Pics Of Old Hollywood Icon Hedy Lamarr That Will Give You A Dose Of Vintage Glamour

Hedy Lamarr is a total cinema legend. At the height of her career in Hollywood in the 1940s, she was named "the most beautiful woman in the world" by MGM Studios, per The Guardian, and it's easy to see why. Her natural beauty was truly breathtaking, but her confidence stood out the most. The star owned every scene she walked into on-screen and her legacy lives on today, still serving peak vintage glamour through her gorgeous photos.

Lamarr wasn't just a beautiful face and talented actor, though. She was most often praised for her looks, but she was also an accomplished inventor who created a crucial communication system used during World War II. While she was never paid for it (even though she clearly should have been), it became the foundation for much of our technology today, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 

It's safe to say that looks weren't everything to Lamar. She famously said in a 1990 Forbes interview, (via PBS News), "The brains of people are more interesting than the looks I think." Even though she thought this, it didn't stop her from being the pinnacle of Old Hollywood glamour with her beauty and fashion choices. Lamarr may not have cared as much about what she looked like, but as is the case with the Marilyn Monroe effect, which explains how confidence changes your appearance, she was hard to look away from all the same.

Hedy Lamarr shines bright in this still from "Ziegfeld Girl," one of her most iconic movies, taken in 1941. Her performance as Sandra Kolter in the film was exquisite, but this elaborate look was one of the most memorable costumes in cinema history. Fashion historian Victoria Haddock even told The Luminaries Magazine in 2021, "The elegant white star-embellished gown and star-adorned headpiece worn by Hedy in the film is still inspiring fashion designers today, as seen in the Miu Miu gown and headpiece worn by Emily Blunt to the 2021 Met Gala."

This portrait taken of Hedy Lamarr in 1940 gives "Gone with the Wind" energy. The beige dress with its black lace overlay and matching fan complements her bold and glamorous makeup. To this day, designers are still in awe of this ambitious vibe. In 2019, Escada creative director Niall Sloan told British Vogue, "Hedy might be from another time...but she's a modern spirit with a millennial mindset. It's almost like every time she got to a stage [on the career ladder] she went a stage further — that's how I see young people today."

The photo of Hedy Lamarr in her red-and-white dress shows peak vintage glamour. Taken in January 1945, the actor can be seen wearing a red polka-dot dress that's totally picnic-chic and perfect for the summer season. It's even rumored that Lamarr's famously jet-black strands and red-hued lips were the inspiration for Disney's Snow White and later Catwoman in the original "Batman" comics. Armed with this knowledge, it's easy to see the similarities between these figures — especially the classic crimson lip.

Hedy Lamarr's looks were always so sophisticated and polished, and that's obvious in this photo that was taken of the actor in January 1940. The gorgeous pin-striped hat tipped to the side adds a pop of color to an otherwise muted look, and it was very on-trend at the time. Lamarr still inspires designers today, and that might come down to the fact that some of her most beautiful film costumes were designed by the legendary Adrian Greenburg, who was known for sketching stunning ensembles for films like "The Wizard of Oz". 

This 1938 shot of Heady Lamarr really shows off her ultra-glamorous style of makeup. The Hollywood icon loved a timeless fluttery doll lash, bright-red lip, and bold eyebrows. While it's unclear exactly what products she liked to use to create her signature look, Lamarr was a Maybelline ambassador in the 1940s, so it's safe to assume she might have had at least a few Maybelline products floating around on her vanity.

This 1944 portrait of Hedy Lamarr shows her wearing a stunning pearl necklace, matching earrings, and a pillbox hat. It makes us wonder if fashion icons like Jackie Kennedy took inspiration from Lamarr as we see so many similarities between some of their most gorgeous looks. In a similar way to Marilyn Monroe, whose outfits meant more than you knew, Lamarr had a way of knowing what looked good on her and wearing it with total confidence.