Valentine’s Day is around the corner and for those who celebrate (not me, I’m married ha!), it’s a day filled with chocolates, romance and roses.

Vintage Pinup Valentines Day Photo from the 1940s

Here on the Vintage Inn blog, it’s a post that is going to be filled with vintage magazine covers from the 1920s-1950s showcasing that it’s the month for lovers on the cover (ha that ryhmed!).

Let’s begin!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Vintage Valentines Day Magazine Covers

1920s-1950s

“My Funny Valentine, you are my favorite work of art”. Theatre Magazine February 1924.

Source: Pinterest

1925 February – Inspiration Magazine featuring a pretty girl in vintage dress (for an article called “Little Frocks in Little Time (garments for children)”) in front of a heart.

This magazine was produced by the Woman’s Institute of Scranton, Pennsylvania and served as a newsletter for the students of the sewing, millinery and cooking correspondence courses they offered (avail HERE).

Source: Etsy

February 1933 Pictorial Review Magazine Cover features a woman in a pretty green dress holding her Valentines Day card.

Source: Worthpoint

This copy of Children’s Play Mate Magazine was published in February 1945 (avail HERE). The inside features valentines day games for kids, paper dolls and more.

Source: Etsy

Ladies Home Journal February 1940, featuring a mother and daughter crafting Valentines Day hearts together. I love the matching 1940s hairstyles on these two. So cute!

Ladies Home Journal February 1940s vintage magazine cover featuring a mother and daughter crafting Valentines Day hearts together.

Source: Pinterest

“Valentine’s Day at Sea,” Saturday Evening Post Cover, February 13, 1943.

Source: Art.com

February 12th, 1940 Life Magazine cover showcasing the prettiest Orchid Valentine Hat. What a way to celebrate the day!

1940s Vintage Valentines day Life Magazine vintage cover from February 12th, 1940 featuring a woman wearing a heart hat with an orchid on it.

Ladies’ Home Journal Magazine, February 1958.

Now let’s talk about these Valentines Day cover topics….“We went to Carol’s apartment” He Admitted – Can this marriage be saved? Wow romantic ha ha! And my personal favourite, ‘How can mothers of small children keep from being driven crazy’? HA!

Source: Pinterest

The Magazine Antiques February 1951. This 80-page issue includes articles on antique playing cards, Bermuda cedar furniture, the home of Charles Henry Fallass in Cross River, New York, American glassware and pottery, antiques of childhood, continental table pewter, as well as vintage advertising, and much, much more (avail HERE).

Source: Etsy

Quick Magazine from February 13th, 1950. Has Elizabeth Taylor on the cover surrounded by a Valentines Day heart (avail HERE).

1950s vintage Valentines Day magazine cover - Quick Magazine from February 13th, 1950. Has Elizabeth Taylor on the cover surrounded by a valentines day heart

Source: Etsy

Coronet magazine illustrated by Bob Hilbert February 1957. How cute is this little boy trying to spell ‘Valentine’? Ahhhh!

Source: Pinterest

One more Valentines Day cover from Quick Magazine featuring Ann Blyth holding a box of valentines day chocolates, February 16th, 1953. The magazine is filled with news, anecdotes, pictures, and fashions of the day (avail HERE).

1950s vintage magazine cover for Valentines Day: Quick Magazine from February 16th, 1953. Has Ann Blyth on the cover and is filled with news, anecdotes, pictures, and fashion of the day.

Source: Etsy

Question Time! Share your favourite cover in the comments section below.

Thanks for stopping by and stay safe!

FURTHER READING:

Vintage Valentine’s Day posts (archived posts I have done on the holiday & on love)
Vintage Magazines & Catalogs (archived posts)

Liz

February 1st was the start of Black History Month, so for today’s ‘Vintage Photo Tuesday‘ (collection of vintage images blog posts), I wanted to reshare a collection of the fantastastic photos I have of Black Women and Men that I have posted on my blog over the years (just in case you have missed them).

So please join me in celebrating Black beauty and style!

1940s Vintage Photo of a young Black woman and young Black Man being crowned King and Queen of Prom

First up, I cannot possibly start this post without bringing to your attention “Vintage Black Glamour” & Style herself, Nichelle Gainer. What started as a Tumblr Blog (which I was super obsessed over) is now beautiful coffee table book you can have in your home. The Vintage Black Glamour Book is packed with rarely seen photographs of Black actors, models, writers and entertainers of the early part of the 20th century, many of whom have been sorely neglected—until now.

It’s stunning and a must have for any lover of vintage photography.

Now to my blog…. vintage Black style does not just mean pearls and fancy cars. It is everything from going to work as a jazz singer in Toronto, to putting on your overalls and heading to the factory to do War work during WW2. Everyone did it all with their own style.

I also know that I have not even come close to sharing the amount of images of Black Women & Men on my blog that I should and last year I started working towards changing that. The job continues and today’s post is a roundup of what has come before.

Let’s take a look friends!

Vintage Photos of Stylish Black Women & Black Men

In the 1940’s & 1950’s

This is one of my most favourite photos! Thelma Porter, Miss Subways New York City, 1948. Thelma was the first Black woman to integrate a beauty contest in America and became the first African American Miss Subways in April, 1948 (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s Vintage Image of Thelma Porter, Miss Subways New York City, 1948. Thelma was the first Black woman to integrate a beauty contest in America and became the first African American Miss Subways in April, 1948 — Source: Pinterest

I love dancing the Lindy Hop and any vintage photos of those who originated the dance (yes the Lindy Hop is a Black dance), just makes me so happy to see! Here is a super one of Leon James and Willa Mae Ricker demonstrating the Lindy Hop in Life Magazine, August 23rd 1943 (Vintage Inn Blog Post). FUN!

1930s / 1940s vintage photo of Black swing dancers, Leon James and Willa Mae Ricker demonstrating the Lindy Hop — Source: Pinterest

I have a mini series on my blog that is very popular with my readers: “Women of the Big Band Era Everyone Should know Part 1 & Part 2“. Here is Mary Lou Williams–The First Lady of Jazz, featured in my PART 2 post.

1940s vintage photo of Mary Lou Williams-The First Lady of Jazz

1939 photo by Charles “Teenie” Harris. Group portrait of ten Black women, including several wearing saddle shoes, gathered on steps of brick building (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

Love is in the air! 1950s couple kissing in a tropical themed photo booth. How romantic! (Vintage Inn Blog Post)

1950s vintage photo of a Black man and a Black woman sharing a kiss in a Photobooth in 1950s fashions.

A pretty coed on campus at Howard University wearing cat eye glasses in 1946 (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s vintage photo of A pretty Black woman on campus at Howard University wearing cat eye glasses in 1946

Two Black women, including Velma Pratt Bell, holding handbag and fur in stylish skirt suits, standing in Schenley High School for Beauty Shop Owners’ Fashion Revue, circa 1945. Photo by Teenie Harris (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s Vintage photo of wo Black women, including Velma Pratt Bell, holding handbag and fur in stylish skirt suits, standing in Schenley High School for Beauty Shop Owners’ Fashion Revue, circa 1945. Photo by Teenie Harris

Take me dancing! Late 1940s, early 1950s party (I think at a bar). Looks like everyone is having a super time (Vintage Inn Blog Post)!

Late 1940s, early 1950s dance party featuring a group of stylish Black men and women.

1940s Jazz musicians of Toronto. Betty Willis (vocals) and Frank Wright (vibraphone), two early stars of the Toronto jazz scene in the 1940s and ’50s (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s Photo of a young Black woman working on a machine in a factory. According to the Library of Congress, “Plant foremen point to 20-year-old Annie Tabor as one of their best lathe operators, despite her lack of previous industrial experience.” (Vintage Inn Blog Post)

Women’s Tennis Class in college circa 1940s (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s vintage photo of Black women in Tennis Class in college

I am a sucker for a good vintage yearbook and I have blogged so many times before using images from various online resources I have found. This is a favourite image of mine because the ladies of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority are so stylish! Every single one!

The image is from a 1957 The Pirate’s Log Yearbook from Elizabeth State University (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1950s Vintage photo of Black Sorority Sisters - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1957. They are all wearing beautiful 1950s dresses.

1950s vintage photo of 4 beautiful women in their 1950s summer fashions (Vintage Inn Blog Post). Yooza! Such style!

1950s vintage photo of 4 beautiful black women in 1950s summer fashions

I hope you enjoyed these fantastic vintage photos from my blog posts gone by. I know I enjoyed going back and looking up what I have posted over the years.

Share your favourite photos in the comment section below.

Take care and stay safe friends!

Further Reading:

Liz