Hippie culture, tight flare pants, The Beatlemania, and the days of disco colored the palette of the retro era of the ’70s. Frolicking in the pre-vintage prairie dresses, humming Dian Rosse’s famous ‘Ain’t no mountain high,’ you walked with fun in the mind and passion in your heart. Times when Boho rocked the era post Elvis Presly and The Beatles. The calico dresses and high waist jeans are so vintage and retro, you can only relive that era with these dresses, which are a strict no-no for everyday wear, unless, you want to have fun with the ’70s style.
Puffed Sleeves And Smocked Dresses
Puffed sleeves and smocked dresses reigned the 70’s and made a come back in 2000’s with king sized puffed sleeves. Smocked dresses at home doing your own thing or with girls have been the ‘It’ thing of the ’70s. A time which celebrated coming of age movies like Say Anything, Sixteen Candles, and Some Kind Of Wonderful. Blissful times that didn’t have the digital noise with the magic of music listening to tape recorders and cassettes.
A time that celebrated true love for what it is and instant gratification was a taboo. Come to think of it, it’s in vogue making the idea of ‘true love’ take a back seat with a comic relief. Didn’t you have anyone mock you for wanting to have fairytale romance and the idea of loving the one and only all your life?
People don’t think this way anymore. That’s what the come back of puffed sleeves and the ’70s style of prairie and Calico dresses tell us; Vintage can never get old and there are people who still believe in the fairytale romance without calling it jazz. People don’t think this way anymore, because they are not looking for it. Given a chance to have everything in the world you want, would you still opt for true love and a soul connection?
Bell Bottoms, Flares, Palazzos, And Jumpsuits
The ’70s mania of transcendence, LSD, The Beatles, and the time when disco and hippie culture stayed ahead of pop. The bliss of reaching higher realms without a sign of emotions that express angst, isn’t the fifth dimension hard to reach? A place of complete bliss with not a thought to hate and connect with the oneness of universe. Can you do that swinging in bell bottoms and flared denims with a lot of fun to have and very little to fret about in an age that is more chaos than happiness?
Oh, lassie, those bell bottoms in your wardrobe, can you do that in style but once in a while? Everyday would be tacky unless you made a conscious choice to wear the palazzos and jumpsuits in sheer fabrics of Georgette and chiffon. Jumpsuits with halter necks, off shoulders, or nope, not the Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill, that would be an overdose Tarantino and kickass on your platter. We want flowy, sans the latex mania, because vinyl, and patent leather are rocking in the punk genre unto eternity.
Peter Pan Collar, Wide Collars, And Turtlenecks
Turtlenecks made a rage in the ’70s, sailing blissfully through the ’80s, and ended their journey in the ’90s. The 2000’s didn’t welcome them because they were overdone right from the haute couture to the knock-offs. Peter pan collars made the Vintage clothing, prairies, sheath, and the Calico dresses look happy without a lot of glamour. That era was not about glam quotient anyway.
With the rise of Elvis Presley came the element of wide-collar shirts and they did stay long enough to rock your style in formals and informals sans the pompadour. Peter pan collars lost their charm in the mid 80’s and the 90’s almost sneered the once demur, girl-next-door-look, unless you embellish them with sheeny stones, metallics, and filigree, no Bella, not the peter pan color like a plain Jane, walking down the lain. Nada, nada, nada!
Wrap, Disco, Sheath Dresses, And Polka Dots
Bicycle rides in the Polka dress on a quaint evening by the countryside, humming dulcet songs, and nothing else on the mind. Wrap up your beautiful emotions in the wrap or the disco dress for a fun date. Dating had a charm in the ’70s you wouldn’t find anymore. Nobody like the blushy, sweetness since the time women want to break the glass ceiling being Alpha woman; seriously Bella, you can still do that staying feminine and sweet, in all of the innocence and fire in a single go! Can you be fire and ice? All good and not nice? in polka dots and disco dresses, because you have crossed the stage of sweetness alone, there’s to you than meets the eye.
Chanel’s cocktail dresses can never lose their aura in the rack, but they are straight-laced, aren’t they? Disco dresses, an off shoot of Chanel’s black dress has fun elements that let you feel free. Free from the stereotypes of being anything that the world is so desperately trying to fit in. Because you are so blissfully wrapped up in your wrap dress, you least care about fitting in, or be a rebel, seriously, rebel is so passe!
The glam punk had it in patent leather, vinyl, and figure hugging leather, and you got all animal lovers, so it boiled down to plant leather and patent styles. Why not? You care, you punk! Rockabilly and rock and roll, evolved, but what stayed in the ’70s is untouched. You cannot recreate it only if you imbue, doing it right, in the right style, and at the right time, You Diva! you deserve the ovation and veneration, hmm..just be happy with the masterpiece you create.
I love polka dots, they have always been my favorite fashion elements from the disco era. Like Helen Hunt from As Good As It Gets, polka dots from the ’70s are so much fun. A little less on the filigree and more about boho prints and art deco, riding into the oblivion on the Lambretta or Vespa, you relived the ’70s.
Bow ties Shirts, Shirt dresses, Denim Everything, Vintage Belts, Bandanas, Oversized Sunglasses
Bow tie shirts, vintage wedding dress with pleats below the halter neckline and the empire line is so ’70s and vintage. Did you forget how satin was lavisly used, and you wouldn’t do that now, would you? Printed crepe or any printed sheer fabric would make you rock the ’70s look without looking like an outcast. Tapestry on the wide belts with the large buckles, oversized sunglasses because Aviators is so ’80s and ’90s.
Talking of disco, the round and square oversized sunglasses has to be along with floral prints, bandanas, everything Denim look. Accessorizing was not a scarce option with jewelry in beads, metallic chokers, hoop earrings, rhinestones, and let me tell you how cabochons got started in earrings, necklaces, and finger rings, it just found it’s way to make the matte look wonderful amidst the sheen and psychedelic prints.
Flip In, Flip Out Bobs, Feather Cuts, Platform Heels, Wedges
Platform heels, you wouldn’t wear them like a routine unless comfort is your priority. Talking of haircuts, you think of the disco and the hippie era, the flip in and out is iconic. Bobs, straight hair, it was not a time where messy hair was trendy. Updos, and everything that looks in it’s ‘ps and ‘qs with free-spirited and spirituality blended it, makes for the entire look.
Rachel in 90’s F.R.I.E.N.D.S sitcom made feathered hair cuts famous but they were as famous as Avon and Paul Micheal in the ’70s. Asymmetrical and avant-garde was unthinkable in the ’70s as everything was a blend of confirmist meets spirituality. People were open to new ideas on spirituality and oneness of the universe that believed in the soul connection and true love that was to care for and nurture another until last breath. It had magic and depth missing in the current scenario.
You can’t see the ideology of going the distance in-vogue anymore. Deep feelings, understanding, to connect with your heart, mind, and soul is a rarity in this world, and those who can find their soul connection are the luckiest. You have found what most people might not even want to get there, be there, feel, think, experience in your heart’s soulfulness.
