Vintage Streetstyle | Real Style + Fashions from the 1920s

You have to wonder, what was she thinking when this moment was captured on film? A woman of obvious beauty and wealth posed inside a car in the 1920s. Where is she going? What is her name? Why did she choose to wear what she's wearing?

These are the thoughts that run through my mind when perousing vintage photographs. Every one of them has a story to tell.




I've been on a bit 1920s/1930s kick lately (Boardwalk Empire...slowly getting through all the episodes during break). I hope you enjoy these lovely photos! Click on them for credit and larger versions!

Vintage Streetstyle | Real Style + Fashions from the 1930s & 1940

These vintage photographs were selected specifically because the clothes the women are wearing don't appear too costume-y or out of reach. Sometimes I see many beautiful gorgeous vintage 30s and 40s dresses at online vintage shops or even at vintage fashion expos, but I always wonder when would I wear these? They will only gather dust in my closet. So, I always tend to gravitate towards casual daywear vintage clothing as opposed to formal wear.

And even though these lovely vintage gals are in their casual clothes, don't they look so dapper anyway? They would frown upon my casual "going for a bike ride" outfit of leggings, t-shirt, and sneakers!


Image Credits: Magnolia Blossoms (c) 1940, Three Lovely Ladies, Two Girls on a Bicycle (c) 1936, Bette & Midge, Showing some leg (c) 1942, Lounging in the Park, Borghese Bologna anni 30, Ladies in Stripes, On The Fence

Vintage Streetstyle | Real Style + Fashions from the 1930s

I cannot express enough how looking through vintage photographs can be the best source for learning more about vintage clothing and styles from the past! And old photographs are just super fun to look at anyway ^_^. Here are a few of my favorites from the "Original 1930s Photos" Flickr Group.


I LOVE ♥ ♥ ♥ 1930s style. I always feel like the 30s has too much of the 20s and too much of the 40s so that sometimes the 30s are a little hard to define. But as far as my personal style goes, I find the 30s to be my main source of inspiration. Loose trousers (belted), feminine blouses that aren't too broad across the shoulders always with a pretty detail (collars, ties, bows, etc), and I love little floral prints and soft flowing fabrics. Also, the length of most of the items are pretty close to the length of everything I wear, but then again, that probably has a lot to do with me being a smidgen over 5 feet tall. *hehe* So everything is below the knee...

Mmmm... I would wear every single outfit depicted in each of these photographs, even the little girls' blouses. So darn cute!

For more about Vintage Fashion from the 1930s, check out our 1930s category!

Vintage Streestyle | Vintage Fashions from the 1950s

Vintage Streetstyle | The 1960s | A Woman Named "Ty"

I have never in my life been so inspired by a complete stranger, let alone a stranger that lived some 50 years ago and probably does not know her found photographs have been scanned on the internet and shared for people to admire.

These are photos of Ty. A wife of a bloke, is he American, is he European, is he Australian? We don't know. But he seems to adore his wife very much as most of the photographs were of her looking impeccably put together while they travel through Hong Kong in the 1960s.

Is it weird to say I want photos like these of me? Candid moments that perhaps in the distant future someone will blog about and think "Wow, this woman had such style, I wish I was her!"

Vintage Streetstyle | The 1970s

Some of these photos look like they were taken yesterday with a vintage camera. Especially the one tagged "Amsterdam". The girl in the yellow coat could be on The Sartorialist! Also love the street photo of the girl in Olives + Camel tones, she is holding a rolled up Cosmopolitan magazine. It's very apparent, even through these simple found vintage photographs, that the styles & trends of the 1970s are still influencing modern day fashion.