Ride the 70's wave: retro hair and style for winter

Hair Ideas & Inspiration

Ride the 70's wave: retro hair and style for winter

22 Dec 2015

Image credit: Editorial credit: Kathy_Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

70's style is back! The SS/16 catwalks were awash with flares and flicks, and celebrities alike are channeling the retro look. It was the decade that brought us two very different and distinct styles: confident disco glamour and the free-love hippie wardrobe.

Whether you want to fully embrace the trend, or just add some 70's touches, there are plenty of ways to easily update your wardrobe, hair, and makeup: to channel your inner hippie, or your love of the disco hustle.

Be confident with curls

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
Image credit: Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Curls were big and beautiful in the 70's. The Studio 54 crowd made this style popular, with tons of volume and copious amounts of hairspray used to achieve their 'disco frizz'. Given an update, voluminous curls are a flattering fail safe, that gives a nod to the era without looking like you are in fancy dress. Back in the 70's, Donna Summer was the queen of curls in the disco world. Now we look toward the likes of Solange Knowles for hair-spiration. With this style, it's all about glamour with a 'who cares' attitude. Just take a look at Amy Adams' character in American Hustle: with her hair in glossy copper curls, wearing deep-v jumpsuits and revealing dresses, finished with a long gold pendant necklaces. 70's style was, and still, is not for the self conscious.

Use small heated rollers, on the base of sections of hair to boost volume. Once cool, gently remove and use fingers to separate and loosen. If you want to create a high fashion look similar to Marc Jacobs models', slick hair into a deep side parting using a little pomade and pin with grips either side of the head, low and close to the ear. Backcomb the curls with a boar bristle brush and finish with hairspray to hold. Gwen Stefani has often worn her ice blonde tresses in this style: wearing a simple black deep v blouse to tone down the overall look.

Fabulous Fawcett flicks

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
Image credit: Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

A style synonymous with the 70's is Farrah Fawcett's flicks. The poster girl for the 70's, her flattering waves worn back from the face, were one of the more wearable hair styles to come out of the era. Now, we see them inspiring the likes of Roberto Cavalli's stylists, who gave models a slightly more textured finish, for a modern update on the style. Blonde tones look fantastic with these big bouncy flicks, really making the most of how the hair catches the light. Be sure to get hold of some volumizing mousse to prep your hair before flicking with straighteners, for plenty of oomph.

Go Boho

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
Image credit: Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

This year saw Burberry's catwalks awash with boho beauties, who could have stepped right out of the festival fields with their folk-inspired styles. Heavy fringing and bohemian floral prints are perfectly paired with textured hairstyles, to bring boho up to date. In the 70's it was Stevie Nicks who lead the way in the hippie fashion stakes: her layers of chiffon, and velvet were perfect trend statements. To style like Stevie, start with delicate fabrics and work up to waistcoats and jackets made of heavier fabrics. For just a hint of hippy, wear flared sleeves to automatically give you an era-inspired outfit.

Alexa Chung and the Haim girls work the 70's relaxed hair vibe so well. It's easy to achieve: all it takes is a large barrel tong and some sea salt spray. Start with day-old hair, or spray with sea salt spray to add grip. Wear hair in a centre parting and, without sectioning, take different size chunks of hair and twist loosely around the barrel of the tong. Try to only wrap hair up to around ear level. You can also use a straightening iron, alternating the angle as you slide down the section of hair. Finish with a blast of texturising spray, tipping hair upside down to add volume. Muse up sections of hair with a small amount of wax on fingers to individualise this style. Carry the carefree attitude through by combining neutral browns and bronzes for sun kissed skin: this is all about enhancing natural beauty. Chloe models on the SS/16 catwalks sported a sheer, radiant glow with skin finish powders. A slick of clear gloss with a hint of colour on the lips and highlighter to bring out cheekbones is all you need to nail the natural look.

Devilishly dishevelled

Editorial credit: Olga Ekaterincheva / Shutterstock.com
Image credit: Editorial credit: Olga Ekaterincheva / Shutterstock.com

Image copyright: Olga Ekaterincheva / Shutterstock.com

70's hair up was worn dishevelled and sexy. Wear low, loose pigtails with curled ends to give a retro feel to longer hair. Khloe Kardashian perfected her pigtails, with her blonde ombre banded down the lengths to give the 70's style a revamp. Use small clear bands to give the illusion of 'no hold hair', and frame the face with tendrils to finish off the look. For those with shorter hair, try a casual looking messy updo. Backcomb hair around the crown and softly sweep hair away from the face, into a ponytail that sits on the crown of your head. Split into two if there are shorter strands falling out. Take the ponytails and wrap around in a bun shape, and loosely pin. Don't be too neat with this, the more carefree and quick it looks, the better. Pull hair around the face to loosen, and create texture. If you're more a catwalk aficionado, get inspired by the models at Gucci, and finish with a printed scarf tied around your hairline, with the length left long.

When seeking out that 70's style, remember that clashing is cool: mix different fabrics and prints. For hippie vibes, keep hair in top condition using nourishing conditioning treatments. And for those disco divas out there, invest in heated rollers to get beautiful bounce. Whether you fully embrace the trend, or invest in some vintage hair accessories, it's easy to get the look!

If you want any advice or want a professional take on the 70's style, don't hesitate to ask any of our dedicated stylists on how to rock retro.  

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