Vintage fashion stems from the clothing choices of people from the 1930s to the 1970s.
If you ever get the chance to speak to your grandmother or a great grandparent they would probably tell you how whatever you have on was really popular in one of those decades you weren’t born in. That’s fashion. It recycles so often we never get to even observe when our trendy 50s dress is straight out of a 50s magazine.
Dresses found in our parents closet, and vintage shops have become the fashion of the future. Vintage fashion takes into consideration the fabric of clothing as well as clothing style, not the social status they represented at the time but the individuality of the attire.
Different decades came with their different ideas, fights, struggles and inspiration. The 60s was a time of liberation. Sexual liberation and individualism; the mini became a thing in this decade, from miniskirts to crop tops, this decade was filled with many risks in fashion, many of which make up current trends of today (not to forget the British revolution of fashion from the presence of Twiggy and her popular school girl look.) The 70s was the hipster decade. The fashion of this decade was extravagant, colorful, and casual. It was so simple the popular material in use was polyester. There was little difference between what was worn to parties and what was worn in doors. It was the bridge between the mini of the 60s and the color outburst of the 80s.
70s Movie Classics
Movie and fashion always go hand in hand. Just like other decades, movies of the 70s had a lot to teach us about the clothing choices of the movie favorites of that decade and the in turn, the vintage fashion that have found themselves in our closets today. Some movies were clearly exceptional in how they portray 70s fashion for the present generation. Some of these are:
- The Godfather: this 70s movie from 1972 which was a product of the book the godfather by Mario Puzo had a lot to teach both men and woman about fashion in the 70s. This movie made organized mob crime look stylish with the 40s inspired fashion and redefinition of power suits from Al Pacino and Marlon Brando and Kaeton Diane who played the wife of Kay Adams, she brought fashion forward with her fur coats, hats and overall feminine appeal.
- Grease: one of the most popular movies of 1978, but was believed to capture the teen fashion sense of the 50s. The fashion transition of Sandy played by Olivia Newton was one notable feature of the movie. The use of head to toe leather and the leather pants of Danny played by John Travolta was all seen as a 50s outburst, however, leather was the in thing in the 80s. This movie is a visible proof of fashion recycle.
- The great Gatsby: before the popular Gatsby movie of this century, the 1974 movie was the first recreation from the 20s book. Starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow as Jay Gatsby and Daisy, this 70s movie captured the fashion of the 70s to the letter as the costumes were designed by Theoni V. Aldrege assisted by Ralph Lauren who used this medium to gain a step into the fashion industry at the time as the movie won the Oscar for costume design in 1974.
