Obsessed with retro style? You’re not alone. Many designers, fashion enthusiasts and shoppers will find that their style and tastes may be shaped by eras in history. In fact, it is common for designers, in particular, to look to the past to create the designs of the future. Some of today’s most influential designers have turned to the past for inspiration.

It’s perhaps no wonder they do this: if you look at the fashion of the past, there is an abundance to draw influence from. Not surprisingly, the 60′s and 70′s are decades that people turn to time and time again, and both decades featured some truly diverse and unforgettable trends. Read on for a quick look at a few of those stand-out moments.

We can’t really talk about the sixties without mentioning Mary Quant. She famously invented the mini skirt, as well as hot pants. The influence which she had over what people at that time were wearing was certainly significant, and the impact can still be seen within the fashion industry today.

If you take a look at By Malene Birger, you can certainly see the way in which some design shapes and features from this era have lasted. In the sixties, the clothes were the most important part of an outfit (rather than the accessories), and this is something you can still see in collections that have been directly influenced by this period of time. Of course, having said this, the pillbox hat which was first worn by Jackie Kennedy in 1963 was a huge hit amongst fashion fans.

The 70s were equally as exciting. It was all about bell bottoms and creating an androgynous hippie-inspired look, with both the men and women stepping out in platform shoes, for example. The term ‘disco look’ was also coined during this time. For men, this meant wearing a three-piece suit, while women often donned wrap-around rayon or jersey dresses. The wrap-around dress, which is still hugely popular today, was first designed by Diane von Fürstenberg. Another popular item in the 70′s was high-waisted jeans, which you may have also noticed making a comeback recently. Fashion during this 60s and 70s was undoubtedly influenced by the rock stars of the time. Take David Bowie, Roxy Music and Marc Bolan, who all dressed in a style now referred to as ‘glam rock’. In order to achieve this look, both men and women tended to wear a lot of glitter. In addition to this, women would also wear high-waisted, flared trousers, often made from a satin material. These trousers would typically be teamed with halter neck tops, antique velvet dresses or sequined bra-tops. Bianca Jagger was someone who captured this look perfectly.

Photography courtesy MyWardobe.com

***

This post sponsored by MyWardrobe.com. We love our sponsors and hope you will, too. They help keep San Francisco’s independent fashion community alive and well by making it possible for us to bring you San Francisco fashion news, interviews and events all week long.