It’s the vintage era that some would rather forget. With its earthy tones and bold patterns, the 70s is sometimes labelled as a decade of bad taste. However, the era of decadence and disco is now firmly back in vogue.
With the success of last year’s BBC drama, ‘The Serpent,’ the fashionistas are turning back to the 70s because of the super-sleek looks created by the costume department for the show’s stars, Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman. The Serpent is set in 1970s Bangkok, where notorious French criminal Charles Sobhraj targeted tourists on the Asian hippie trail posing as a gem dealer. The washed-out sepia tones and bold colours created a gorgeous aesthetic which kept fans hooked – along with the dramatic plot twists.
The 70s were all about making style statements and showing your personality in palettes of earthy tones. Frames were oversized and square shapes and aviators were seen everywhere. Huge glasses, paired with headscarves, woven bags and quintessential flares were the iconic seventies look. It is so easy to recreate today and a quick trip to the high street will reveal that the key ingredients of the 70s style are readily available for you to create the look.
It is a look that will inevitably become more popular as the hotly anticipated new American biographical crime film, House of Gucci, directed by Ridley Scott is released next week.
The film is based on the 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden and it tells the story of Patrizia Reggiani, who was tried and convicted of orchestrating the assassination of her ex-husband – former head of the Gucci fashion house, Maurizio Gucci. With a stella line up of stars, including Lady Gaga, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek and Adam Driver, it is set to be the must-see movie of 2021 and is sure to be a huge hit at the box office.
Since the dawn of cinema, films have always been a huge influence on fashion and due to the lack of external experiences over the last year of the pandemic, people seem to have been even more influenced by TV and cinema. Therefore, the decadent Italian fashion depicted in the film is sure to flood into the mainstream. However, despite being fifty years ago, many of the attitudes to fashion that began in the 70s have endured today – particularly when it comes to men’s style. In the early 70s, men began to experience a newfound freedom and sense of fun. With androgynous icons like David Bowie and Mark Bolan, an anything goes flamboyance and attitude of excess was celebrated. For the first time, men were encouraged to express themselves through fashion and could do so while retaining their masculinity.
House of Gucci hasn’t even been released yet and already online shopping platform Lyst have reported a 45% increase in searches for flared jeans! Sales of 70s staples such as clogs and tank tops have also increased and of course, the eponymous hairstyle of the 1970s, the mullet has returned with a vengeance. Furthermore, the fashion catwalks have been full of 70s influenced styles, from hippie chic to glam rock and disco. Pieces like the kimono and kaftan are quintessential 70s and have even been spotted on the award ceremony red carpet in the last few months.
One look that just screams 1970s is the oversized sunnies or aviator frame and we have an incredible range of different 70s inspired shades that will give you that sleek authentic style. First up is the Beau Aviator Brown Sunglasses. With their affordable price and subtle shade to go with classic 70s earthy tone, these are the perfect way to channel your inner Starsky and Hutch. If you are not a fan of the aviator and you fancy more of a Farrah Fawcett look, our Francois Oval Sunglasses will give you that chic starlet on the riviera look and will have paparazzi wondering whether they ought to be taking your picture! For something authentic and completely cool, take a look at our original vintage 70s frames from huge designer names such as Gucci, Dior, Carrera and Picasso. These really are the real deal and although they are a little bit more pricey, you can guarantee you won’t bump into anyone else wearing the same pair!
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