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10 Vintage Easter photos for timeless spring style inspiration

From Princess Diana to Jackie Kennedy we honour the holiday with the chicest retro snaps...

Updated: April 7, 2025
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Vintage photos open up a gateway to the past, transporting us to a bygone era where Easter was a spectacle of pastel wonder and the epitome of spring fashion. 

Such images are not merely a nostalgic journey; they are a font of timeless style inspiration, offering a glimpse into fashion that transcends time. Retro Easter celebrations were a parade of sophistication and allure, complete with flowy skirts gracefully cinched at the waist, hats embellished with delicate spring blossoms.

In our modern, fast-paced world, we find ourselves longing for the serene charm and refined grace of vintage moments, guiding us to enhance our own celebrations with touches of timeless elegance. 

Whether it's bringing back a cherished recipe, decorating with a nod to vintage Easter charm, or choosing an outfit inspired by the elegance of yesteryear, these snapshots from history serve as our muse. They inspire us to weave the elegance and sophistication of the past into our present day celebrations, helping us create new memories while paying homage to the past.

Scroll on as we unveil the chicest vintage Easter photos for your ultimate spring style inspiration…

The Best Vintage Easter Photos For Spring Inspiration:

1/19

Heather Angel dressed in a furry bunny suit and ears sits in a giant Easter basket holding an egg.© Corbis via Getty Images

Haute Hopping - 1933

This surreal black-and-white photo leans full fantasy, with actress Heather Angel posing in a faux-fur romper, heels, and tall bunny ears, lounging inside an enormous wicker basket. Playful, theatrical, and a little bit cheeky, this image turns an Easter into the season's hottest holiday.

2/19

Classic Easter Sunday Chic - 1943© Weegee(Arthur Fellig)/Internatio

Classic Easter Sunday Chic - 1943

Here we see a display of traditional Easter elegance from two women leaving a Church in Harlem, New York on Easter Sunday. The duo are adorned in tailored coats - one with a luxurious fur collar enhancing a crisp white dress underneath, the other in a classic black coat over a knee-length white skirt. Both outfits are accessorised with gloves, structured handbags, and hats—one with a statement flower and veil, adding a touch of femininity to her 'Sunday best.'

3/19

Doris Day in a sweater holds a basket filled with a rabbit and Easter eggs.© Photo12/Universal Images Group v

Sweater Weather - 1945

Icon Doris Day rocked a classic crewneck sweater with a perfectly curled bob, delivering timeless Americana. Her wicker basket, filled with oversized eggs and a photogenic bunny, sealed the springtime dream.

4/19

Bunny Costume Glamour - 1945© Hulton Archive

Bunny Costume Glamour - 1945

American actress Barbara Bates was photographed circa 1945 leaning against a white picket fence in a playful outfit featuring a strapless bodysuit with a sweetheart neckline, designed to mimic a fluffy bunny. The soft, white fabric is complemented by oversized bunny ears, a pair of matching wrist cuffs, and a fluffy tail. The look is completed with pristine white high-heels, adding a touch of retro pin-up elegance. 

5/19

Ann Miller wears an elaborate floral Easter bonnet with a live rabbit tucked inside. Blurb:© Bettmann Archive

Floral Fascinator - 1946

Wearing a sharp-shouldered suit and a killer red lip, Ann Miller turned heads with a literal living hat. The towering floral fascinator was stuffed with blooms - and a live bunny. A little bit couture, a little bit chaos, its peak Easter eccentricity.

6/19

Spring Picnic Delight - 1950© Mirrorpix

Spring Picnic Delight - 1950

Actress Pat Dainton sported a relaxed, picnic-perfect outfit in April of 1950. Her ensemble featured a belted floral dress with a full skirt, ideal for an outdoor Easter brunch. Capturing the spirit of the season, she cradled a clutch of chicks, symbolising rebirth and new beginnings of springtime. 

7/19

Romy Schneider in a red sweater holds a giant egg full of colorful Easter eggs.© Arthur Grimm/United Archives via

Egg-stra Chic - 1951

For her Easter look Romy Schneider rocked a cherry-red knit sweater with bracelet-length sleeves, the perfect contrast to her crisp pleated skirt. Her side-swept curls and natural glam embodied the 1950s beauty aesthetic, while that giant pastel egg added the perfect accessory.

8/19

Vera Ellen in her tutu, and a bunny with a side hustle© Bettmann Archive

Bunny Ballerina - 1954

Decked out in a pastel strapless mini dress with lace trim, Vera Ellen's ballerina-inspired look was pure pin-up fantasy. With a brush in one hand and bunny décor in the other, this pastel goddess reminds us that spring style should always be equal parts playful and polished.

9/19

Pier Angeli in a satin dress paints an egg with a brush, surrounded by decorated eggs in glass cups.© Getty Images

Delicate Touch - 1958

For this Easter portrait actress Pier Angeli donned a silk-sheen, cap-sleeved dress with a nipped-in waist-a minimalist dream. With flowing dark waves, she embraced 1950s elegance with a clean, classic edge.

10/19

actress Leslie Caron in fishnet tights and heels paints a large Easter egg with a palette and brush.© Getty Images

Easter Artistry - 1955

With fishnet tights, Grecian-style lace-up sandals, starlet Leslie Caron's easter outfit was kitschy, chic, and surprisingly runway-ready.

11/19

Hollywood Easter Glam - 1957© University of Southern Californi

Hollywood Easter Glam - 1957

This stunning duo epitomise old-Hollywood glamour. On the left, model Myrna Reay wears a wide-brimmed hat and a sleeveless gown with a voluminous patterned skirt. On the right designer Peggy Hunt wears a more daring off-the-shoulder gown with a full, tulle-enhanced skirt during the Easter brunch parade at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on April 21. The brunch played host to over 500 guests. 

12/19

JFK and Jackie with their kids, John and Caroline, in Palm Beach© Bettmann

Presidential Family Elegance - 1962

President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy, with their two children John and Caroline posed for an Easter Sunday picture after attending a private mass at the President's fathers ocean front home on Palm Beach. The First Lady, who is still considered style icon, wore a simple yet elegant shift white dress with a lace overlay and short lace headscarf.

13/19

Once Upon A Time in Hollywood - 1965© Silver Screen Collection

Once Upon A Time in Hollywood - 1965

Sitting in a director's chair actress Sharon Tate's casual, yet stylish short-sleeved pastel blue dress, embodies the lightness of spring in the swinging 1960s.

14/19

Yvonne Romain in a white bikini holds a plush bunny and poses with decorative eggs.© Getty Images

Bikini Bunny - 1965

With a ruffled bikini and pin-up hairdo, British actress Yvonne Romain brought poolside energy to spring. This 1960s-style look featured high-waisted bottoms and a sculpted top, making pastel swimwear suddenly feel like a seasonal essential.

15/19

Avant-Garde Easter Bonnet - 1966© Mirrorpix

Avant-Garde Easter Bonnet - 1966

This headpiece, while unconventional, brings a daring and playful vibe to Easter fashion. The model wears a simple polka-dotted blouse, but it’s the rooster 'Easter Bonnet' that steals the show.

16/19

First Daughter Sophistication - 1968© Bettmann

First Daughter Sophistication - 1968

Claudia Alta 'Lady Bird' Johnson, the First Lady of the United States as the wife of Lyndon B. Johnson, enjoyed Easter in the White House rose garden with her grandson Patrick Lyndon Nugent and daughter Lynda Bird Robb. Lyda's outfit screams sophistication with a bright yellow coat dress, fastened with large matching buttons and a simple round collar. A coordinating headband and black clutch maintained a refined look, complementing the season with classic taste.

17/19

Mod Easter Bridal Flair - 1969© Mirrorpix

Mod Easter Bridal Flair - 1969

A Spring show was presented by Rhavis in March on 9 Upper Grosvenor St., which included playsuits, evening wear and of course bridal outfits for Easter. Rahvis was one of only a handful of female-led brands in mid-century London. The event showcased a mod twist on wedding fashion, where the bride donned a mini-dress with floral accents along the hemline and sleeves. Her bridesmaid matches in a chic, tailored "bridesboy trouser suit" ensemble.

18/19

Bob Hope in a full bunny suit holds carrots beside Lynda Carter in a black pantsuit biting one.© Getty Images

Bunny Business - 1987

Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter paired a sharply tailored black suit with a white button-up and power shoulders. Meanwhile, Bob Hope - dressed in a full Easter Bunny getup - brought the seasonal punchline.

19/19

Refined Easter Elegance - 1992© Princess Diana Archive

Refined Easter Elegance - 1992

Princess Diana and Prince William leaving Windsor Chapel with Easter eggs in tow. Her yellow dress coat with a simple, clean cut, enhanced by a pleated skirt and hat with a matching ribbon detail is a stunning example of the late Princess' signature sophisticated attire, Paired with dark tights and block-heeled shoes, it's the image of poised pastel perfection.

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