Retro clothing is outdated or aged items of clothing. The retro era is usually considered to be the 1940s through the 1980s. It can be broken down into various subcategories such as hippie, disco, 40s and 50s, and even workout outfits from the 80s.
The word retro comes from a Latin prefix meaning "backward" or " in past times." The term retro can be applied to clothing from various eras, and there are a wide variety of styles to choose from. Retro clothing probably won't suit everyone's tastes, but it makes the individual wearing it stand out from the crowd. Personal preference plays an important role when choosing a specific style.
The hippie style normally refers to clothing from the late 1960s and brings the term "flower power" to mind. One of the trademark fashions of that era was the "bell bottom." Bell bottoms were trousers with legs that widened, or flared sharply, towards the bottom. Some of the other popular fashion items during this period were corduroy trousers or suits and long flared skirts with bright designs.
Disco refers to clothing from the seventies disco era. This type of retro clothing style features leisure suits with bell-bottom trousers, mismatched patterns, and big collars. Some of the common fabrics were tweed, polyester, and corduroy. Experimentation with different textures and colors is a big part of creating the "disco look." Adding colorful beads creates a nice finishing touch.
Retro clothing sometimes refers to clothing from the 40s and 50s. The zoot suit, featuring big padded shoulders and baggy legs which tapered at the ankle, was very popular during this time. Swing and wiggle dresses were also common during this period. The main difference between these two dresses was the design below the waist. Swing dresses flared towards the bottom whereas wiggle dresses were closely fitted.
The workout look was popular during the 1980s, and this look is very easy to achieve. Retro clothing in this style consists of ripped of sweaters, sweat suits, and fitted tights or body stockings. Leg warmers are another important part of the workout look and are worn over tights or sweatpants to complete the look. The items mentioned above can all be layered to create the look but should be chosen in matching colors.
The key to creating a retro look is to decide on a style and then find clothing from that era. Retro clothing has become very popular and can be found at online retail stores, flea markets and yard sales.