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.

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? Splend...

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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 Clothing & Fashion Ideas

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

Men’s Vintage Inspired Clothing for Fall and 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

1950s Menswear Clothing & Fashion Ideas

If you think of 1950s menswear clothing 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...

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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 Fashion & 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 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 economi...

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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 histo...

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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

Mens Fashions History

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