Retro Fashion for Women: How to Wear 70s, 60s and 50s Style Every Day

You recognize retro fashion for women by cut and pattern: the 70s stand for wide legs, earth tones and boho, the 60s for stripes, plaid and clean lines, the 50s for a defined waist, skirts and dots. In everyday life, you wear a single piece of it and keep the rest simple.

If you search for 70s, 60s or 50s fashion for women, you usually want to know two things: what was typical back then, and how do I wear it today? This article answers both and brings single features into your everyday style, instead of rebuilding the whole look of an era.

Retro fashion at a glance: 70s, 60s and 50s compared

• 70s. Wide pant legs, long skirts, flowers, crochet, corduroy and suede. The colors are warm and earthy.
• 60s. Straight and short cuts, A-line, stripes, plaid and graphic patterns.
• 50s. Defined waist, swinging skirts, dots, wrap blouses and twinsets.

The years are a rough guide. Fashion trends flowed into each other back then, just like today.

70s fashion for women: flared pants, boho and earth tones

70s fashion is seen as relaxed, colorful and close to nature. Typical are pants that get wider from the knee down, plus long skirts and dresses, floral patterns, crochet pieces, corduroy, suede and fringe. Vests and patterned knitwear belong to it as well.

Colors of the 70s. Brown, beige and cream form the base. Orange, mustard yellow, olive green and rust come on top.

How to wear the 70s today. The easiest is a wide pant. The Striped Baggy Pants in Brown have a wide leg and vertical stripes in brown, pink and cream. A slim, simple top goes well with them. You can find more styles in the wide pants.

The boho side of the 70s is in crochet and floral motifs. You wear the Vest in Beige and Pink with a floral motif open over a white tee, with light jeans. More crochet pieces are in the crochet styles. How to put together natural tones, fringe and boho details is explained in our guide How to style the boho look.

60s fashion for women: A-line, stripes and plaid

60s fashion relies on clean lines. Typical is the A-line, meaning a dress or skirt that is slim at the top and gets slightly wider toward the bottom, plus short skirts, slim pants, short jackets and turtlenecks. The mod style of the 60s liked to work with graphic patterns like stripes, plaid and blocks in two colors.

Colors of the 60s. Light pastel shades stand next to bold colors. Black and white as a contrast are typical too.

How to wear the 60s today. Stripes are the easiest way in. The Striped T-Shirt in Taupe and Beige has wide horizontal stripes and goes with simple pants in black or white.

Plaid is the second option. You wear the Plaid Shirt in Brown open over a simple top and slim pants. There is a selection in plaid fashion. Plaid and stripes also show up in the preppy style, which also works with clear patterns.

50s fashion for women: waist, skirt and dots

In the 50s, the waist is the focus. Typical are a high waistband or a belt, widely swinging skirts, the slim pencil skirt, wrap blouses, twinsets made of cardigan and top, and capri pants. Patterns like dots and small plaid come on top.

Colors of the 50s. Red, white and navy are common, plus soft pastel shades.

How to wear the 50s today. Dots are the quickest feature. The Wrap Blouse in Taupe with Dots has a tie knot and goes with pants or a skirt with a high waist. The T-Shirt with Dots in Black brings the pattern as a small detail on the pocket.

Wearing retro fashion every day: three simple rules

• One feature per look. Choose one piece with stripes, dots, plaid or a wide leg. The rest stays calm.
• A calm base. Jeans, black, white and cream give every retro piece an anchor.
• Shoes and bags from today. Sneakers, boots or flat sandals keep the look suitable for every day.

The decades after are covered in our guides 80s fashion for women and 90s fashion for women.

Three everyday looks with retro details

70s touch. Striped baggy pants in brown, a simple top in cream and flat sandals. The pants are the only pattern.

60s touch. Striped t-shirt in taupe and beige, plus slim black pants and flat shoes. Two shades, clean lines.

50s touch. Wrap blouse with dots, plus pants or a skirt with a high waist in black and ballet flats. The waist stays visible.

Also in the shop: striped tops and pants and polka dot fashion.

Frequently asked questions

What is typical for 70s fashion?

Wide pant legs, long skirts, floral patterns, crochet, corduroy and suede. The colors are warm and earthy, meaning brown, beige, orange, mustard yellow and olive green.

What is typical for 60s fashion?

Clean, straight cuts and the A-line, plus short skirts and graphic patterns like stripes and plaid. Colors are pastel shades and bold contrasts.

What is typical for 50s fashion?

A defined waist, swinging skirts and dots. Wrap blouses, pencil skirts and twinsets belong to it.

How do I wear retro fashion in everyday life?

Take a single piece with a retro feature and combine it with calm basics like jeans, black or white. Shoes and bags can be from today.

Which colors belong to 70s fashion?

Brown, beige, cream, orange, mustard yellow, olive green and rust. If you prefer it quieter, take just one piece in these shades and combine it with cream or jeans.