Lynne McCrossan: Life begins in Forties with classic glamour

Published on Monday 30 November 2009 08:53

IF GLAMOUR was defined by a decade, that decade would be the 1940s. Outfits were sculpted, cuts feminine, hat/glove combos mandatory and no woman left the house without a full face of make-up on. Team that with men in tuxes and shiny shoes and it's safe to say this decade is the best dressed we've ever come across.

Fast forward to today and you'll see a stark resemblance to the standards set by those ladies of yesteryear. Dita Von Teese flies the flag for 1940s femininity and would never be seen dead without a corset round that tiny 21-inch waist, while Scarlett Johansson effortlessly embodies the persona of a Forties screen siren when she hits the red carpet.

This week, the city paid homage to the fabulous Forties as the Filmhouse lit the silver screen with Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles in The Lady From Shanghai. The plot is a bit bonkers but the costume design will have your heart soaring.

Every scene showcases Hayworth's ferocious femininity – from the skipper's hat perched perfectly on her platinum locks to her sailor's jacket popped at the collar for attitude, accentuating her curves, as the military buttons on her lapel glimmer in the sun. The outfit is tied together with bare legs and flip flops as she sashays on board a yacht. The parallels between this and Cheryl Cole's current costumes of choice are staggering.

The style continues to the court scene where she sits in a simple tweed two-piece, letting the hat on her head steal the show. This masterpiece can only be described as the inspiration behind Philip Treacy's creation for Sarah Jessica Parker's hat worn at the London premiere of Sex and the City.

Ladies, I firmly suggest taking a hit of Hayworth as inspiration for this year's Christmas party outfits. I can practically hear the stampedes of women heading for their nearest vintage store to recreate that Hollywood magic displayed so perfectly in this era.