Last year when it came to interiors, the trend was for retro inspired designs such as brown and beige 1970s inspired kitchens, bold floral 60s inspired curtains and free hanging egg shaped chairs. For those who follow fashion, you will have noticed that the retro trend has crept in here too with women sporting 1950s inspired dresses, complete with netted underskirts whilst the men’s fashion includes retro men’s designer shirts. In this article we take a look at what it means to be retro, what styles of shirt are fashionable, where they can be bought and how to wear them to pull off the look.
What Does Retro Mean
In order to really understand what a retro shirt is, it’s important to understand the term ‘retro’. ‘Retro’ is short for ‘retrospective’ and means ‘looking back’. In relation to fashion it means looking back at previous styles from recent history and reproducing them. It is however important to understand that retro is different to vintage. Vintage fashion is actual items of clothing from the era in question i.e. 1950s, 60s or 70s and not imitations or reproductions.
What Retro Styles are Fashionable
When it comes to retro fashion, and in particular retro men’s designer shirts, the eras to look out for are the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as these are currently highly fashionable. When it comes to 1950s inspired shirts, there are two key trends to watch out for. The first is for abstract patterns featuring unusual shapes – these tend to differ from the 1970s geometric abstract prints as they are more fluid and curved in design. The second key trend is for kitsch American styled patterns including fruit prints, in particular cherries, strawberries and apples.
A great example of 1950s inspired fabrics with a cherry design
1960s inspired shirts are very different to 1950s ones as they tend to be much bolder in both design and colour. The 1960s was all about flowers and psychedelic colours with orange, yellow and blue being very popular. Designs during this era were bold, eye-catching and very heavy and this is reflected in the shirt designs.
A 1960s inspired fabric in psychedelic colours
The designs of the 1970s were different again with colours predominantly becoming more muted such as beige and browns with more subtle shades of yellow and orange than the 1960s. Square and diamond shaped patterns were very popular during this era and this is reflected in the current retro shirt trend.
Where To Buy A Retro Shirt
A number of the major designer brands are currently stocking retro men’s shirts and there are two distinct variations on offer. The first is taking inspiration from retro fabrics but using modern cuts for the shirts. The second is to use more modern fabric designs or plain colours and teaming them with retro cuts such as longer length shirts, oversized collars or funky cuff designs.
You can choose to buy a retro men’s designer shirt from a retailer on the high street or online which often offers a better range and if you shop around, a better price too.
How to Create The Perfect Outfit
As retro shirts are very bold and eye-catching, it can be a difficult look to pull off. However there are ways of making the look work for you by toning it down a little. Retro shirts are very versatile as you can wear them with a pair of tailored trousers for the office and combined with a contrasting tie and suit jacket for a funky yet formal look. For those who want to wear the retro shirt for a more casual look, team with a pair of blue stonewash jeans and layer a plain coloured V-neck jumper over the top. To add a little more of a retro vibe to the look, you can team with a tank top instead.
Conclusion
Whichever design and style of retro shirt you choose, you’re sure to be the height of fashion this summer.
