Betty Grable Style

Betty Grable was the most popular pin-up of the Second World War, and her legs were famously insured for a million dollars. This collection gathers the Pretty Retro pieces that bring that 1940s pin-up spirit into a modern wardrobe: tea dresses and shirt dresses, pinup wrap tops, capri pants and jumpsuits, in florals, polka dots and plain colours. All of it is designed in England and made by hand in Europe.

Which dress for a Betty Grable look?

• The 1940s tea dress is cut on the bias, so it drapes and skims the hips, with a gathered sweetheart neckline, flutter sleeves and no zip. It comes in prints including a tiki, a cherry print, a blue floral and green and navy polka dots.
• The Veronica tea dress is a little dressier, with a keyhole neckline tied in a bow, a wrap-style skirt and a discreet side zip, in navy, wine and emerald polka dots.
• The 1940s shirt dress has a shirt-style bodice with an open neckline, a matching belt and a slightly flared skirt, in polka dots, tiki and cherry prints.

Pinup wrap tops, capri pants and jumpsuits

The pinup wrap top can be wrapped fully and tied at the side, front or back, or tied once at the front for a more revealing look, and its sleeves are gathered and tucked in the 1940s way. Wear it with high-waisted capri pants, which are cropped to mid-calf with a small split at the hem. If you would rather wear one piece, the Pretty Jumpsuit has a vintage-style collar with two faux horn buttons, a concealed zip fly and a gathered back yoke, in a cornflower floral or a navy polka dot.

How to get the pin-up look

Start at the waist: a belted shirt dress, a tea dress or a wrap top over high-waisted bottoms. Then add red lipstick, a headscarf or victory rolls, and heels or flats. Nearly every dress here is also in our 1940s dresses; you can add a wrap top from our tops, capris from our vintage trousers or a jumpsuit from our all-in-ones, or browse all of our dresses. Our dresses and tops come in UK sizes 8 to 18, and the size guide has the measurements.