The Philadelphia Story is set in the late 30's/ early 40s, a time when the Great Depression and the war had a huge impact on fashion. This is not the case in the world of rich socialite's Tracy Lord(Katherine Hepburn) and C.K Dexter Haven (Cary Grant). The rest of the world may have been rationing material but Tracy runs amuck with Dexter and Macaulay Connor (James Stewart) in the finest clothing while drinking the finest champagne.
1930s
For 1930s attire, bigger was better, with double- breasted suits, full-cut trousers, and tuxedos with tails setting the standard for how a gentleman should dress.
1940's tuxes were a little more streamlined with less material and a tighter cut.
Any old suit can be dressed up with a bow tie, cufflinks, a handkerchief in the pocket or a flower but personally I think the key to The Philadelphia Story look is a bottle of bubbly and looking like your having a great time.
If you want to go nice and simple 1940s then go for a smart suit. If you don't own one go straight to Zara or if your low on funds go in search of a 'dead mans suit' in charity shops, they are usually high quality but be careful of sizes. If that's too morbid for you, the basement of Arnotts have a fantastic selection usually bought up by slick old men but a great suit jacket can be yours for €20. Pin stripe and summer colored, light weight materials are popular in the film but why not mix it up and try a zoot suit or some swing dance fashion.
The Zoot Suit
The Jazz Era's wide suit, hugely popular in Harlem in the 1930s, was worn predominately by African-American and Mexican-American youths in the 1940s. It was considered unpatriotic and even illegal because it went so far against the standards of rationing. The fact that so many of the Mexican-Americans who wore it were gangsters did not help its reputation. However, the high-waisted, baggy and low-crotched trousers with the narrow ankle and oversized jackets had a powerful influence on men's fashions in the 1940s. Besides being an ideal outfit to wear while jitterbugging, the high waists and boxy, roomy coats were flattering, as well as comfortable. They gave a man more substance, something he wanted to project during such desperate times.
The Swing Scene
The look most commonly associated with men's fashion in the 1940s, was what a man wore to take his honey out on the town. If he wasn't in uniform, his look was strictly adhered to by today's swing revivalists. Daring young men wore zoot suits, but others simply took off their single-breasted jackets to dance and showed off their style through their accessories. Even after the war, the accessories really made the man, the tie was crucial. In the 1940s, high-cut trousers meant ties were shorter and wider. They were brightly colored when everything else was austere. They were held in place by clips, because you wouldn't put a pin through your good tie. Shirts were held in place by good cufflinks and dressed up by suspenders, which fastened to the trousers by buttons. Suspenders were especially popular when the leather that would make belts was all going to the war effort. Almost everyone wore wingtip, spectator shoes, which were not terribly different from men's shoes in the 1920s or 1930s.
Remember, dressing up isn't essential but it's fun :)
Remember, dressing up isn't essential but it's fun :)
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