Totally Quackers

Not one to shy away from wacky looks, Elton performed in Central Park, NYC in an inflatable Donald Duck outfit. Genius.

1984 - Shining Star

Elton John has always existed outside the realm of gender norms and in this bedazzled gown he makes a statement. The custom headpiece is also a show stealer.

1986- Shocking Pink

You would think the focus point of this outfit would be the bedazzled silver jacket, alas, it is the bright pink mohawk that our eyes are immediately drawn to.

1988 - Man Of Many Costumes

Dressed down in a simple black polo, Elton stands with a selection of his stage costumes showing the transformation that takes place in the dressing room.

1992 - Versace, Versace, Versace

At a Versace store opening in London in 1992, Elton poses with Donatella Versace in his iconic round sunglasses that became an integral part of his looks.

1997 - Never Outdone

For his 50th birthday party Elton John arrived dressed as an 18th century aristocrat. The bigger the hair, the closer to heaven, as they say; this hair is practically in the clouds.

Totally Gaga

His influence is boundless and of course the queen of outlandish stage costumes has taken a note or too from Elton John’s costume playbook.

Get The Look

Feeling inspired? We don't blame you. If you're read to upgrade your wardrobe and try something a little more flamboyant then look no further- here's our top Elton John inspired picks.

Gold Converse- £26.95

Red Patent Baker Boy- £18.00

Yellow Lens Round Sunglasses- £10.00

Long Sleeved Metallic Rainbow Shirt- £22.00

Floral Cropped Blazer- £25.00

Leather Platform Boots- £46.00

Diamante Resin Hoop Earrings- £10.00

If you can't get enough of the Elton John inspiration then head over to Pinterest. You can follow Beyond Retro and see our Rocketman inspired board where you can get inspired by his best looks and a curation of Elton-inspired vintage pieces from our website.

Words Eloise Gendry

Welcome back to goth month!

Where every fan of all things haunting and scary start counting down the days until the next Halloween night.

Obviously here at Beyond Retro, we’re huge fans of the spooky season, and although we never really need an excuse to dress up we have a handful of frightening tricks and treats for our readers to devour for themselves. 

How To Make Halloween Decorations

Head Jar

Everyone’s a little grossed out by pickled body parts in jars, so why not turn your own face into one? It’s pretty simple, just follow these simple steps:

1. Take a selfie and side profile shot and upload to photoshop
2. Align images and blend
3. Print and laminate
4. Fill your large jar, add food colouring to make it look like preserve
5. Place the head image in the jar and freak out your friends!

See the full tutorial here.

Cockroach Hand Soap

You know those bags of plastic creepy crawlies that are everywhere this time of year? Well, they look super icky oozing in gooey soap bottles, especially when your guests least expect it.

Maybe consider saving some for later in the year as a prank.

Spooky Houseplants

Probably thanks to the need to have an Instagrammable bedroom, we’ve noticed that everyone has slowly become obsessed with houseplants.

Incorporate the trend into your Halloween decorations with a little bit of black spray paint. 

Another brilliant idea is to create a gorgeous Halloween party favour. All you need is wax chips, black wax dye, and red roses! 

See the full tutorial here.

Spider Lanterns

Admittedly this is just the first two decoration ideas combined but popping a few fake insects into a jar amongst fake cobwebs with one of those electric tealights placed in the center make for a terrifyingly cool addition to your Halloween crypt.

Jack-O-Pineapple

Because pumpkins are so last year. 

To Die For Party Themes

Addams Family

They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky and they make a classic Halloween theme.

Deck your house out as though it’s haunted and get your mates together for an iconic group costume.

Freak Show

Clowns are a lot of people’s idea of a nightmare but the rest of the circus can be equally as terrifying. Think mutations, rabid animals and garish prints. For more inspo, be sure to watch the American Horror Story series with the same title.

Hollywood Undead

Lay down the red carpet and make a Hollywood Walk Of Shame before asking everyone to arrive dressed as their favourite dead celebrity.

Monster Mash

Challenge your friends and family into inventing the scariest monster or creature. It’ll be a graveyard smash!

Out Of This World

Let your house be abducted by aliens and deck it out like the inside of a UFO or a Roswell crime scene, which if you’re on a budget means a lot of tin foil and silver streamers. Lime green punch is a must!

Killer Halloween Costume Ideas

Scary Skeleton

The backbone of a traditional Halloween, we’ve made the skeleton costume just a little bit more fashion with our hand painted blazers. Complete the look with cheekbone defining and super scary skull makeup.

Skeleton Leggings

Stranger Things

Everyone's favourite sci-fi Netflix series, Stranger Things, is coming to Secret Cinema! With an array of lovabhle characters, there's plenty of costumes to choose from.

Browse our curated Stranger Things collection now to find your perfect costume, straight outta 1985.

Geometric Top

Teenage Witch

Gone are the days of warty noses and green fingers, that look is over.

Another Netflix favorite, we’ve got on trend peter-pan collars and hooded capes for every teenage witch or wizard in our Halloween section.

The Girls from Booksmart

Booksmart stole our hearts and money when it hit cinemas this year, and we're not alone.

Nobody could stop talking about this movie - so pay tribute to your favorite heroines by donning a vintage boiler suit! 

Other Spooky Ideas For Your Halloween Party

Halloween Playlist

Get your guests the heebie-jeebies and show off your freakish dance moves with our special Halloween playlist with hours of grooving to Halloween classics and hidden gems.  

Spooky Nail Art

An easy way for a subtle everyday nod to Halloween this month is with some scary nail art. Think cobwebs, eyeballs, bats, pumpkins and more!

Pentagram Laces

Summon a subtly demonic look by tying your laces in a pentagram-like we did last year. Follow the tutorial here.

If you’ve enjoyed this, be sure to check out our 2019 Halloween Fancy Dress Ideas for some more spooky inspiration! Don't forget you can celebrate Halloween with Beyond Retro through an array of events we are hosting, and once the party is over you can recycle your Halloween costume back to us and receive  £5 voucher!

Freshly carved pumpkins are slowly starting to pop up in windows across the world, random kids have started knocking on your door for sweets but you only have a half-empty bottle of wine in the fridge or various types of painkiller and you’ve already been invited to more fancy dress themed events on Facebook than it’s physically possible to attend. Soon it will be Halloween and once again, you haven’t got your outfit sorted.

Here are our spooky ideas to try out last minute so that you don’t have to be that guy who tries to persuade people that they came as “an evil version of myself” or “a psychopath, they could be anyone, you can’t tell by looking” whilst dressed in their ordinary clothes. That ploy wasn’t funny the first hundred times. Trust us, even the slightest bit of effort will go appreciated.

Corpse Bride

Surely every female identifying human being has a black dress in their wardrobe and even if you don’t, we have you covered. Top it all off with a black wig, and a corpse bride kit from our stores or a deluxe rose headband.

Skeleton

Skeleton costumes take minimal effort and an all-black outfit is deemed the best backdrop. Use Google Images to find some creepy skull references before attempting to draw one onto your own face, or if in doubt just buy a mask in one of our stores. Pick up some Grim Reaper gloves in store or online to save time painting your hands!

Cat

There’s a reason that you see so many girls dressed as a cat every Halloween and not just because they can’t think of anything else. It’s pretty much the easiest costume to pull off and would usually take less than a minute to execute. All you really need to do is wear all black, procure some liquid eyeliner or black face paint and carefully dash three lines across each cheek and colour in the end of your nose. We have a super easy cat costume kit that includes some pointy ears available in store.

Zombie

Becoming a zombie for Halloween is arguably the easiest to pull off, all it takes is a little brains. Dig out your most worn looking outfit from the depths of your bedroom, rough them up a bit more and then do the same to any visible flesh. Darken the bags around your eyes using some makeup, finishing the look off with some fake blood and latex scars from one of our stores.

White Rabbit

Here’s one for those who don’t want to be overly gothic this Halloween. Whilst this white rabbit look may be cute to some, it’s terrifying for the most of us! The key to this look is wearing as much faux fur as possible. Hop along to one of our shops for one of our realistic looking masks to complete the transformation.

None of these takes your fancy? Shop our Halloween edit on our website today or head to one of our stores for a huge selection of costume inspiration! 

Aside from convincing your neighbours to hand over sweets, dressing up is the absolute best bit of Halloween! For once a year, the majority of fun lovers get dressed up as their favourite character from pop culture or spooky deity and have the greatest time ever.

Sometimes digging out last years Halloween costume just isn’t enough, especially in a world where everyone posts their looks across social media, many of these costumes will lie unused in the back of wardrobes all over.

 The easiest way to combat this Halloween tragedy is by planning an outfit that can be incorporated into your everyday style. Here are a handful of ideas the Beyond Retro staff have come up with that can easily be reworked into more casual looks.

Teen Wolf

Before: A fairly terrifying Teen Wolf recreation featuring our in-store Halloween mask and gloves. It’s enough to send anyone howling!

After:  A wholesome menswear look featuring a statement vintage nylon team jacket layered over monochromatic basics.

Velma

Before: Jinkies! The mystery of what to wear this Halloween is pretty much solved. This Velma Dinkley looks featuring a vintage orange rollneck jumper and matching midi skirt is a classic. Even better if your friends come dressed as the rest of the Scooby gang.

After: Oh hey, without the wig Velma’s outfit makes a perfect Autumnal look. Just throw on a coat and you’re all set.

Del Boy

Before: The world is your lobster with this curiously accurate Del Boy costume. All you’ll need is flat cap combined with a shearling jacket, clashing jumper and a chain. Oh, and the obligatory beer belly. Lovely Jubbly!

After: Swapping the chain and cap for your own accessories turns the look into yet another stylish Autumnal outfit. Paired with a timeless shearling coat, your look will never date!

Cat

Before: There’s a reason you see so many girls dressed as cats on Halloween and that’s because it’s one of the easiest looks to pull off. Simply combine an all black jumpsuit with our scary cat ears and a tail set (available in-store only) and your look will be purr-fect!

After: Stuff those ears and tail into your bag and you’re a human again, with an outfit suitable for most occasions too!

Mermaid

Before: There’s nothing fishy about this glamourous mermaid costume. Simply layer all your sequin dresses to mimic a tail, find the brightest candy coloured wig available and wear a sequin bra as outerwear.

After: Pick your favourite dress out of the tail and ditch the rest, pop your bra back underneath and you’ve got a super chic party look!

For more Halloween inspiration, shop our spooky new edit. It’s to die for.

How we got to October this quickly is beyond anyone, it seems like just five minutes ago that we were clinking glasses celebrating the year coming in and now it's basically Winter. With Halloween just a blink away, it's definitely time to prepare for all your Halloween shenanigans before it's too late! Otherwise, you'll be flapping around fancy dress shops or Poundland on your lunch break come the 31st before realizing that everything half decent is sold out. 

The build-up to a Halloween party is all fun and games until it's the night before and you haven't sorted anything. Once you finally settle on an idea, things do get easier. Here are a handful of ideas that will be mega popular this year, so choose or avoid as necessary. 

IT

Image / NY TIMES (Warner Bros)

There's no doubt that the clown from the IT reboot is going to disgrace us with its presence at every Halloween celebration across the globe. It was creepy enough the first time but somehow it's gotten scarier. Get a mate who's good at makeup to sort out the face, layer some frilly lingerie over tights with puffed sleeves and top it all of a ruff. 

 Heres how we did it:

Friday The 13th 

Image / Digital Spy (Warner Bros)

Another killer Halloween look rebooted for the modern era, a Jason costume is perfect for those who can't be bothered to faff around with makeup before heading out. Simply combine a hockey mask, fake machete and a vintage brown leather jacket over an all-black outfit.

Stranger Things

Image / Yahoo

Whilst Stranger Things was the hottest fancy dress of last year, talks of the newest season mean you could totally recycle your past outfit. It's definitely one of the best Halloween group looks for those that want to be able to incorporate their costume into their everyday wardrobe. 

 Check out how our staff nailed the Stranger things look:

Donald Trump

Image / Medium

Once you've got the suit jacket sorted all you'll need is a really terrible wig, a can of spray tan and a Twitter account. Please don't threaten to brawl anyone dressed as Kim Jong Un whilst you're out, it is just a costume.

Jigsaw 

Image/ Huffington Post

Back once again with the Halloween remake, terrify the neighbourhood with your own rendition of Jigsaw. Blazer, red shoes, bow tie and some swirly red cheeks: no need to play stupid games running around the fancy dress shops after all. 

 Wonder Woman

Image / Huffington Post

In order to be the most powerful babe at Halloween and channel your inner Wonder Woman, you'll need lots and lots of spandex and gold. Consider adding your own spin on things with statement accessories such as a chain mail top or sparkly cape.

Versace Runway

Image / Harpers Bazaar 

Another golden look that's totally on trend. This year at Milan fashion week, Versace surprisingly ended their show with the most iconic supermodels from the 90's strutting their stuff to George Michael. Become a fashion icon this Halloween in one of our vintage gold pieces. 

Handmaid's Tale 

Image / Refinery29

Whilst the world seems to be politically crashing all around us, there's no doubt that the dystopian Handmaiden's Tale has given us at least something to look forward to each week. Fashion a headdress out of white card and grab a red robe to complete the easiest Halloween look ever. 

Beauty And The Beast

Image / Medium

Be the Belle of the ball quite literally, either in a blue dress with an apron or an elegant yellow number with matching hair accessories. All you budding beasts will need to get your paws on our selection of horns and claws we have in store. 

Rick And Morty

Image / Buzzfeed

Morty has a pretty basic and achievable look: one plain yellow tee, some jeans and trainers. Get your Granddad drunk and you'll have your own realistic Rick accessory, just add a lab coat. 

Game Of Thrones 

Image / Pogdesign.co.uk

Dominate the party and secure the best seat in the house for yourself with an on-point Game Of Thrones rendition. Become the mother of dragons, without getting burnt, in shoulder pads combined with a luscious blonde wig. 

Mermaids and Unicorns 

Mermaids and unicorns are possibly the most 2017 thing to ever 2017 in 2017. Shine brighter than a diamond in sequins, glitter and bright colours. Halloween doesn't always have to be full of ghosts & ghouls! 

Failing all these, you can always browse our Halloween section and dig up something for yourself!

If there’s anything we’ve learnt from the horror films, it’s safer to stay as a group than to split up, which is why pre-planned Halloween group getups are the best costume idea!

Oh, yeah, and the Instagram photos will be pretty worth it too. The only problem is choosing which fictional squad your homies could effectively pull off in time for Halloween, which unless you’ve all been binge-watching the same show recently, could result in a lot of who-owes-who and pulling straws. Luckily we’ve pulled together 15 of the best to make the initial stage of choosing just that little less terrifying.

1. The Addams Family

They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether ooky, which is why The Addams Family make the classic group Halloween menagerie. Aside from the pale makeup and wigs, all you’ll need is a couple of old suit jackets, a black dress with a white blouse for Wednesday, a sleek maxi dress for Morticia, a striped t-shirt for Pugsley and a severed hand. It’ll be a scream!

2. Rocky Horror Picture Show

Another classic, this time for those who are looking any excuse to wear underwear as outerwear (even if it is basically Winter). All you’ll need is a maid’s outfit, some golden short shorts, underwear as outerwear, suspenders and a classic pair of heels so that your most extra friend can channel some Frank N. Furter.

3. The Spice Girls

Spice up your life this Halloween and spread the message of girl power by going as the best 90’s girl group of all time. Sporty will obviously be head to toe in sportswear, Geri could be rocking a union jack, Baby in pastels, Scary in sexy animal print and Posh will definitely be wearing one of her many little black dresses. Bag yourself some 90s platforms for the ultimate homage.

 4. The Shining

Grab your bestie, a couple of baby blue matching collared dresses, knee-high white socks, mary jane shoes and some cutesy hair clips to become the Grady twins this Halloween.

5. X Files

There will be a lot of unexplained creatures roaming around come Halloween, so it’s best that special agents Mulder and Scully will be there to take the case. Print off some badges and wear with a couple of late 90s office wear looks. This couple costume can easily be flipped into a group project, just incorporate some aliens and extra agents!

6. The Simpsons

The best thing about The Simpsons is that there’s a seemingly endless supply of characters, so even if you’re not overly enthused about dressing as Bart or Lisa, there’s plenty of other options to pick from. Although whoever you do end up going as, please remember to shower before getting into bed or you’ll be washing yellow body paint off your sheets for months!

7. Ghostbusters

If there’s something wrong in the neighbourhood, you should probably call your friends and become the Ghostbusters. Not only is it a perfect Halloween outfit choice but it’s fairly simple to emulate, black work boots and brown overalls will pretty much do it. Just print off the iconic logo to pin onto the front and you’re all good to go.

8. Absolutely Fabulous

Patsy and Eddie may be caricatures of the fashion industry but their outfits still pop. If you’re going as Eddie, you’ll need a lot of clashing 90s styles with some vintage designer brands strewn in, Patsy needs a short black miniskirt paired with an animal print blouse or statement jacket: both with a ciggie in hand. Bubbles’ looks were always a lot more kitsch and outlandish, the bolder the better!

9. Stranger Things

An easy and wearable halloween costume, you’ll definitely be able to repurpose these casual 80s styles to your everyday wardrobe. Whether you’re opting to dress as Eleven with a pink dress under a team jacket or even just popping a trucker cap on to emulate Dustin, there’s something effortlessly cool about the Stranger Things styling.

10. Glow

Possibly the strongest Halloween look based off the recent telly. For those who haven’t seen it, Glow is all about the female wrestling scene in the 80s so think gaudy leotards, leggings, neon, metallics and spandex. The bigger the hair, the better.

11. Scooby Doo

Combining retro 70’s styles with spooky vibes, dressing as the Scooby gang has to be one of the most fun iconic Halloween looks for every vintage lover. Bonus points if Scooby is an actual dog! These outfits are even totally wearable casually too, minus the wigs. Let’s be honest, you know you’ve wanted some Daphne-esque lilac go-go boots since childhood but never had the excuse to splurge.

12. Killer Brides

Because it wouldn’t be Halloween without some good old-fashioned gore. Pick up a vintage wedding dress from our website, either pre-covered in blood or clean pristine, and accessorize as necessary. How you killed your husband is entirely up to you.

13. Star Wars

There’s always somebody dressed up in a Star Wars costume and this year it might as well be you. Han Solo would need a brown shirt layered under a waistcoat, Princess Leia in a gorgeous white dress and Darth Vader could be styled with an entirely black outfit under a fetching cape. May the force be with your look.

 14. Chucky & Chucky's Bride

15. Heathers

Become your inner Heather and bring your closest girlfriends with you. Think popular 80s high school chick: collared blouses tucked into checked miniskirts with a blazer on top, definitely opt for shoulder pads even if it stands against every fibre of your being.

Failing all these, you can just wear all black everything and accessories with some cat whiskers. Shop more Halloween looks online or head to one of our stores for the ultimate Halloween experience!

WonderBras, corsets, push-ups and girdles; styles and fashions in women's lingerie have reflected not only the changing trends in women's fashion but also changes in societal attitudes to beauty, the body and politics.

Check out our break down of the history of lingerie and the changing trends and styles from the Mid 19th century lingerie to the 1990s.

1850 - 1900

Crinolines and corsets were standard elements of a fashionable ladies dress in the mid - 19^th century. During this century skirts were voluminous and bell-shaped, the desired effect was first achieved by layering a large number of petticoats together.

In 1856 they were replaced by the cage crinoline - a hooped petticoat made from flexible steel. Skirt s continued to expand and they reached their maximum proportions around 1860. Skirts were so enormous two ladies could not sit together on the same sofa! 

'Camille' by Monet 1866 - shows the vast hooped skirt that was fashionable at the time

A crinoline, courtesy of the V & A

1900 - 1910s

During the Edwardian period, fashion as always reflected the mood of the age. It was a decade defined by everything that was larger than life-size (for those who could afford it) in an age of excess and extravagance.

In fashion busts too became bigger, the effect was emphasised by the so-called 'health' corsets which were designed to relieve pressure on the abdomen, made the body firmly straight in front, by throwing back the hips and throwing forward the bust. This formed the body into an S-shaped stance so distinctive of the period.

1920

During the 1920's skirts became shorter and waistlines dropped, this sleek and slinky silhouette was unforgiving to any form of bulky lingerie. An androgynous silhouette was the fashionable shape of choice throughout the roaring jazz-fuelled 20's - the bust was entirely boyish and women even took to wearing flatteners and lightweight slips in newly invented fabrics to achieve the desired effect.

1930

The 1930's is renowned as the Golden Age of Hollywood and of glitz and glamour. Fashion looked to burgeoning Hollywood starlets for style inspiration. There was an emphasis on backless dresses bared to the waist, many of the dresses of the period looked as if they had been designed to be seen from the rear. 

With developments in fibre technology, fabrics, colours, patterns and innovations with adjustable straps, padded bras and cup sizing, bras became more sophisticated than ever before and allowed for a more versatile approach to dress especially when it came to backless dresses. Wasp waists were also back in fashion coming into the 40's. In the summer of 1939, Vogue's reporter noted 'you must have a tiny waist, held in if necessary by super-light-weight boned and laced corsets'.

Tony Frissel for Vogue, 1938

1940

Fabric shortages throughout the war impacted trends and styles in fashion, the waist remained nipped with skirts coming to just below the knee. The 'make-do and mend' campaign encouraged women to re-make and update their wardrobe by hand. Military terminology crept into everyday product marketing with the conical 'bullet bra' increasing in popularity, offering support and protection.

Dior's revolutionary 'New Look' in the late 40's waists were heavily corseted, hips were padded and shoulders softened with an emphasis on the bust. This hourglass silhouette was achieved with the help of a strong girdle, with attached suspenders to hold up stockings.

1950

Pointed brassieres or bullet bras remained popular into the 1950's, helping to achieve the ultra-feminine look that was favoured throughout this decade.

Hooped skirts to achieve the popular bell-shaped form

1960s

Despite the sexual and feminist revolution of the 1960s many trend-led young women often looked like children, dressed in baby doll dresses, puffed sleeves, pinafores, gymslips and the Knickerbockers.

Lingerie reflected these styles with cute nighties, frilly knickers and unstructured brassieres becoming popular throughout the decade.

1970s

The cutesy styles of the previous decade were set aside in favour of a more sophisticated and sexy look. Lingerie became daring and luxurious with the use of silks, satins and sequins utilized to create the underwear for the decade of disco.

1980s

The lingerie of the 80's projected a bold, youthful and overtly sexual image. This was the decade that brought us thongs and G-strings with lingerie designers drawing inspiration from fetishistic corsetry and lacing.

Cindy Crawford modelling a bra and thong set 1980's

1990s

The 90's saw the trend for underwear as outerwear fronted by the chameleon queen of pop, Madonna and also infamously known for her conical bra. This was also the decade of the WonderBra worn by supermodel Eva Herzigova.

Eva Herzigova in Wonderbra's 90's billboard campaign  

Shop our selection of vintage lingerie here or for some more fashion history read our history of Levis jeans here.