How to Dress Feminine | Vintage Elegant Style and Classic Outfits
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All about the hyperfeminine outfits aesthetic and inspiration on how to dress feminine from vintage fashion icons.
This post is all about feminine outfits and how to dress more feminine
Dying to dress more feminine?
But you have no idea where to start?
We’re here to give you some inspiration with Old Hollywood Glamour and timeless feminine style.
What is feminine style clothing?
Feminine style clothing highlights feminine features and the woman's body.
Think Curves. Softness. Mystery. Fluidity and Sensuality.
Say goodbye to unflattering styles that hide your curves.
Instead think of vintage fashion icons.
These names are synonymous with classy femininity and timeless style.
Who better to learn the art of feminine dressing from than these iconic women and sex symbols?
With their help, we will learn about the most feminine categories of clothing, which include dresses, feminine skirts, classic blouses and tops, selective pants and jeans, chic pajamas, shoes, and tasteful accessories.
In this post:
How to Dress Feminine: Wear More Dresses
How to Dress Feminine: Wear Feminine Skirts
How to Dress Feminine: Wear Classic Blouses & Tops
How to Dress Feminine: Be Highly Selective with Pants & Jean Styles
How to Dress Feminine: Chic Pajamas are Essential
How to Dress Feminine: Choose the Right Shoes
How to Dress Feminine: Tasteful Accessories are Key
Once you add some of these pieces to your wardrobe, creating a feminine look on a daily basis will be easy.
Plus who doesn’t want a touch of Old Hollywood Glamour in their life?
How to Dress Feminine: Wear More Dresses
Dresses are usually the first clothing article to come to mind when it comes to feminine clothes.
Most dresses beautifully accentuate the feminine energy.
Think flowing silhouette, feminine figure, fitted waists, rounded shapes, curves, circles, and swirls.
For a gently flowing dress, the sensual drape of the fabric mirrors the waves in an ocean, bringing out the more Yin, or feminine side.
It is widely recognized that water is a feminine element.
Now let’s explore some of the most feminine style of dresses.
Most Feminine Style Dresses #1: Peplum Style Dress
One of the most iconic and timeless ultra-feminine dresses is the Peplum Style Dress, a classic in 1940s fashion.
Its skirt-like frill (the “extra folds”) fall hip length, and makes your waist look smaller.
This style emphasizes your gorgeous feminine silhouette and is remarkably flattering.
You can dial up the femininity to full throttle with flowy fabrics and peplum frill details.
You choose what level best captures your essence.
No wonder this classic vintage style was a favorite look for some of the most beautiful women and fashion icons from Old Hollywood, such as Gene Tierney. (left image)
Most Feminine Style Dresses #2: Fit and Flare
The Fit and Flare dress is another feminine and flattering dress style.
The drapey flare conveys the feminine essence of water.
And it gives the illusion of curvy hips, often considered a very a feminine characteristic.
Also, the nipped waist highlights the overall feminine silhouette.
What’s not to love about this iconic vintage style?
We love how the 1940s pin up models and sex symbols showed off this sensual style.
Notice how ladylike and elegant they look.
Also their flare is a slight A-Line.
As you move into the 1950s, the flare becomes “full on” swing style, with lots of twirl!
Grace Kelly (right) favored this style often, both on screen and off.
Most Feminine Style Dresses #3: Wrap Dress
So pretty and ladylike!
The wrap dress circles the body and creates a flattering diagonal line across a woman’s silhouette.
This gives an airy feminine feel to the dress.
And it also strategically highlights a woman's body.
The décolletage. And the waist.
No wonder this iconic vintage style was a favorite for the reigning beauties of Old Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s.
And it still turns heads today as a hyper-feminine style.
Most Feminine Style Dresses #4: Sheer Cocktail Dress
How do you take the feminine fit and flare dress style to the next level?
Add strategic sheer fabrics.
Sheer fabrics elevated cocktail and evening dresses and added an aura of mysterious sex appeal!
Many of the “sheer” style pieces from these stunning vintage looks were actually not see through.
How?
There was a fabric layer underneath in a neutral solid color.
“Classy is when a woman has everything to flaunt, but chooses not to show it.”
Most Feminine Style Dresses #5: The Little Black Dress
The “Little Black Dress,” period.
Those three words convey one of the most iconic ultra feminine styles that has stood the test of time.
No wonder this was a favorite style for fashion icons, including Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly.
Notice how very different each of these little black dresses are, they are all ultra-feminine.
It’s easy to choose a little black dress that will work wonders for your body type.
Why?
Because this chic feminine dress comes in so many styles and fabrics.
And of course its so perfect for any occasion.
“One is never overdress or underdressed with a Little Black Dress”
Most Feminine Style Dresses #6: The Fitted Dress
The fitted dress that skims the curves and creates a sleek silhouette is an ultra feminine style.
Need an outfit to bring your sexy out?
This is the look.
This was a favorite style for one of the most famous sex symbol of all time, Marilyn Monroe.
How to Dress Feminine: Wear Feminine Skirts
The next category of hyper feminine clothing pieces is (drumroll) the skirt!
Similar to dresses, across cultures and decades skirts are considered feminine.
Want to amp up your playful, sensual, sexy, or ladylike side?
Skirts are the perfect option for channeling and highlighting your feminine energy.
Most Feminine Style Skirts #1: Pencil Skirts
From Elizabeth Taylor, to Marilyn Monroe, Princess Grace Kelly, pencil skirts were a favorite.
The sensual essence of feminine energy turns on full volume with this style.
Notice how this feminine style highlights a woman’s curves.
Want to turn up the sizzle, opt for a more fitted pencil skirt.
This was also called a wiggle skirt in the 1950s.
Remember the iconic Marilyn Monroe “wiggle” as she walks?
This is because the hem is narrower than the waist, which forces her to “wiggle” to walk.
Want a more feminine style for the office, but not to sensual?
Go for looser structured pencil skirt, like Grace Kelly is wearing in Rear Window.
We love how how many different looks you can pull off with this style.
Most Feminine Skirts #2: Full Skirt (A Line or Circle Skirt)
Another off-the-charts feminine skirt style is the full skirt.
This timeless hyper-feminine style has been a favorite across the decades.
Its fans include everyone from Bridgette Bardot, to Audrey Hepburn, and Lauren Bacall.
The full skirt channels fluidity--a feminine characteristic.
It also adds add volume (and attention) to a woman’s hips, creating a feminine silhouette.
Looking to turn up the playful and flirty essence?
Opt for the more dramatic full swing style skirt, like the circle skirt or highly pleated style that Bridgette Bardot and Audrey Hepburn are wearing.
Want to go a bit more understated?
Maybe go with the a-line full skirt style which is universally flattering.
How to Dress Feminine: Wear Classic Blouses & Tops
Tops are a key piece of clothing for channeling your feminine energy.
They have the ability to feature many different characteristics, and are a highly versatile article of clothing.
This flexibility makes them perfect for turning up the feminine essence.
These are some of the most feminine style shirts that have been favorite feminine pieces throughout the years.
Most Feminine Style Blouses #1: Classic Button Up
The classic white button up shirt is a timeless feminine piece.
Notice how it sizzles on Audrey Hepburn and Diana Dors.
This pairs so beautifully with other feminine pieces.
Plus it is so easy to dress up or dress down.
And it's practical for everyday wear.
Drapey fabrics gently skim the feminine silhouette.
The unexpected blend of the yang (masculine) and yin (feminine) elements in the classic white shirt add to its appeal.
Most Feminine Style Blouses #2: Fitted Tops
Looking for a style to highlight the feminine curves?
The fitted shirt is your answer.
No wonder this was a go to style from the 1940s, 1950s, to 1960s.
This style showcases both the cyclical nature and sensual nature of the feminine energy.
Intrigued by the pointy bras emphasizing a number of these ladies' figures?
You might like our post:
How to Dress Feminine: Be Highly Selective with Pants & Jean Styles
Dying to dress more feminine, but don’t always want to wear a dress or skirt?
The good news is that pants may also be a very feminine wardrobe piece.
As long as you keep in mind a few guidelines.
Most Feminine Style Pants #1: Tailored Slacks
Notice how these beautiful women absolutely sizzle with feminine sex appeal. ...and they’re all wearing pants.
Tip #1: Choose a tailored pant style that flatters both your body shape and height.
Tailoring is key here!
Although these ladies all have slightly different styles of pants they gracefully drape their body.
The fit is impeccable.
Tip #2: Emphasize the waist.
The belt highlights the feminine silhouette.
And the blend of the someone masculine (yang) article of clothing (the pant) with the feminine body results in a sensual feminine piece.
Tip #3: Pairing is key.
Choose feminine blouses, accessories, and shoes that compliment your beautiful slacks.
This combination elevates your outfit.
Most Feminine Style Pants #2: Classic Jeans
Famous feminine beauties from Marilyn Monroe to Elizabeth Taylor rocked jeans, and nobody said they weren’t feminine.
The same style tips come into play for jeans as for trousers above, plus an additional one:
How to Style Feminine Jeans: Don’t wear too tight of jeans.
Instead wear well-fitted jeans that skim your curves gently.
The goal is for the overall look to be classy and ladylike.
How to Dress Feminine: Chic Pajamas are Essential
Pay Attention To Your Lounge Wear
Channeling your feminine essence begins at home.
You want to start and end your day feeling sexy and beautiful.
Chic pajamas, like the negligee or the nightie, are perfect.
From Marilyn Monroe, to Princes Grace Kelly, to Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn, chic pajamas were a must.
With this simple change, you can say goodbye sloppy, and hello, bombshell.
How to Dress Feminine: Choose the Right Shoes
To complete your feminine outfit, reach for right shoes!
Avoid sloppy, overtly chunky, and shapeless styles.
Instead, opt for shoes that follow the silhouette of your foot.
Be mindful of how the color and shape of the shoes compliments your overall outfit.
Contrary to popular opinion, to dress feminine with shoes, you don’t need to always wear heels.
Just check out how Audrey Hepburn styled her ballet flats with wedding dresses and evening gowns.
How to Dress Feminine: Tasteful Accessories are Key
Reach for Feminine Accessories: Silk Scarf, Hat, & Glasses
Classy accessories are a great way to amp up your sensual feminine energy.
Vintage fashion icons across the decades use the feminine details in their accessories to uplevel their outfits.
What feminine element are you looking to turn up?
Reach for the right feminine accessory.
Mysterious and sensual? Dark oversized sunglasses.
Flirty and chic? The timeless silk scarf.
Elegant and timeless? The tasteful and saucy hat.
This post was all about creating feminine outfits and how to dress feminine
What is your favorite go-to feminine outfit?
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