How to Style Retro Dresses?

In recent years, among the well-known clothing styles such as celebrity style, pastoral style, and campus style, the retro style has emerged and become one of the most eye-catching styles. Although this style of clothing is not particularly universalized, it can leave a very deep impression on people.

As a clothing style full of nostalgia and sense of age, retro style always reminds people of childhood memories or the marks of a bygone era. Therefore, the retro style has always been associated with intimacy and elegance. Perhaps that is why the retro style is so attractive.

Actually, the so-called “retro style” is a relatively broad concept. Since retro clothing bears the marks of different eras, they can be further divided into many categories. Next we are going to learn more about the different classifications of retro dresses and tips for your retro dress outfit.

The word “retro” comes from Latin initially. This style often takes the distinctive imprint of the old times as its main feature, while adding some modern elements. Nowadays, this style is not only used in room decoration, but also more in clothing design. The overall characteristics of retro style are bright colors and colorful patterns. Just think about the female stars in the movies of the 1930s and 1940s with beautiful makeup and exquisite clothes.

In recent years, retro style clothing has become popular for the following reasons:

First of all, retro clothing is originally inspired by past fashion trends. So you do not need to worry that these clothes will go out of style one day. Only classic styles that can stand the test of time can still be used as references by fashion designers decades later.

Secondly, everyone has a past, so everyone will miss the past more or less. Therefore, retro clothes often makes people feel friendly. In addition, clothes in retro style is often very different from those in common modern styles, so retro clothes are usually refreshing.

Since fashion is a microcosm of the unique style of each era, the popular elements of each era have their own unique characteristics. From the 1920s to the end of the last century, and even back to the Victorian era, you will find that basically every decade is a fashion cycle. More than a dozen clothing trends within the decades, and these popular styles are collectively called retro styles. Now let us clarify the classifications of retro dresses according to the era.

In the 1920s, the “Chicago style” was popular. The most common female outfit at that time was mainly low-waisted or even no-waisted dress with a pair of long gloves or a shawl. During this period, women were no longer constrained by tight corsets, and were willing to show their beautiful arms and legs. In films set in that era, we often see fashionable young ladies with their hair permed into small curls that stick to their scalps. A headband wrapped around the head was a popular accessory at the time.

In the 1930s, pleats and other decorations have appeared on women’s clothes. Mesh and lace also appeared more and more. It could be said that during this period, women's clothing became more comfortable and more elegant. The common attire for women was a long dress with a wide-brimmed hat and veil.

In the 1940s, affected by the war, many women had to enter the workplace instead of men. Therefore, during this period, the popular outfit for women was skirt suits which are of practical significance. After the war, women's clothing began to pay more attention to beauty. Puffy dresses were back in fashion again.

In the 1960s, under the influence of the hippie style, women's clothing gradually walked towards the neutral direction. Even dresses no longer overemphasized women's curves and figure charm. During this period, straight dresses were more common. But people tended to choose very bright colors and bold patterns to show their uniqueness.

One of the most prominent features of dresses in the 1980s was their exaggerated shapes. These dresses are often decorated with colorful sequins and with deep v-necks to the waist. Accordingly, girls of this period wore sparkling accessories and heavy makeup. Today, the elements that are frequently used in retro dresses including polka dots, plaid patterns, pleats and prints. Marked by bright colors, theses dresses today are classic as well as stylish.

As we have clarified the fashionable trends of different era, we have found that accessories are an important part of the outfit of ladies. From hats, jewelry, shawl to the hairbands, there are many accessories we can use to create a look that is both classic and fashionable.

💕You can choose a suitable hairband. You do not have to choose one totally same as those almost one hundred years ago. A wide hairband with polka dots is good enough. But remember to choose a hairband in the color contrast to your hair color, otherwise, the hairband will be nearly invisible.

💕Or you can also choose a velvet hat with a wide brim. Now velvet hats are rarely seen. Whether it is a beret, a bucket hat or a peaked cap, none of them have as wide brims as the hats worn by celebrities in the past. So a velvet hat can quickly distinguish you from others. On the other hand, it will also make you look more elegant.

💕A pair of sunglasses is essential in your outfit of the 1980s style. A pair of sunglasses goes well with the flaunting clothes and makes you really cool.

💕Your choice of jewelry should depend on the style of your dress. If your dress are more like the styles between the 1920s to the 1940s, then you can choose some bright and delicate jewelry including a pair of earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace and so on. But if the dress you have chosen is more in line with the style of the 1960s and the 1980s, you can consider about some more exaggerated jewelry. Foe example, the necklace can be extremely long to the waist, and the earrings can be two large rings.

💕Similar to the choices of jewelry, your choices of shoes should also depend on the style of your dress. To pair with the dresses or skirt suits of the style between the 1920s to the 1940s, a pair of high heels or delicate mary jane shoes is a good choice. These kinds of outfits are more compatible with a banquet or some business occasions. But high heels may not be a good choice for your outfit of the 1980s style. Instead, a pair of stylish leather or canvas shoes might be more suitable.

💕Whether you need a belt depends on your needs. If you would like to show your waistline, then you can tie a belt over your retro dress. But if you would like to wear a retro skirt suit or a straight dress, then a belt is not necessary. Of course, the belt can also be used as a decoration. If you would like to show your uniqueness in your outfit of the 1980s style, you can tie a large belt decorated with sequins.

After learning the classification and characteristics of retro dresses, how can we wear them in a stylish way? You can explore new ways of styling retro dresses while choosing the style that is the most suitable for you.

💕Although born out of the fashion trend of the last century, the retro dresses can not be the same as those dresses decades of years ago. Apart from the old-time features, these dresses also incorporate modern elements. For example, you can choose dresses with retro prints as well as asymmetrical design which is popular today. In other words, the combination of retro marks as well as modern element is a good way to style retro dresses.

💕Choose the suitable style for yourself. Although retro dresses can be divided into different styles, maybe not every style is suitable for you. You can choose the style that suits you best according to your demands and preference. For a banquet or a dinner party, you can choose an elegant retro dress just like ladies in the 1920s. It would be even more perfect if the dress could be made of luxurious fabrics such as silk. For the demand of street photography, you can choose the retro dress with a deep v-neck and wear a pair of sunglasses to be more eye-catching.

💕To pair with the retro dresses, it is better to wear a retro makeup. You can perm your hair into big waves, which is especially suitable for ladies with long hair. Uncommon eyeshadow colors like blue, green, and purple can seem difficult to handle, but they are compatible with the retro style of the 1980s.

💕The shapes of the retro dresses also matter, since the shape of the dresses can modify the figure defects to a large extent. For example, to modify the defect of the “inverted triangle” shape figure, an A-line retro dress is a good choice.

All in all, retro dresses cover a large volume of styles. Among them, each style has its audience. So what you need to do is to choose the right style for you and show your beauty and confidence.