70s Fashion Trends are Back: Here’s How to Rock the Looks

The 1970s was an explosion of creativity, and this was evident in the fashions and icons that defined that decade. Bell-bottom jeans, large floral prints, geometric patterns, and disco pants are only some of the distinctive 70’s fashion trends that influenced generations of designers throughout the world. This year, 70s style clothing flooded the runways and catwalks as the legendary decade once again inspired the fashion gurus of our time.

If we go by the recently concluded Fashion Week shows, it is obvious that the 1970s influence is here to stay. This isn’t surprising at all, as the 70s did make some positive waves in fashion. People craved freedom, and the desire to express themselves was obvious through the styles that they wore. The secret to rocking these styles today is to not go all-out 70s. What you do is take key elements from whichever style you like best and mix it up with your current wardrobe for a modern take on 70s fashion.

Read on as we break down the trends that made the 70s such a fashion inspiration. We also give you some style ideas for getting the various looks!

• THE CLASSIC CHIC

Fashion in the 70s was largely transitional. Clothing styles fell under two loose categories: one influenced by the classic “rich” fashions of previous decades, the other driven by the carefree spirits of the newer generation.

Many of the classic styles were retained during the 70s but were updated with elements of fun and sometimes, full-blown creative expression. The result? Posh, tailored cuts that were often decorated with colorful prints and patterns. 

STYLE IDEAS: 

For a 2017 take on the floral print dress, choose a sleek silhouette and accessorize with a modern cropped jacket or blazer. You can also wear leggings with flat shoes or sneakers for a toned-down classic look.

A timeless style that can be updated, the key to rocking the classic turtleneck today is layering. You can wear a neutral-colored long-sleeved turtleneck shirt under a bright-colored sleeveless blouse, cardigan or jacket. Play around with colors! Why not try seasonal colors like pumpkin orange, or the Fashion Week favorites red and pink? You can also go mustard yellow, and while you’re at it, try a suede sweater or jacket!

For a chic tailored look, try solid colors instead of big, bold patterns, but keep the accents interesting and fun. Stay sleek and cinch high at the waist in true 70s style. Finish off the look with knee-high boots or platforms and you’re all set.

• THE HIPPIE LOOK

As the freedom-loving population grew and the focus shifted to expressing oneself, 70s style clothing gave way to the hippie and boho-chic fashions that many still love to this day. This movement initially started in the ‘60s but gained momentum in the following decade. 

Hippie styles favored very casual, easy-to-wear looks that typically featured peaceful slogans. Tie-dyed and denim outfits were also very popular. In terms of accessories, colorful scarves and layered bracelets defined the hippie style. It is pretty easy to adapt this style for a modern look, especially if you go with denim, which never runs out of fashion. 

STYLE IDEAS:

     

Anything from slogan shirts, tie-dye, psychedelic prints, and of course, denim. These are the elements to take inspiration from. Take this trend and bring it into 2017 by pairing a slogan shirt your favorite ripped denim jeans. Add a peace sign statement necklace and a headband and you’re ready to rock the look. If you want a little bit more 70s in your outfit, try flared denims!

70’s fashion trends were full of color and none more so than the tie-dye and psychedelic prints. Although the 70s carried it as far as wearing prints from shoulder to toe, you probably should tone it down a bit. A simple tie-dye blouse or psychedelic shirt will do. Again, these two prints look great with denim! (Whatever would we do without denim?)

• THE BOHO-CHIC 

Long, flowing skirts, maxi dresses, billowy caftans, and gypsy-inspired outfits characterized the popular bohemian style. Lace was a favored material, while browns and neutral tones were preferred over bursts of color. This style is all about being as natural as possible.

STYLE IDEAS:

     

For this look, adopt some boho elements like nude lace caftans or a lace top and mix them up with your regular jeans. Create some color cords for a personal touch.

• THE FOLK AND ETHNIC STYLES

Evolving from the hippie and bohemian movements, this trend incorporates traditional folk themes and ethnic patterns into 70s style clothing. The return of this trend is particularly evident in 2017’s Fall/Winter collections.

STYLE IDEAS:

You can go simple with a patterned cardigan, rock a casual outdoors style with cowboy-inspired browns, or look runway-worthy with a full outfit in vintage Americana design.

• THE DISCO LOOK

The mid-to-late 1970s saw the height of the 70’s fashion trends as disco, glam rock, and punk rock burst into the fashion scene. Metallic fabrics, sequined outfits, wrap dresses, ruffles, and fringe were popular styles seen in disco fashion. Several film and music icons helped in the rise of disco fashion, including ABBA, Cher, and John Travolta, whose movie Saturday Night Fever epitomized the trend.

STYLE IDEAS:  

   

The disco look is where you have to be picky with the elements that you use, because it’s very easy to go overboard with all the glitter, sequins, and fringe. One style that should definitely be toned down for 2017 is the disco pants. To avoid looking outdated, try cropped pants with less flaring versus the anke-length flared style of the 70s. You can also take single elements like sparkly heels or fringed shorts and pair them with modern pieces.

• THE GLAM ROCK LOOK

Glam rock evolved as artists and musicians embraced freedom of expression, projecting their individual styles to the world and creating iconic personas that will be remembered for generations (Two words: David Bowie). Glam rock is very close to the disco style. Metallic tones, bold colors, skin-tight outfits, and platform shoes are key elements of 70s glam rock.

STYLE IDEAS:

It may be best to deviate from the shiny, colorful spandex outfits of glam rock and focus on more subdued colors, because the 70s tended to be quite ostentatious with this style. Tip: Use individual 70s statement pieces like platform shoes or bold-colored pants and tone down the rest of your outfit. A single identifiable element is enough for you to rock this particular look.

• THE PUNK ROCK LOOK 

Punk rock fashion was generally against materialism and quite opposed to the popular and “rich” mainstream styles. Consequently, punk fashion heavily featured T-shirts and jackets, often customized or printed with strong statements. Black was a typical color. Boots and fishnets were also quite common. This was the movement that made band T-shirts extremely popular.

STYLE IDEAS:

The easiest element to adopt with the punk style is, undeniably, the band T-shirt. Not only does it give you the opportunity to show off your personal musical tastes, a lot of band shirts can also be bought rather cheaply. Wholesale fashion stores carry a lot of these as well as statement shirts. You can then accessorize and build your outfit around the shirt.