Head-to-toe pinup glamour starts with attitude. If you have the confidence and can rock the look, retro vintage style clothing might be the way to get the look you want. Retro fashion spans a wide range of time, from the 1920s to the 1990s.
What was once seen as old-fashioned is now considered timeless. Embracing retro with your style gives you a statement look that may be quirky and fun or simply nostalgic. It doesn’t matter as long as you wear it with confidence and attitude. You can find retro fashion in vintage shops, thrift stores, and trendy boutiques.
Summary
Glamorous Retro Apparel
Glance back at some of the glamour girls from old movies and notice how they played up their best features and disguised anything they didn’t want people to see. Retro dresses may hug curves in all the right places, but you can probably count on some shapewear undergarments providing a boost and preventing unsightly bulges.
Typical styling of glamour retro apparel:
- Flattering décolleté necklines
- Gathered or darted bust
- Fitted waist
- Shiny fabrics (satin or silk)
- Jewel tones
- Fur (or faux fur) accent
- Sparkling embellishment
- Slits and vents to show a hint of leg
Vintage Accessories for a Retro Look
Accessories can provide the finishing touches to a totally retro look or provide a quaint accent to something more current. Whether you’re going for the face of a pinup girl or getting in touch with your inner hippie, you may opt for authentic pieces or vintage-inspired accessories made by current designers.
Go retro with these accessories:
- Patent leather clutch handbag with snap closure
- A scarf is worn over the hair
- Anything with feathers – hats, earrings, or necklaces
- Animal print
- Short cardigans with shiny buttons
- Flower or bow hair accessories
- Wide stretch hair bands
- Hats – fedoras, berets, pillbox hats, floppy hats, or bowlers
- Sunglasses – tortoiseshell, granny-style, cat-eye, wrap (boy-watchers), or rhinestone embellished
- Gloves in all shapes and styles
- Belts with ornamental buckles
- Stockings with seams or patterns
Jewelry for a Retro Vintage Look
Retro jewelry may be as close as your grandmother’s or mother’s jewelry box, or you may need to scour a few thrift stores to find the pieces that give you a look you’re going for. Whatever the case, don’t be afraid to wear your retro pieces in unconventional ways.
Unique ways to wear your retro jewelry:
- Add a brooch to your scarf, the side of a hat, or on the flap of a fabric handbag.
- Wear a long necklace as a belt, or wrap it around your wrist for a stacked-bracelet look.
- Stretch rings also make excellent scarf grips or ties.
- Attach a pair of clip-on earrings to the vamp of your favorite pair of plain pumps to add glamour and retro style.
Vintage or Retro Look Shoes
If you can find authentic retro shoes that are still in good condition, you’ll definitely turn heads as you evoke nostalgia in those around you. However, many of today’s designers create styles that offer the retro look but with current technology that might be even better for comfort and wearability.
Styles of vintage or vintage-inspired retro shoes:
- Ballet flats
- Jelly flats
- Peep-toe pumps
- Wedges in all shapes and styles – sandals, pumps, and casual
- Embellished pumps – bow at the heel or rhinestones on the vamp
- Maryjanes
- T-strap shoes
- Espadrilles
- Booties and shooties
- Two-tone pumps
Retro fashion adds a rich look of elegance and style to today’s fashionista. Look for retro or retro-inspired apparel, accessories, jewelry, and shoes in vintage shops, thrift stores, garage sales, and trendy boutiques.
Thank you for reading!