How to wear retro?
Properly selected retro clothing and accessories will tell others about your excellent taste and ability to present yourself correctly. However, there are some unspoken rules that should be followed so that the image turns out to be complete and evokes only enthusiastic responses from others.
• Clothing in a retro style will not tolerate proximity to other styles and trends in fashion. The image must be strictly consistent in one time era, right down to shoes, tights and manicure;
• A combination of clothing from different decades in one look will be considered a sign of frank bad manners;
• You need to choose the right time and place to showcase your retro style. For example, for dinner at a restaurant you can dress in the style of the 20s. A 70s style outfit is perfect for a party.
The relevance of the multifaceted retro style in our time
Designers widely use retro style in the twenty-first century, skillfully interweaving new ideas and using elements of retro style in clothing. Just take the newfangled Gatsby style that arose after the release of the film adaptation of Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. It was this film that sparked the creativity of today's fashion designers! Each season now takes place under the influence of one of the retro eras. These include fitted floor-length dresses, short dresses with a full skirt, short Charleston-style dresses, and popular polka dot prints. And for the craftsmen who produce wedding dresses, retro style is simply a treasure trove of inspiration!
Retro style is simply a treasure trove of inspiration - newfangled Gatsby style
It’s not for nothing that they say that everything new is well-forgotten old. So, with the retro style, it will never become a thing of the past, they will constantly return to it, since it is so versatile and bright that fashion designers will always draw inspiration from it for their ideas in order to create outfits for absolutely anyone, even the most fastidious taste! You can learn more about style, fashion and beauty from our blog
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Characteristic features of retro style in clothing
20-30s
These years were marked by the flowering of chic and sophistication, against the backdrop of emancipation and protest against male dominance in the world.
- dresses with an open back and low waist; vests, raincoats; - pleated frills; — fabrics: chiffon, satin, velvet; — colors: rich and deep black, gray, pale pink; — accessories: boas, long beads, cloche hats, fishnet stockings; - shoes: pumps, shoes with an ankle strap.
40-50s
Wartime also affected fashion. Relaxation, chic, and elegance were replaced by modesty, simplicity and severity. Deep necklines and bright colors are a thing of the past, leaving room for closed outfits, knee-length skirts, collared turtlenecks, comfortable and comfortable shoes.
After the end of the war, women who missed beautiful clothes gladly gave preference to such outfits as:
- dresses with a wide skirt with a pronounced waist; - full skirts with an expressive high waist; - neckline; — accessories: bright lacquer belts, fur and guipure capes, long gloves, miniature velvet handbags, pearl jewelry; — makeup: bright scarlet lips; eyes lined with black eyeliner.
60-70s
This period is called another Renaissance era. During these years, clothing shows a return to calm, everyday life. Bright prints and colors are in fashion: polka dots, geometric, floral, etc. And the images become more open and sexy:
— miniskirts, Bermuda shorts; — bell dresses with a marked waist and ¾ sleeves; — high-waisted trousers; - blouses and blouses with bows and high collars, sparkles; — leather biker jackets with fringes; — accessories and shoes: shoes with light cork platforms and high heels; headscarves, large glasses;
In the 70s styles such as “Hippie” and “Disco” flourished. Loose skirts, blouses, long dresses, bright headbands, accessories with ethnic elements, bright fluffy dresses, etc. came into fashion.
Basic wardrobe in vintage style
To create a vintage-style look, modern stylists suggest paying attention to the following basic items of clothing:
Women's wardrobe:
- casual dresses, just below the knee length. Large polka dots, contrasting stripes, and floral patterns are welcome.
- Evening dresses can be distinguished by an abundance of decor, or, conversely, focus on the quality and sophistication of the fabric from which they are made.
- Jeans. High-waisted, flared from the hip or knee.
- Blouses with a closed collar, often complemented by a bow.
Men's clothing:
- single-breasted jacket. It practically does not change over time, the only difference is in the details and the number of buttons.
- Suit pants. Depending on the decade chosen, they will be slightly narrower or slightly wider than the classic version.
- Jeans. The traditional cut remains unchanged, and “bananas”, which came from the 80s with virtually no modifications, can be considered as derivatives.
- Jean jacket. A constant attribute of both the 70s and 80s, as well as modern street style.
LookBook
Swimwear
A girl in a closed, retro swimsuit with polka dots with a ribbon on the belt
A girl in a striped retro swimsuit and a sailor's cap A girl in a retro striped swimsuit with a bow
Girl in a retro swimsuit with pockets
Girls in a variety of retro swimsuits
Girls in retro swimsuits
Evening Dress
Girl in an evening dress from Dior
A girl in an evening, retro dress with a floral print. A girl in a long, retro dress with a wide skirt.
Girls in chic retro dresses Model Tilly Tizzani in an evening dress from Givenchy, photograph for Vogue, 1967
Dorian and her sister in evening dresses for the cover of Vogue 1953
Retro style bows
Girl in a fluffy white dress with a floral print, 1948
Girls next to a rare car in a skirt and shorts with polka dots and checkered tops Dita Von Teese is dressed in a dress of the 40-50s
Fashionable girl of the 70s of the 20th century Abbey Lee Kershaw at a photo shoot for Vogue, dressed in the style of the 60-70s
Two girls in retro style
A girl in retro style, short shorts and a shirt tied on her stomach. Girls in bell-bottom overalls.
What is vintage style
Vintage style reflects the fashion trends of the last century, but such things do not look old and boring. On the contrary, high-quality vintage items are expensive products that not everyone can afford. Some designers produce modern collections, stylized as antique. Clothes, shoes, and accessories replicate authentic vintage items and look just as stylish. However, true adherents of vintage argue that things produced in the 21st century will never have the charisma and energy that is inherent in products of the 20-30s of the 20th century.
The main distinguishing features of true vintage are luxurious fabrics, individual tailoring and absolute exclusivity. High-quality vintage has no analogues, and only duplicates can copy the appearance of such products. Let us dwell in more detail on the distinctive features of antique items in order to describe in more detail the characteristics of this style.
1) Main characteristics
Only an experienced specialist can recognize a genuine vintage item at first glance. Stylists share some recommendations on how to identify signs of antique products in things that have survived from the last century:
- The age of clothing, shoes or accessories cannot be less than 20 years.
- Items made to order in a single copy have incredible value.
- A vintage item is exactly that product that was produced in the 20-70s of the twentieth century and has survived to this day in good condition, and not a fake sewn this year.
- It must be a truly designer item, produced by a stylist of the time. If you find a well-preserved dress made by your grandmother in 1930, then such a product can be called vintage, but it has no value.
True connoisseurs of antiquity claim that vintage items have a soul and preserve the mysteries and secrets of the past. Vintage style in clothing best emphasizes the status of a person, her excellent taste and wealth.
2) Style directions
Stylists in their catwalk collections clearly demonstrate how to use antique pieces to dilute an image, add elegance, femininity and gloss to it. In the history of fashion, there are 2 main styles:
- Classic vintage - very high-quality products from designer collections of past years. Such things have retained their fabrics, lace, and trim. The appearance of the clothing clearly indicates its high cost.
- Neo-vintage is clothing made today that accurately imitates vintage items. Clothing collections are produced from modern materials, in which designers have tried to recreate the styles, cuts, and decor that their predecessors used in the last century.
Naturally, neo-vintage items have a more reasonable price.
Accessories
Very often, it is accessories that indicate vintage style. Choose a small flirty hat, glasses with round wide frames, and gloves made of thin leather. Lovers of antiques should have in their wardrobe special shoe models suitable for exclusive clothing.
Vintage shoes with small, stable heels and a rounded toe are the brightest representatives of the era of the 20-50s of the last century. A fashionista's wardrobe must have a pair of rare shoes in a men's style - oxfords, loafers, brogues.
1) Bags
Elegant small handbags or luxurious voluminous briefcases - all this can be matched to a stylish look:
- handbag - a small handbag with a long strap made of soft leather with embroidery or decoration, suitable for sophisticated dresses and skirts;
- travel bag - a trapezoid-shaped bag with a rigid frame made from artificially aged leather;
- briefcase - a bag with a large lock fits perfectly with a military-style look;
- Chanel handbag is a small bag made of soft thin leather with embroidered diamonds, a signature emblem and a gold chain. Be sure to replenish your wardrobe with a spectacular accessory that will elegantly complement your evening or holiday look.
2) Decorations
Large jewelry made of precious or semi-precious stones, as well as retro jewelry, are the best option for creating a single look in vintage style. They can be worn during the daytime and decorate your evening look.
Who will suit the retro style?
The retro style look suits most; the main criterion when choosing is the type of build. For skinny fashionistas with a boyish physique, the Chicago style and charming dresses of the 20s are perfect. However, if they want to hide their boyish silhouette, girls can try the 50s trend. It features fluffy multi-layered skirts, gloves and wide-brimmed hats.
Curvy figures can be styled as pin-ups with colorful accessories in the form of glasses and headbands. Instead of crop tops, you can wear a plaid shirt and tie it with a knot at the waist. Eyeliner, bright lipstick – the look is ready.
There are quite a lot of elements that are characteristic of a particular era; the main thing is not to confuse the years and not mix them with each other.
The retro direction covers a long period, from the 20s of the last century to the 90s. Designers are returning their former popularity to styles and accessories when modeling new sketches. Fashion often has hints of bygone eras. The cycle repeats, changing the outdated presentation to a modern one.
