Trends are, as a rule, cyclic in nature and they keep coming back at intervals. From fashion, lifestyle, home decor to music, trends of yesteryears do come back in a cyclical manner — oftentimes reinvented in a new avatar, and sometimes to evoke nostalgia in the form of retro. While last year saw the comeback of the Y2K fashion trend big-time, we are also seeing a major throwback to the years between the 70s and early 90s in various aspects of our lives. People are welcoming classic trends from those years with open arms. The new movies, series or songs, like Stranger Things, Daisy Jones & The Six, or Stayin’ Alive by Bee Gees and many others are portraying lifestyles and highlighting fashion trends prevalent in those years, making them trending today as more and more people are getting influenced by the aesthetic factor of that era.
From bootcut jeans and hippie fashion from the 70s to glossy lips and flip-phones in the 90s, Gen Z is getting inspired. The biggest styles from the past decades are taking over social media by re-entering the mainstream. t2 looks back at some of them...
THE 70S: FASHION
Also known as the ‘Disco’ decade, the 70s was the era where the world of fashion peaked. From flares, cords and miniskirts to bishop sleeves, cowboy boots and tinted sunglasses, 70s fashion was an eclectic mix of hippie style and glam rock. The Bohemian-inspired styles flaunted free-spiritedness and had a dash of wild rock ‘n’ roll touch to it. The fashion of this era was also strongly connected to the music world and college students often dressed influenced by rock bands, which also gave a sense of rebelliousness to them. It was a time of freedom and connecting to nature with neutral colour palette, earthy tones and bohemian looks. The fashion was not gender biased at all as even men wore bootcut jeans paired with bohemian tops. The trendiest styles were flares, bishop sleeve blouses, fringe kimonos, suede jackets, cowboy boots, denim on denim, crochet bralettes, tinted sunglasses, fringe crossbody bags and a lot more. Inspired by the real-life story of the 70s rock band Fleetwood Mac, the television series Daisy Jones & The Six is taking the world by storm with the numerous flared and floral fashion statements from the 70s used in the series.
THE 70S: MUSIC
Pink Floyd, The Ramones, ABBA, Queen, David Bowie, Talking Heads and whatnot, the 70s was the era of the best music. Following the counterculture of the 60s, the 70s created a trend of relaxing music and modern genres with soft rock, hard rock, heavy metal, R&B, pop and more. The 1970s built a bridge, connecting the hippie lifestyle of the 60s to the yippie lifestyle of the 70s with the idea of disco music. The era came forward with both relaxing and dance music. The 70s genre holds a great deal of songs, artistes and bands to which people are still grooving and vibing. Whether it’s We Will Rock You by Queen or Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA, these songs are being played in clubs to bring in the nostalgic era.
THE 80S: ACCESSORIES
All thanks to Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, which has brought back 1980s fashion and music, creating an awestruck industry of merchandise and accessory collaborations. Who knew fanny packs and bucket hats would complete a whole new cool look today? These tokens of nostalgia have made their way back into modern-day culture.
FANNY PACKS: The biggest reason why fanny packs have made a comeback is because of their convenience. These small pouches are not only convenient but also add to the style factor of the whole look. Crossbody or just around your waist, this 80s accessory is popular again.
THE WALKMAN CASSETTE PLAYER: Before AirPods and earphones, there was the Walkman Cassette Player, which was a go-to accessory for almost everyone in the 80s. Max from Stranger Things made it compulsory to have a Walkman to drive off Vecna or any other problems in life! Now Walkmans are being sold on online shopping sites like eBay and Amazon as a vintage accessory.
POLAROID CAMERA: Lights, camera and click! That’s how easy it was to click a memory and preserve it in the 80s. Polaroid camera was the ‘rad’ accessory young people in the 80s possessed. With a vintage look and feel, Polaroid cameras are back. The washed-out and soft light exposure of the photos gives a retro feel which easily wins against Instagram filters.
THE 80S: INTERIOR DÉCOR
Whether it’s the chic living room décor from Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood or a bedroom setting from any teen movie, the 80s decade brought in a new wave in lifestyle and interior décor. An 80s home was all about bold colours and peppy styles. From chunky furniture pieces to geometric shapes, wallpapers, CD racks and posters on the wall, these 80s design elements are coming back into vogue and still work well today. The 80s retroinspired décor themes are suggested by top interior design houses to add a vintage touch to homes.
What comes to your mind when you think about a teenager’s bedroom? Posters and posters everywhere. During the 1980s teenage bedrooms were filled with their favourite movie, music bands, and actor posters on the walls, which reflected their desire, adoration and escape. In present times, not only teenagers but adults too have posters or photo corners in their bedrooms to add that quirky touch to their rooms.
THE 90S: THE OTHER “COOL” TRENDS
FLIP-PHONES: In the pre-iPhone days, flip phones were the compact handsets that ruled the mobile world. Flip-phones too have caught the eyes of Gen Z. Social media influencers are promoting flip-phones because it’s easy to disconnect and live in the moment with just a flip-shut.
BUCKET HATS: These cool hats from the 90s are popular again. The bucket hat was one of the coolest street fashion accessories. They were/are cool, comfortable and apart from looking good, they protect your head from the sun. Bucket hats are also saviours on bad hair days!
ROUND SUNGLASSES: Round sunglasses worn by Hollywood celebrities like Lenny Kravitz, Lisa Bonet, and Jennifer Aniston on red carpets and streets were the ultimate fashion mood in the 90s. These round or oval sunglasses with metal rims not only keep the sun rays at bay but also make you look like a 90’s kid.