Every vintage collector has at least a few magazines in their collection (especially since they are one of the easiest vintage items to come by) and The Vintage Inn is no different. I own a few but one of my favorites is the magazine LOOK . My copy is from Oct 18th, 1955 and can be seen below and I have read it from top to bottom, I just love it.

Today’s post is all about the covers of LOOK from 1937 to 1960 (so that you can have a good taste of the mag) and this is also part of ‘My Vintage Collection Series’. Enjoy.


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1955 magazine cover for Look magazine featuring Princess Margaret.

1950s Vintage magazine cover for Look magazine from 1955 featuring Princess Margaret

Brief History of Look Magazine

Look was a bi-weekly, general-interest magazine published in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1937 to 1971, with more of an emphasis on photographs than articles. A large-size magazine of 11 in × 14 in, it was generally considered a competitor to Life magazine, which began publication months earlier and ended in 1972. It is known for helping launch the career of film director Stanley Kubrick, who was a staff photographer. And beginning in 1963, Norman Rockwell, after closing his career with the Saturday Evening Post, began making illustrations for Look (Source).

Collection of Vintage Magazine Covers from 1930s to 1960s

Look Magazine August 17th, 1937-Tennis anyone?

Further Reading: Vintage Tennis Outfits from the 1920s-1950s

1930s Vintage Magazine Cover: Vintage look magazine 1937 featuring a tennis player on the cover.
Source: Etsy

September 1938 Look Magazine featuring-SWING! Slap those critics Benny.

1930s Vintage Magazine Cover: 1938 look magazine vintage cover featuring lindy hop / swing dancers on the cover and article about Benny Goodman
Source: Pinterest

May 9th, 1939. According to the Etsy sellers commentary the cover features Eleanor Holm in a swimsuit and gold shoes on the cover. She and Sally Rand were feuding as to who was the best personality at the New York and San Francisco World’s Fairs.

Interesting tidbit about Eleanor: She is best known for having been suspended from the 1936 Summer Olympics team after she attended a cocktail party and got pretty drunk on the transatlantic cruise ship taking her to Germany (Source).

1930s Vintage Magazine Cover: Vintage Look Magazine 1939 featuring Eleanor Holm on the Cover
Source: Etsy

June 6th 1939-What a wonderful swimsuit on the cover of this magazine.

1930s vintage magazine cover - Look magazine vintage cover 1939 featuring a woman in a 1930s swimsuit holding a beachball.
Source: Etsy

Happy New Year! January 2nd, 1940 Look cover. Judy Garland in the most practical ski outfit ever (but it sure is cute).

1940s Vintage Magazine Cover: Judy Garland vintage magazine cover 1940 for LOOK Magazine. Judy is in 1940s winter ski outfit.
Source: Pinterest

Ginger Rogers as a Brunette and in the cutest 1940s matching top and pants. April 9th, 1940 Look Magazine.

1940s Vintage Magazine Cover: Ginger Rogers as a Brunette and in the cutest 1940s matching top and pants. April 9th, 1940 Look Magazine.

Source: Etsy

June 18th 1940 Look Magazine. How do I make Joan Bennetts outfit mine? Love it!

1940s vintage magazine cover for LOOK Magazine featuring actress Joan Bennetts in a tennis skirt and striped top.
Source: Etsy

1941- Support the troops with Army stripes on your arm. More cute vintage swimsuits on display.

1940s Vintage Magazine Cover: 1941 Look Magazine vintage featuring two women in 1940s swimsuits
Source: Etsy

June 8th, 1948.  Time for some cooler clothes men. Now do they mean like bathing suit cool (as in the image) or like make you look cool in your clothes?

1940s Vintage Magazine Cover: 1948 vintage Look Magazine cover featuring 1940s vintage swimsuits for men and women. Cool men's hawaiian swim trunks.
Source: Pinterest

July 18th, 1951. Best Hat…Ever. And to answer the question…Total menace those Flying Saucers.

1950s Vintage Magazine Cover: Look Magazine, July 18, 1950 featuring a woman wearing a giant wide brimed sun hat and 1950s short hairstyle.
Source: Flickr

November 20th, 1951. The stunning Maureen O’Hara on the cover.

1950s Vintage Magazine Cover: Maureen Ohara 1951 on the cover of LOOK Magazine
Source: Pinterest

January 12th, 1954- The Travel Issue.

1950s Vintage Magazine Cover: 1954 vintage look magazine cover featuring a woman in a tropical / hawaiian look
Source: Pinterest

March 23rd, 1954-Audrey Hepburn on this Look magazine cover.

1950s Vintage Magazine Cover: Audrey Hepburn on the cover of LOOK Magazine March 23rd 1954.
Source: Pinterest

July 1960- ‘Women without Men’ (oh my!) and Marilyn Monroe on the cover.

1960 Vintage Magazine Cover for LOOK Magazine with Marilyn Monroe on the Cover
Source: Etsy

Look Magazine December 1960 featuring Christmas in Hawaii and Santa on the beach.

1960s vintage magazine cover for LOOK magazine featuring Santa on the beach - Christmas in Hawaii

Source: Etsy

What fantastic covers! Filled with interesting and bizarre stories.

Question time: What was your favorite cover?

Further Reading: Don’t miss my collection of ‘vintage magazines & catalogs‘ blog posts.

Liz 🙂