Katharine Hepburn Style Trousers & Blouses

Katharine Hepburn (also spelt Katherine Hepburn) wore trousers on and off screen in the 1930s, when it was unusual for women to do so. This collection gathers the Pretty Retro pieces that go with her look: high-waisted 1940s wide-leg trousers, shirt blouses, pussy bow blouses, shirt dresses, hostess dresses and cardigans. The whole collection is designed in England and made by hand in Europe.

What are Katharine Hepburn trousers?

High-waisted, wide in the leg and cut to move: that is the shape Hepburn is remembered for. Our 1940s wide-leg trousers, wide-leg pants in the US, have a smooth high waistband, a sweeping leg and a three-button fastening at the side. They are made in a soft poly-viscose with stretch, with a 31 inch inside leg, in navy, black, red and wine. See the 1940s wide-leg trousers in navy for the full details.

How to wear wide-leg trousers like Katharine Hepburn

Keep the top simple and tuck it in. A 1940s shirt blouse, a short-sleeved blouse with gathers at the shoulder and back yoke, suits wide-leg trousers best, and the pussy bow blouse, which has no buttons and simply pulls on over your head, makes them a little dressier. Both are in our tops and blouses. Add flat shoes or loafers and a cardigan: the Pretty Cardigan finishes just below the natural waist, so it sits properly over a high waistband.

Shirt dresses and hostess dresses

For days you would rather wear a dress, the 1940s shirt dress has a shirt-style bodice with an open neckline and functional buttons and a matching belt to cinch the waist. The hostess dress is the dressier choice, with a wing collar, cap sleeves and covered buttons down the front. Both are in our 1940s dresses.

Our trousers, blouses and dresses come in UK sizes 8 to 18, and the knitwear in S to XL; the size guide has the measurements. For more trousers, see our vintage trousers.