Are you ready for the 1970s comeback?

It's hard to avoid plundering the 70s when its influence is everywhere on the catwalks. Whether you look at the color palette brought by Burberry and Balmain, the fringed leather and suede jackets, or the new bohemia look: this year marks the comeback of the 1970s.

Understanding a decade in fashion

The seventies are one of the most revisited decades when it comes to fashion. It was an era of bell-bottom trousers, of women’s rights, strikes, anti-war protests, and Watergate. The influence of boutique stores made pret-a-porter clothing increasingly accessible, as well as a new approach to dressing making emphasis on handmade materials and decorations. Patchwork, crochet, and embroidery were among the details designers incorporated into high fashion collections.

The political climate of these years was key to a whole new concept of fashion, strongly rooted in the conception of pieces that were capable of transmitting a message. Alternative street-style movements such as Punk used fashion to startle and challenge the establishment. Women were gaining freedoms and this was reflected in their clothing: new styles were created as women began to wear clothing heavily inspired by menswear, like Bianca Jagger’s white tuxedo by Halston or Yves Saint Laurent’s 1966 Le Smoking.

This was a decade of individuality and contrasts: every extreme of fashion was met by an equally popular opposite reaction. Ankle-length maxi skirts strived for attention with super-short hot-pants. Outfits in vibrant prints and contrasted with subtly-colored ensembles. It’s the period of the simultaneous existence of several styles in the fashion industry and the decade when many subcultures emerged. From hippy and glam to disco and bohemian, the decade encapsulates numerous iconic styles that are still wearable today.

What I love the most, is this decade was all about uniqueness and freedom of expression. There’s a variety of colors, eclectic looks and a tendency to mix and match different styles with each other. The seventies style is much appreciated for it became a means of expressing the individuality of a person, her unique vision of style and creativity. And the values and trends that became iconic during this time continue to influence fashion and modern style.

Suede was one of the favourite materials to use, giving outfits a soft and delicate touch. It was used not only for the accessorizing details such as shoes or bags, but also for dresses, skirts, and pants. The shapes still complied with the simplicity of design but often featured details like fringe; which decorated either bags, shoes and other tiny details or an entire piece of boho-chic clothing.

What can we expect?

The seventies style made a truly impressive statement and stayed relevant in designs for the haute couture houses as well as our wardrobes. It’s very likely most of us own a vintage piece of clothing that now qualifies as on-trend. As I said before, bootcut jeans, floral maxi dresses, knee-high boots, and high waists are all signatures from the disco decade and we are already seeing them on casual wear.

In regards to the color palette, neutral tones will be the core, combined with earthy greens, burgundy, mustards, and burnt oranges. In contrast, all the sparkling disco fashion will stay relevant. We’ve seen that neon is definitely a strong trend, as well as metallics, sequins, and flares. The high waist has already been a strong trend, but centered around boyfriend and mom jeans… This comeback is focused on a more stylized fit, we’ll be seeing a lot of bell-bottoms and decorative accents such as fringe, tassels or embroidery.

In an era that embraced so many styles, from the hippie boho-chic to the punk unisex aesthethic, there are iconic pieces that I’m glad are being brought back… Are you ready to feel the Studio 54 glam and dance to some disco music?

Credits:

Photography: Evgeny Milkovich @emilkovich

Make up: Steph Gomez @theartistsg

Styling and Hair Production: Diego Larez @diegolarez

Production: @loumilalou