10 Eternally Chic Vintage Styles We Love

Want to look stylish without killing the planet? These chic vintage styles are always on point!

By Ruby Sinclair

Loving and studying vintage fashion has taught me many things, including that every trend is cyclical.  While we may think a trend is new, there are hundreds of photos, archives, and closets of gorgeous fashion  throughout the decades that prove it’s just another revival. If you’re after a current trendy piece, you can probably find a vintage version of it. 

Fashion also used to move a lot slower. Before the 1970s, cheap fabrics like polyester weren’t so widely used, so clothes were much more expensive. People shopped much more thoughtfully and wore pieces over and over.

This  meant every piece they bought truly reflected their personal taste, so fashion was overall less trend-led. As a vintage expert at Girl of the Earth, I can’t help but wonder why we are so super trend-focused today. In my opinion, the best way to  guarantee looking chic all the time is by investing in classics that you’ll wear for years to come. 

I am sure you’ve heard that the fashion industry today is super wasteful (the third most polluting  industry in the world, far worse than air travel!). So secondhand fashion is the most sustainable way to shop for chic vintage styles. For example?

Check out these 10 pieces below. They’re all vintage or reworked, and are perfect for styling vintage-inspired looks that are eternally chic.

10 Eternally Chic Vintage Styles We Love

1. Scrunchies

An 80s invention that people still love, scrunchies are practical. They help keep your hair off your face, and are even cute enough to  leave on your wrist when wearing your hair down. And let’s not forget that a lot of zero waste fashion brands use scraps to make them, so they’re eco-friendly, too!

Where you can get this chic vintage style:

2. Billowy Blouses

Whether tied at the waist and worn with shorts, or tucked into a pair of trousers, a billowy blouse is always in style! I’m particularly loving those with huge, dramatic sleeves. Or cropped. Can’t find cropped? Just tie it at the waist.

Oh, and let’s not forget linen. Anything in linen! You’ll look stunning. Totally Instagrammable.

Where you can get this chic vintage style: Sezane has some amazing, Jane Birkin style blouses.

3. Gold Hoop Earrings

I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t leave the house without some gold hoops. They’re one of my favourite accessories to help create chic vintage styles! They dress up a blazer and add a bit of ‘street’ to a tee. Oh, and a vintage pair means the gold will be less expensive and better quality! 

Where you can get this chic vintage style: Just look here!

4. High Rise Jeans

Whether you like them skinny and straight-leg or high waisted and flared, blue jeans are always in style! No matter which decade you prefer, or what your body type or size may be, you’ll be able to find a vintage pair that suit your body and style perfectly. 

Where you can get this chic vintage style: If you want used, search local charity shops. For new, yet sustainable, vintage denim style, try Reformation jeans.

5. Mini Bags

Less baggage, literally! Mini bags were a huge thing in the 80s, but they’re making a comeback. Which is a great thing! After all, do you really need anything in your bag besides some cash, credit cards, lippie, keys and mobile phone? Wear yours as a cross-body, or just hold your tiny purse in your hand.

Where you can get this chic vintage style: You’ll find a great list of online designer vintage stores here.

6. Unique Belts

Nothing spruces up an outfit more easily than a belt. Try wearing a wide one to cinch a dress, a mock-croc skinny one with your jeans, or a jewellery-inspired gold one to accent your hips, as seen below. Another of my faves? Thick vegan leather belts with gigantic buckles with low rider jeans. Eternally 70s, eternally rock chic!

Where you can get this chic vintage style: Raid your mom’s closet, or check out one of these vintage stores online.

7. Halter Tops

Goodbye winter, hello midriff! Whether you’re going out at night or it’s just super hot outside, show a little skin with a backless 1970s inspired halter. You’ll feel like you’ve just come from Studio 54, and I’m pretty sure the boys will take notice, too!

Where you can get this chic vintage style: You can actually make one of these pretty easily yourself if you know how to knit or crochet. Or, look here.

8. Mini Skirts

Once women started hiking up hemlines in the 1960s, they never looked back. A mini-skirt is a great way to show off your pins, and to stave off the summer heat. But the best part? A mini skirt will also look awesome with a pair of knee-high boots and a thick pair of tights in autumn. 

Where you can get this chic vintage style: Stoned Immaculate has mini skirts and so much more!

9. Knee High Boots

One of the chic vintage styles I love most is a good pair of tall boots. A pair of boots instantly takes an outfit to the next level. As I mentioned above, they rock a mini-skirt like no other footwear, but I also love wearing them over tights and straight-leg jeans. Chunky 70s style heels or conical 80s heels are my faves.

Where you can get this chic vintage style: Look on eBay for some true vintage boots, or check out Girl of the Earth.

10. The Perfect Sunnies

With all the vintage sunnies out there, there’s really no excuse to ever buy new! Choose what suits your face shape. Huge Jackie-O’s look best on an oval face, while a pair of heart-shaped Lolitas suit a rounder face. Ray Ban Wayfarers and round ‘granny’ specs are always in style, too. And of course, a colour tinted lens is always a good idea!

Where you can get this chic vintage style: Meller Brand makes vintage style sunnies with a twist. And that twist is: they’re totally sustainable!

What’s your favourite of these chic vintage styles? Let us know in the comments below!