Carbon Costume 1940s
Victoria Page from The Red Shoes
Victoria Page is a character from the 1948 classic film The Red Shoes, and is played by Moira Shearer. The story comes from a folktale and published by Hans Christian Andersen. The film follows Victoria who is an aspiring ballerina who is faced with the choice of choosing between dance and the man she loves.
In the iconic ballet performance scene, she wears bright red ballet shoes that tie up with ribbon, white tights, a blush or cream long tulle skirt, a leotard with appliqués and a blue bow in her hair. If you enjoy sewing and want to add the blue details to her top, sew or attach a blue ruffle/pleated trim along the edge that matches her hair bow.
J. Robert Oppenheimer from Oppenheimer
J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy) is the titular protagonist at the heart of Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer. The primary physicist responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer’s life included no shortage of drama including an affair with Jean Tatlock during his marriage to Kitty, and many inquiries into his political affiliations and ideologies. The Manhattan Project of which Oppenheimer was a part took place in the 1940s, so your costume should evoke a vintage silhouette as much as possible. Oppenheimer wears several different suits throughout the movie, often favoring grey and brown shades. He also owns a rather unique belt buckle that is silver with turquoise. To recreate his look from the film, choose a brown or tan suit, with a matching tie, shoes, and flat-brimmed hat. Add a belt with a fancy buckle, a pipe, and a wedding ring. Lastly, you can recreate his round identification badge by writing “K-6” on a plain white button.
Rosie Betzler from Jojo Rabbit
Rosie Betzler (played by Scarlett Johansson) is a single mother raising her son in Nazi Germany while her husband is away at war. Secretly anti-Nazi, Rosie hides her late daughter’s Jewish classmate in her attic while her son Johannes (“Jojo”) attends a Hitler Youth training camp. Rosie wears an array of fashionable vintage clothing, so there are many ways to recreate her look. Some of the staples of 1940’s fashion include high-waist trousers, cropped sweaters, and red lipstick. When it is not possible to find an exact replica of a specific outfit, layering different pieces can often evoke a similar effect.
Claire Randall
Originally an ex-army nurse from the 1940’s, Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) visits Scotland on a second honeymoon with her husband and accidentally walks through a time portal to the 1700’s on the smash Starz series Outlander. When she stumbles through the portal, Scotland is in the midst of the Jacobite Uprising. She is promptly rescued by a dashing, handsome Highlander named Jamie Fraser. Claire must decide whether to stay with Jamie or return to her husband, all the while navigating personal and world dramas. This guide is for her iconic first episode outfit, a classic 1940’s look.
The Spirit
The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. He’s a masked vigilante who fights crime with the blessing of the city’s police. I recommend finding a way to make your tie stick out to the side, probably by putting a wire into it.
Hello Nurse
In Animaniacs, Hello Nurse is a buxom studio nurse who Yakko and Wakko constantly fawn over. Naturally they do their best to get injured so they can get her attention, exclaiming “hellooooooo, nurse” whenever she enters the room. It’s later revealed that not only is she beautiful but that she has a genius IQ of 192.
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own stars Geena Davis, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell as members of the Rockford Peaches, a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Go ahead and try sliding for home plate in this dress, but just remember that there’s no crying in baseball.
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter was the original icon of girl power, symbolizing the contributions of women to manufacturing during WWII. Her badass likeness is captured in the famous “We Can Do It!” poster.
