8 Throwback Pics Of Hollywood Icon Lauren Bacall That Captured The '40s Perfectly

It's easy to get swept away in the dreaminess of Old Hollywood, and Lauren Bacall is one siren who will forever be in our hearts for her signature concoction of sultry mystique and powerful femininity. When she wasn't sparkling on screen, Bacall was out and about, and posing for photos that perfectly captured the 1940s, the decade fans were first introduced to the actor. The Bronx-born Bacall nabbed her first acting credit in 1944 and worked steadily for another 70 years until her death in 2014. 

Bacall's unmatched style still has us swooning today. Among other hits, we're thinking about the tiger-striped turtleneck and pencil skirt combo, and the embroidered pinafore dress she wore when she modeled for Glamour in 1949. And don't get us started on her romantic S-waves, one of the forgotten Old Hollywood hair trends that deserve a comeback. So, let's take a trip back in time and remember one of the OG it-girls of Old Hollywood's golden era. 

You could get lost for hours going through Old Hollywood studio pics, and Lauren Bacall has a ton of super dreamy shots. Bacall posed for Warner Bros. Studios in 1944 lounging on a chaise and draped in a black satin dress featuring strong shoulders and sexy midriff cutouts, and sporting peep-toe pumps. Any of today's movie stars could totally wear Bacall's LBD, and that reminds us of her fellow Old Hollywood starlet Audrey Hepburn, whose outfits still feel so timeless.

In February 1945, Lauren Bacall posed wearing a checkered coat and black pencil skirt from designer Nettie Rosenstein, who helped popularize the little black dress. In true Bacall style, the actor's waist belt and blouse's bow offered just the right amount of fashionable interest, and her pinned-back hair captured the girl-next-door style of the '40s. Fun fact: This was taken the same year she married Humphrey Bogart; snaps from the famous couple's big day are among the throwback pics from Old Hollywood star weddings that are beyond captivating.

In true 1940s glamour girl fashion, Lauren Bacall posed for promos perched on a tabletop and rocking an outfit that looked like it would've been right at home on a Southern girl looking to keep cool in the Georgia heat. Around 1944, the "The Mirror Has Two Faces" star wore a polka dot crop top with puffed sleeves and matching high-waisted shorts. She accented the two-piece 'fit with platform sandals and that dreamy look in her eyes that screamed movie star in the making.

Around 1945, Lauren Bacall's photo was taken while sitting cross-legged on a terry sofa, flipping through a book and wearing a big smile. The laid-back vibe of the pic suggests it was probably taken at her home; the star lived in Beverly Hills around this time. Bacall may have been dressed down, but she still shone brightly in a very trendy-at-the-time sequin-embellished blouse and a red lip, which was so en vogue in the 1940s. 

Foreshadowing the saucy magnetism for which she'd become known with her breakout role in "To Have and Have Not," released in 1944, Lauren Bacall sat for promo pics for Warner Bros. Studios. Taken in October 1944, Bacall wore a tiger-striped turtleneck blouse paired with a light-colored pencil skirt. Her feminine pose, smart peep-toe pumps and waved hair, with its enviable volume, captured the energy of an Old Hollywood star of the 1940s — with Bacall towing along her trademark fierceness.

Dressing a Hollywood celeb in your clothes could really add fuel to a fashion designer's career back in the 1940s. In December 1946, Lauren Bacall was photographed rocking a 'fit from Oscar-winning costume designer Leah Rhodes, who worked in the wardrobe department of Warner Bros. at the time, responsible for styling the top starlets of the day. Bacall expertly showcased a turtleneck sweater with dramatic sleeves, crisp wide-leg slacks, and a pair of slip-on wedge mules. Talk about timeless. A million modern-day girls would kill for this outfit.

Lauren Bacall's star power was captured in one of our favorite snaps of the star, taken around 1945. No props, no perching, no bells and whistles. It's just Bacall standing in front of a simple backdrop oozing her signature brand of strength and charisma. And Bacall's floral ensemble — featuring whimsical draping and an impossibly airy energy — was equal parts flirty, feminine, and sophisticated. And we certainly wouldn't argue with you if you said this was the best her hair ever looked. 

In August 1949, Lauren Bacall closed out the decade with a photo shoot for Glamour magazine. The Old Hollywood icon looked ridiculously regal lounging on a stone staircase dressed in a classic white button-up shirt beneath a spirited pinafore dress, nipped at the waist and decorated in a floral design. We love the maturity in her face compared to her earlier shots, and the styling — especially her tightly curled hair — still had all the charm of the 1940s while offering a wink and a nod to the future fashion of the '50s.