Earlier this year I set out my style goals and mentioned that I’m giving the punk and tomboy aspects of my look a rest and amping up the ladylike and soft. I’m particularly drawn to Retro Futurism because fashion from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s is close to my heart. This ’70s inspired outfit came together as a result of this evolution in my style and a very special brooch.
I needed to replace my dressy black trousers and had planned to go better-end with this wardrobe item once again. But I fell in love with the flared sailor pants from Express as soon as I saw them. I liked the way their substantial fabric draped and felt. Apart from a one inch hem on the length, they fit perfectly straight off the rack. I do prefer flared hems extra long so that they skim the surface of the ground. The visual effect is luxurious and elegant to my eye.
The gold buttons on the front flap of the trousers are dressy, playful, and what give them a nautical vibe. I won’t wear these trousers all that often, so hemming them for heels that are too high for daily wear is fine. They’re special occasion trousers with a Retro flavour that transcends the trends, so quality permitting I’ll have them for a while.
These trousers were begging to be paired with a soft tucked top to showcase the front button detailing and offset the rigidity of the fabric. Feeling the ‘70s vibe, I bought a billowy cream neck-tie blouse on our trip to Hong Kong back in February. I’ve been wearing the blouse with flared jeans, but it works just as well with flared trousers. I love shopping my closet to complete an outfit.
I hadn’t planned on pinning a brooch on this blouse until a vintage Yorkshire terrier came my way. The planets aligned and I was excited to sport the classic look. The gold at the base of my neck picks up the gold in the buttons of the trousers and jacket, the bag and the watch. The black garnets on the brooch match the black of the trousers. I couldn’t have found a more perfect brooch.
The outfit has sufficient interest without a topper, but we need one at this time of year in Seattle. I chose last season’s equestrian jacket with back peplum detailing because the tailored fit, short length and cognac elbow patches have a ‘70s flavour. I finished off the look with black pointy toe booties to extend the leg line even further. A trendy gold clutch, green specs and a current short hairstyle add some Modern back into the outfit.
This retro combination is very classic, and I was a little worried that it would look a little stuffy and overly precious. But I don’t feel those things when I’m wearing it. Instead, I like the way the flares, flounces, tailoring and a playful accessory refresh my style. I’m having a lot of fun with retro looks this year.
