Mens Fashions History

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Mens Fashions History

Men’s fashion history from the Victorian to the 1960s. What did real men wear for daytime, evenings, work and sport? Read these fashion history articles to find out. Next find out how to re-create classic vintage looks for a themed event, costume party, or everyday fashion using new vintage inspired men’s clothing and vintage reproduction men’s clothing.

For Men: Reasons to Dress Vintage and Dance

One of the biggest comments or complaints I hear from women is "my husband/boyfriend will not dress vintage / go dancing with me." Ladies, I hear you. I dated my share of men who said they have "two left feet" or "wouldn't be caught dead in a monkey suit."...

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February 5, 2018

How to Dress Retro Vintage Casual for Men

Last week I mentioned the trend for wanting/wearing vintage casual clothing is in high demand this year. Request for men's clothing is usually prefaced with "I don't want to wear a suit" or "how can I work with clothing I already have?" While Oscar thoroug...

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August 22, 2017

1940s Men’s Hairstyles & Facial Hair

1940s Men's Hairstyles The 1940s man had perfectly groomed hair, with frequent visits to the barber. The look is fairly simple to pull off today (unlike those time-consuming women’s styles!) If you want to achieve most men's 1940s hairstyle you will nee...

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June 14, 2017

1940s Men’s Underwear: Briefs, Boxers, Unions, & Socks

Men’s underwear (very unlike women’s) hasn’t changed much throughout the years, although it did look a little bit different during the ‘40s. Men wore either briefs, shorts or union suits. White knit briefs were made from ribbed cotton with an elasti...

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May 11, 2017

Bulova Accutron – Men’s American Watch History

Continuing on from GM's vintage men's watch guide is a bit of history about one specific men's vintage watch featured in the TV show Mad Men: the Bulova Accutron If there’s one men's wristwatch that captured the spirit of the 1960s, it was the Bulova Accutr...

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May 9, 2017

1940s Men’s Formalwear

Dressing up in black tuxedos, tails or dinner jackets was a regular affair even in the depression of the 1930s. For city folks and those wealthy enough to afford a night of dinner and dancing, gentlemen always wore formalwear, as did the wait sta...

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April 27, 2017

History of Men’s Vintage Jewelry- Collar Bars, Rings, Tie Clips

Men's vintage jewelry is perhaps a little overlooked in comparison to jewelry worn by ladies. To rectify this, we thought it would be fun to look at the history of men's vintage jewelry from our favorite period, the 1900s to the 1960s. Care to join us? Splendi...

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April 18, 2017

1940s Men’s Work Clothes & Uniforms

Starting at the turn of the century and into the 1960s, there was little change in men's workwear styles. Materials, colors and fit changed, but the overall style of workwear for common occupations remained the same. Overalls, coveralls, uniforms, and workwea...

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April 6, 2017

1940s Men’s Casual Clothing- Shirts, Trousers, Pullover Vests

While men's 1940s business attire moved toward formality, casual style went the opposite way. Ease and comfort blended the lighter business suit style with sports wear established in the previous decades. This merging resulted in sports coats instead of busin...

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April 3, 2017

Vintage Men’s Wedding Guest Clothing Ideas

Spring time means wedding time, not just for brides but for grooms, father of the bride/groom and wedding guests. Over the past few weeks I have been asked for help dressing in a 1920s or 1930s style for an upcoming wedding. Most of these weddings are semi...

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March 28, 2017

History of Vintage Men’s Gloves – 1900 to 1960s

Although gloves are still part of a gentleman’s wardrobe today, from the 1900s to the 1960s they were absolutely integral to it. Join us as we explore the history of men’s gloves with a focus on gentleman's dress gloves. For the simple reason that glove...

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February 7, 2017

History of Vintage Men’s Socks -1900 to 1960s

Given that men’s socks have only slightly changed since the turn of the early twentieth century, you could be forgiven for underestimating the humble sock. However here at Vintage Dancer, we find the history of hosiery to be rich and interesting. Read on as we...

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January 12, 2017

1900s Edwardian Mens Clothing, Costume & Workwear Ideas

During the early 1900s, Edwardian men’s clothing was relatively formal, with specific outfits worn at different times of the day. Interestingly, it was during the 1900-1919 years that for the first time, clothing started to be mass-produced. This reduced ...

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January 5, 2017

1960s Menswear Outfits | 60s Fashion for Guys

As a life-long Beatles fan, the 1960s holds a special place in my heart. Add the James Bond movies into the mix, and the broad range of 1960s menswear clothing and I’m in love with this iconic decade. It’s easy to label something as being iconic, but in...

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November 29, 2016

1930s Mens Fashion Guide- What Did Men Wear?

In the 1930s, the athletic body seen on boxers and Superman became the ideal men's shape. Clothing reflected this new shape with extra broad shoulders, thin waists and tapered legs. Initially, inspiration for menswear came from British Guard Off...

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November 28, 2016

Men’s Vintage Workwear – 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Lately I have received quite a few questions about men's vintage workwear from the 1920s to the 1950s. Readers want to know what types of clothing were worn to work as farmers, mechanics, groundskeepers, railroad men, delivery drivers and other labor inten...

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November 8, 2016

Vintage Retro Men’s Clothing Outfits for Fall & Winter

Whist the summer months require light fibers of cottons and linens, the winter months are all about layers. Winter is when the wonderful fibers of tweed and wool come into their own. Tweed immediately evokes a vintage inspired style, with only a few detail...

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November 1, 2016

50s Outfits for Men | 1950s Costume Ideas for Guys

If you think of men's 50s outfit ideas, your mind may immediately conjure up images of rebellious young men in leather biker jackets with greased up pompadour hairstyles. A time where everybody looked like The Fonz, Danny from Grease or James Dean. Well, this ...

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October 20, 2016

50 Men’s Vintage Halloween Costume Ideas

My popular 50 Vintage Halloween Costume Ideas gives plenty of unique looks for women but what about men? Here is a roundup of over 50 Vintage Halloween Costume ideas for Men and where to buy cheap costumes or better yet quality new clothing with a vintage look...

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October 11, 2016

1940s Men’s Suit History and Styling Tips

During the ‘40s, suits were still everyday wear for men, whether they were going to an office job, to church or out to dinner. They were also probably the hardest hit piece of a man’s wardrobe. It didn’t matter if he were relaxing at home after a hard week...

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September 29, 2016

1940s Men’s Outfit & Costume Ideas

Learning about men's 1940s fashion history is a big help in creating vintage looks for a swing dance or WW2 history event yet questions still come up about how to put an entire look together. The hardest part about finding 1940s men's clothing besides vintage ...

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September 14, 2016

1930s Menswear Outfit & Clothing Ideas

America entered the 1930s in a somber mood. The 1929 Wall Street Crash had devastating results, leading to the Great Depression with more than 11 million unemployed. As such, men’s fashion during the ‘30s couldn’t help but be influenced by the wider economic c...

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September 8, 2016

Men’s 1950s Shoes Styles- Classics to Saddles to Rockabilly

The 1950s expanded on the trend of “American informal” fashion. This comfortable new look encouraged everything from hats to shoes to slim down, loosen up and mix up color and texture. For men's 1950s shoes that meant classic men’s footwear such as ...

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August 29, 2016

1930-1950s Western Wear for Women and Men

Western wear. Denim jeans, plaid shirts, cowboy boots, and hats. The look hasn't changed much in the last 100 years, but there was a time in the mid-century where practical western wear met mainstream fashion and created new styles. It is a part of fashion his...

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August 17, 2016

Men’s 1950s Clothing History: Casual Fashion

Part two of our look at men's 1950s clothing and fashion leaves the dull grey of the workplace behind and enters the vibrant casual clothing world. Read part 1 about men's 1950s business attire here. During the ‘50s, leisurewear for men became very po...

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July 1, 2016

1950s Men’s Fashion History for Business Attire

In the 1950s, men's fashion experienced a new paradigm shift. As always inspired by the youth, but even more so inspired by American casualness. Across the pond, all eyes were looking at American men for clothing designs that embraced the 4 C's: color, com...

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June 22, 2016

Casual Vintage Men’s Clothing 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

When one first starts to become interested in the genre of vintage clothing, it is usually the evening wear that draws us in. The beautiful fabrics, embellishments, and styles, all evoking the glamorous atmosphere of bygone times. Yet, equally important is...

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June 15, 2016

1940s Men’s Fashion Clothing Styles

1940s men's fashion for day, sport or evening was styled to make a man feel "larger than life." During 1941-1945, WWII fabric rations limited cloth to make suits but not style. Middle class men chose basic business suits that haven’t changed dramatical...

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April 16, 2016

1940s Men’s Accessories: Belt, Suspenders, Cuff Links, Glasses

Part two of the article on 1940s men's fashion continues with a look at accessories in menswear. Men's belts (or suspenders?), cufflinks, jewelry, eye glasses, sunglasses, pocket squares, watches, gloves, and scarves were all worn by men during the 1940s. Th...

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February 1, 2016

1930s Men’s Suits History

We are preparing for a few 1930s events this year, which means doing some fashion research and buying some new vintage style 1930s clothes. My research always begins with my collection of vintage catalogs. For the 1930s, fashion illustrations by Laurence Fello...

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August 5, 2015

1930s Men’s Summer Clothing Guide

Summer is in full swing, and for many men heading to vintage picnics, Gatsby lunches, and ice cream socials it is a time to put on their best vintage summer suits. The 1930s is one of our favorite decades, so naturally finding 1930s men's summer clothing w...

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July 12, 2015

Where to buy detachable collars? Answered

Question: Where can I buy detachable collars? Answer: For most of the 19th century and into the early 1920s men's shirts did not have collars or cuffs attached to them. Instead collars were purchased separately and attached to the shirt with a button at the...

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June 26, 2015

Victorian Men’s Shirts- Dress Shirts, Western Shirts

A Victorian man on the Western frontier or living big city life as a Gentlemen is in need of a few good shirts. Plain white shirts were the most common for gentlemen while rustic folk found dark colors easier to keep clean. Button up, bib front, yoke, with or ...

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June 22, 2015

1920s Grooms and Groomsmen Attire

June is the month for weddings so it is no surprise I have been asked for help dressing groom and groomsmen for a 1920s themed wedding (or gangster, Art Deco, prohibition, Great Gatsby, Downton Abbey themes.) Vintage inspired 1920s weddings are very...

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June 19, 2015

1940s Teenage Fashion for Boys and Young Men

In 1940 as many as 8 out of 10 high school graduate teen boys went to war. The teenage boys and college age young men who remained were part of a new fashion movement that was entirely designed for teens by teens. Last week we looked at 1940s teenage fashi...

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May 27, 2015

1940s Men’s Reproduction Clothing

Question: I have had several requests this week for finding 1940s reproduction men's clothing that is either ready made or custom made to measure. Answer: A while back I published a big list of men's vintage, reproduction and vintage inspired clothing brand...

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May 22, 2015

1919 Clothing: Mr. Selfridge Costumes Season 3

Have you been watching Mr. Selfridge season 3? I have. Naturally I keep a close on on the fashions as they have evolved from the first season in 1908 to now, season 3, set in 1919. Clothing from 1917 to 1922 were long, loose, simple and free yet not quite...

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May 11, 2015

Vintage Men’s Swimsuits – 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Daniel asked: I was just wondering, I know what ladies used during the '30s-40s (swimming suits). But what did the men use? Let's take a brief look at vintage men's swimsuits by decade: 1920s Men's Suits- Read this article about men's swimwear in the 1920s...

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May 1, 2015

How to Find a Local Costume / Reenactment Group

There are thousands of costume societies and historical reenactment groups around the world. Yet finding one that is local to you can be a challenge. Most groups are not official organizations but small groups of friends, museum volunteers, event- specific org...

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April 27, 2015

Make Any Shoes into Vintage Dance Shoes

Question: I can't find dance shoes in my size. How can I make my regular shoes into dance shoes? Most shoes for women and many casual shoes for men come with non-slip rubber sole. Dance shoes, however, need to slip in order to slide, glide and spin on th...

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April 24, 2015

1920s Fashion for Men

1920s men's fashion was the start of menswear as we know it today. Only minor changes in menswear have come about since the 1920s. It was a time of classic sophistication with a level of fun that I haven't seen since. Suit colors were mostly neu...

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April 19, 2015

Great Gatsby White Suit- Get the Leonardo DiCaprio Look

Although the movie hasn't come out yet I am 99% sure that every man is going to want the white suit that Leonard DiCaprio wears in The Great Gatsby. Back in 1974 it was Robert Redford's white suit that attracted so much attention and still does today! I wr...

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March 18, 2015

Men’s Steampunk Costume Essentials

We recently covered women's Steampunk costumes essentials, now for mens! I think men can have a harder time getting a Steampunk costume together since it's heavily influenced by Victorian clothing and those clothes just are not made today. On the other...

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February 10, 2015

Victorian Men’s Tuxedo, Tailcoats, Formalwear Guide

Where can you buy reproduction Victorian men's formal wear such as a tuxedo? This is a topic I had to research for husbands Victorian wedding suit. Protocol in formalwear changed over the seven Victorian era decades but the general look and feel is the similar...

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November 4, 2014

Boardwalk Empire Men’s Clothing

The final season of Boardwalk Empire is underway. It is bittersweet for the fans who love the show and especially the fashion. The series began in 1920 and ended last season in 1924. Those four years set in motion a major change in men's apparel from the gloom...

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September 11, 2014

1950s Men’s Shirt Styles – Dress Shirts to Casual Pullovers

1950s men's fashion have returned to modern wardrobes this year. 1950s men's shirts in particular seem to always get the biggest revival. Dress shirts, button down casuals, polo shirts, even retro t shirts all have their place both in the vintage retro market ...

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June 10, 2014

40 Men’s Vintage and Vintage Inspired Clothing Shops

While the choices of vintage and retro style clothing for women are many, for men there are fewer options. The market for affordable new men's vintage inspired clothing or vintage reproduction clothing just hasn't caught on yet. The best options for men are cu...

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April 29, 2014

Men’s Victorian Costume and Clothing Guide

Living out in the Wild West we have a lot of history that dates back to the mid to late Victorian era during the Gold and Silver Rushes of Northern Nevada and California. Since we have several Victorian themed reenactments to attend each year it is essenti...

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March 27, 2014

1940s Mens Shoes: Mens Vintage Shoe History

From the 1920s to the 1950s men's shoes had an overall similar style and color palate. Lace up dress shoes were the most practical while boots were worn for work, sneakers for sports, sandals in the summer, and loafers for at home. The choice of color...

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March 25, 2014

7 Easy 1920s Men’s Costumes Ideas

So you have a prohibition era 1920s event to dress up for and you don't know what to wear? Here are 7 men's 1920s costumes you can make from clothing you may already have or can attain from a thrift store, new clothing store or online retailer. How "easy" it w...

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February 13, 2014

Mens Fashions History

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