How to wear 70s style without looking like a costume

Have you ever held up a pair of flares, or a long floral dress, and thought, “I love this, but will I look like I’m headed to a theme party?”

Same. And the good news is there’s one simple rule that fixes it almost every time. Then it’s just picking the 70s pieces that work for a body that’s over a medium. Spoiler: most of them do, because a lot of 70s clothes were made to tie, wrap and flow.

Why 70s style is everywhere again

You’re not imagining it. Chloé brought in Chemena Kamali as creative director in late 2023, and her collections put flowy, 70s-flavored boho right back on the runway. By fall 2025, Marie Claire was writing about boho in suede, chocolate brown and burgundy, with “no flower crowns required.” And Who What Wear called out brown suede coats and “the nostalgic ’70s mood that continues to trend.”

That “no flower crowns” part is the whole secret, honestly.

The one rule: one 70s piece at a time

This is the rule I always come back to. Pick one piece that says 1970s, and make everything around it simple and from today.

A prairie dress with modern knee boots and a plain cardigan looks like a great dress. The same dress with a fringe vest, a floppy hat, round tinted glasses and a headband looks like a costume. The dress didn’t change. Everything piled on top of it did.

Six 70s pieces that work past a medium

1. The wrap dress

Diane von Furstenberg introduced her wrap dress in 1974, and 25,000 were being made every week during its first year, according to TIME. It’s now in MoMA’s collection.

It’s still the most forgiving dress there is. You tie it where you want it, so it fits your waist instead of a size chart’s idea of your waist. Stylist Julie Matos told Parade it’s “one of those pieces that can work on literally every body,” and recommended a stretchy knit for curvier figures. The Curvy Fashionista suggests tying it right at your natural waist.

How I’d wear it: a solid or small-print wrap dress, simple gold earrings, and a block heel or clean white sneakers. That’s it.

2. The prairie or Empire-waist midi

Gunne Sax, which Jessica McClintock bought in 1969, made the long, lacy, high-waisted dress a 70s staple, per the Vintage Fashion Guild. Laura Ashley’s cotton prairie dresses were best-sellers right through the decade, according to the V&A.

An Empire waist sits up under the bust and floats over the tummy, which is a gift if you’re over a medium. The trick is keeping the rest of the outfit modern so the ruffles read as pretty, not historical.

How I’d wear it: a cropped cardigan that stops right at the high waist, knee-high boots, and one small accent like a silk scarf. The boots close the gap between the hem and your shoes, so the whole look reads long and easy.

3. High-rise flares and wide-leg pants

Before there were flares in stores, women were literally splitting the seams of their straight jeans and sewing in extra fabric to make them flare, according to Levi Strauss & Co. Once Levi’s made a women’s flare in the 70s, it was “an instant hit.”

A wide leg balances your hips, and a high rise holds in what you want held in. The thing that makes them look right is length. Refinery29 says the hem should hit at least 4 inches past your heel, worn with platforms or heeled boots. Too short, and they look like a costume fast.

How I’d wear them: a fitted plain top tucked in, a chunky shoe, and nothing else 70s.

4. Suede

Halston’s Ultrasuede shirtdress came out in fall 1972, and The Met calls it possibly his most successful design. It was machine-washable, too, which I love.

Suede is the easiest way to nod to the 70s, because it reads as a texture first. A brown suede jacket over jeans and a white tee is 70s-adjacent and completely current.

5. Rust, olive and warm brown

The London label Biba was known for colors like olive and rust, according to the V&A. Those earthy shades are what make a 70s outfit feel 70s, even when the shapes are modern.

How I’d use it: pick one of those colors and pair it with cream, denim or black. A rust sweater with dark jeans. An olive dress with brown boots. One warm color, and you’re there.

6. Platforms and chunky soles

Fun fact: the 70s platform was itself a throwback to the 1940s, according to The Met. So you’re in good company bringing it back again.

You don’t need a 5-inch platform. A chunky block heel, a lug-sole loafer or a boot with a thicker sole gives you the same feel and is a lot easier to walk in. Look for wide widths if you need them.

Your quick 70s formula

The 70s piece	Add something plain	Finish with
Wrap dress	Nothing, it’s a whole outfit	Block heel or white sneakers
Prairie midi	Cropped cardigan	Knee boots
Flares	Fitted solid top	Chunky shoe or platform boot
Suede jacket	White tee and jeans	Loafers
Rust sweater	Dark denim	Brown boots

Where to start

If you’re dipping a toe in, start with a wrap dress or one great suede piece. They’re the easiest to wear with what you already own.

And before you buy anything with a waistline, save your numbers in the Fit Decoder. Every piece on this site will show you whether you’re inside its size range, so you’re not guessing.

Have fun with it,
Paige