Creating retro looks: A retro fashion blog with ideas to make them happen!

Turn to your trusted retro fashion blog to turn back the hands of time in your wardrobe

Are you looking for a retro fashion blog that’s full of ideas and tips to help you recreate that vintage look that you are yearning to pull off? Well – read on for some simple ideas and tips to help you turn back the clock inside your wardrobe to go back for the 1920s, the 30s and even the 1950’s look.

Retro fashion options

This retro fashion blog is all about clothes and accessories, and designs and fashions from a bygone era.  So as you read on, you’ll be transported back in time to get some great inspiration on how you could bring some of those vintage styles back to life today – without looking dated or out of sync within your own environment.

Vintage blogs are all about exploring ideas; and the first idea that we’ll explore in this retro fashion blog is for dresses.  One of the easiest ways to pull off a look from the past is through your selection of dresses.  Sure, you may be a great trouser fan – and there’s nothing wrong with that – as long as the outfits suit you. But trousers tend to give you a more modern look, deviating somewhat from the chic styling that dresses can bring out. Dresses also offer greater opportunity to mix-and-match assorted pieces from your wardrobe when pulling off that look from the 1920’s through the 60’s.

Advise readers

Any retro fashion blog writer worth their salt will always advise readers to first consider the length of the skirts and dresses they pick to begin assembling their ensemble of the past. Vintage styles for dresses were characterised by knee-length or slightly below designs. So, if you want to pull off your look-from-the-past then be sure you select a dress that breaks with today’s trend of above-knee cuts.

Some vintage blogs may also encourage you to explore pleated dresses, which can truly give your outfit that added by-gone era look. Floral patterns were also a big thing back in the day, and they work equally well today too.

Necklines

Vintage styles were also heavily focused on necklines. Blouses and dresses of that era usually sported boat-neck, halter-neck or sweetheart necklines. It doesn’t matter what type of neckline you love – just make sure that what you settle on suits your shoulders. Some retro fashion blog writers also recommend that you don’t shy away from lace details on and around the necklines. If you really want to be just a bit bold, then adding white lace detailing will give your dress that je ne Sais qua look to it, while also making it look “girly”.

Some vintage blogs suggest going a bit further with the “lace theme” by adding lace to hemlines, cuffs, tops and also full boleros. While styling for that period-look is ultimately a personal choice, dictated by your own sense of fashion and style; going whole-hog on the lace may just be taking things a bit too far!

Mixing, matching and pairing

If there’s one single piece of advice that many a retro fashion blog writer will agree upon, it’s about the importance of shaking things up a bit by matching and mixing the components of your ensemble.  For example, resist styling your outfit around a single dramatic vintage piece.  Sure, that head-turning faux-leopard over coat may be the ideal piece of the hour. But most vintage blogs will tell you that making it solely the centrepiece of your getup would be a huge fashion misstep!

If you are fortunate enough to have one of those faux-furs, then choosing a white outfit underneath is probably not a good idea of a perfect match. Instead, going with darker vintage styles – such as black accessories and clothing – will really help you pull off the ideal retro look that you are aiming for.

Dresses

As a retro fashion blog follower, you may even come across some dresses that might not entirely hug your curves or perfectly outline your figure. Well, unlike today’s styling, designers of the 1920s, 30s, and 50s weren’t too focused on highlighting a woman’s body. That’s why many vintage styles come as shapeless forms; like a drab old denim dress that may just be a tad bit loose around the waist.

If that’s the dress you truly love, then you can quickly turn it into something that compliments not only your figure, but everything else in your period wardrobe. Simply change its look by pairing it with a shiny patent belt – not too broad at the waist of course! By judiciously mixing and matching, you’ll be amazed at how quickly and easily you can transform that boring denim dress into a true vintage masterpiece!

Rockabilly

If you are aiming for “vintage rockability”, usually attributed to vintage styles of the 1950s, then your styling choices could include mixing and matching pieces with bold colours, as well as bright patterns like polka dots and tartans. Remember though, that some of the most popular styles of the 1940s and 50s were characterised by hemlines that were knee-high with halter-necks. So keep that in mind when pairing.

Many a retro fashion blog will also highlight the mixing of contrasting colours while choosing various elements of an ensemble. Depending on your skin tone, height and body type, choose colours that compliment your overall appearance. Primaries, like red, black, white, blue and yellow, were all a rave in the 1950s.

The sunny days of summer bring even more opportunities for pairing various pieces of accessories to give you that period look that you yearn for. Sure, you could wear that bright yellow Jackie O sundress for a regular office event; but pairing it with an appropriate Cashmere sweater or a jacket or button-down cardigan would make it an ideal retro eveningwear outfit for a night out with the girls.

Retro fashion blog writers have one summertime favourite that everyone looking for that period-look should try. It’s the plaid shirt – usually red and blue chequered – with cut-offs or faded jeans. Popular vintage blogs will suggest making a bow at your waist with of the shirt front.  Pairing this outfit with a pair of black leather boots – ankle style – will complete the look.

Planning

To crown all your efforts with success, most retro fashion blog writers always stress the need for planning. Before you start hunting for that perfect vintage dress, or the perfect accessories for pairing your ensemble, you need to decide on the type of look that you are going for: Modern flapper? Victorian? Or maybe something out of the 20s, 30s or 50s?

It’s also important for you to plan the sourcing of your retro outfit appropriately. There are many shops from where you can buy the “real deal”. Since these are often genuine vintage wardrobe pieces, they may be a bit pricier – which brings us to yet another important planning aspect: Your budget! You don’t want to spend it all on a dress, and then have no money left to mix and match vintage style accessories with that dress!

If you go online, you may come across vintage blogs that may give you alternate ideas to source your wardrobe; for instance, buying the dress you love from a thrift shop. While genuine period pieces may be easy to come by at a specialist period-wear store, finding them at thrifts may be harder. Yet, once in a while you’ll stumble upon vintage styles at thrift stores that make the hunt for them worthwhile!