How To Really Wear 70s Fashion
Nostalgia is a bit funny — a lot of the time, in fashion, it isn’t those who were alive and kicking that bring back vintage styles, it’s younger generations.
And that’s exactly what happened with the huge modern boost of 70s fashion, despite many people’s protests about weird fashion choices and bad patterns (really, you’re going to just look over the 90s?). But despite these protests, 70s fashion has come back in a big way: from runways to Instagram models, there’s no going back from here.
But how can you successfully pull off 70s fashion without looking like you just stepped out of a time machine (or, worse, going to a 70s themed party)?
Mostly, the key is finding a distinct way to piece together modern and vintage fashion so one doesn’t cloud the other. And the best way to do that is pick certain 70s styles to focus on: which we packaged for you in a neat bow below.
Embrace the fringe
Ah, fringe. What some have called fashion’s worst enemy. Personally, fringe is a lot of fun to play with, and it’s even better when you can twirl around and have the fringe follow suit. But how do you wear something that everyone seems to hate? You ask. Simple: pair it with a simple outfit, like a pair of jeans and a tee, so that it’s not super overpowering but still tells them a statement. A jacket or a purse are the best ways to do this!
Go wide
Wide jeans and trousers are a classic staple of 70s fashion, and there’s no reason why they can’t be a staple of your closet. With the flattering outward angle of the leg, this style of pants works well with almost any body shape, and you can find a lot of styles that make your butt look fantastic (just like mom jeans!).
Favour “weird” fabrics
We say “weird” cause there’s a lot of strange textures of fabrics that came from the 70s, including the classic corduroy style. But corduroy, like any other fabric, can look really great if you do two things: 1) pair it nicely with another fabric, and 2) avoid cheap looking corduroy.
Yes, that’s a thing, and don’t worry, it’s not hard to mistake. One of the best tips? Go for a slightly more expensive corduroy bottom (similar price range of a really nice pair of jeans). And don’t forget to shoot for colour!
Pair a stiff fabric like corduroy with a soft one like silk for a really cute street look.
Accept that brown is the new black
Unlike the 60s, this decade is a lot more fond of earthy tones, like your favourite bohemian inspos. Although it was a colour that was once thought of as a bit drab, stylists have caught on and used brown as a great anchor for patterns, especially bold florals from 70s fashion.
Plus, trusty wardrobe staples like overcoats, boots and leather bags look super chic in any shade of brown.
Get into frocks
Lastly, but certainly not the least, one of the best 70s fashion trends is “frocks” or, simply, flowy, often boldly patterned dresses. The best way to mix up such a “hippy dippy” look is to go for a shorter cut of a dress, like a midi. This brings a more modern vibe to the very 70s style. Or, try going full out and grabbing a patterned maxi dress, but pair it with a little more modern of a sandal, or a cut-out chelsea boot.
