It comes to us all eventually. Just as garden centre coffee shops become infinitely more appealing than sticky-floored night clubs and relaxed leisurewear stealthily usurps anything overly tailored (elasticated waistbands for the win), we reach a stage in life where nostalgia is akin to a familiar comfort blanket.
My latest excuse for a jolly saunter down memory lane is news that the TV series Daisy Jones & The Six – adapted from the bestselling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid and currently streaming on Prime Video – is being credited with sparking a revival of 1970s fashion and decor.
The drama chronicles the rise to fame and subsequent implosion of a fictional rock band (said to be loosely inspired by the story of Fleetwood Mac and the rocky romance of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham) with the on-screen garb providing a blast from the past.
We are talking denim flares, short-shorts, crochet halter tops, flowing kaftans, sweeping capes, corduroy trousers, ribbon chokers, velvet blazers and platform boots.
Costume designer Denise Wingate has talked about drawing inspiration from Nicks – alongside Cher, Linda Ronstadt, Joan Jett, Patti Smith, Suzi Quatro and Bianca Jagger – for the outfits worn by the characters, including the titular Daisy played by Riley Keough (granddaughter of Elvis Presley).
Read more: Get stuck into some joy snacks
Recent weeks have seen copious column inches dedicated to this burgeoning trend, with it also gaining traction on the social media platform TikTok. There have even been some sightings in the wild: pop star Dua Lipa was spotted in seventies-inspired beachwear on a recent trip to Jamaica.
So, if you wore these sartorial gems the first time around and still have a few items shoved at the back of the wardrobe or languishing up in the loft, this could be the long-awaited opportunity to dust them off for another whirl (provided the moths haven’t gotten to them in the last half century).
Clothing is one thing. But are we ready for 1970s-esque decor to return to our homes? A colour palette of burnt orange, harvest gold, mustard yellow and Bristol stool chart browns. Patterned linoleum. Avocado bathroom suites.
Macrame everything (from plant holders to owl-shaped decorative wall hangings). Fringed lampshades. Bean bag chairs. Shag pile rugs. Faux wood panelling. Sunken living rooms. Pyrex galore. Chunky ceramics. Fondue sets.
Actually, yes. I’m fully on board with that. As a child of the 1970s, I am – unsurprisingly – rather fond of the whole vibe. Testament to that is my love of shiny teak. The kind that smells of furniture polish and feels as smooth as glass when you run a finger along the top.
I’m a big fan of “adopting” old sideboards I find in charity shops, partly down to the aesthetic but mainly because I feel slightly sad to see them sitting forlornly among a sea of Billy bookcases and Malm chest of drawers, like the odd one out hiding in the corner at a party.
I find myself coveting other retro items too. I have been trying to coax a friend to go halves with me on a classic 1970s Fisher Price garage from eBay for ages. When he refused to bite, I changed tack and attempted to convince another chum that her young daughter would love it.
No luck there either. I have the worst mates. Although to be fair my suggestion “we can share it but keep it at my house” probably wasn’t the best sell for my otherwise cunning plan.
While 1970s styles are often remembered as “ugly”, “kitsch” and from “the decade that taste forgot”, I have always felt they reflected an unabashed optimism and verve in tumultuous times – an emblem of the formative years for many Gen Xers.
There have been echoes of that mood in recent times, not least with stagflation, rising energy prices, a cost-of-living crisis and many workers striking to defend jobs, pay and conditions.
Read more: From UFO fever to ultra-low-rise jeans – welcome to Y2K 2.0
It is perhaps little wonder that we find ourselves reaching for familiar comfort blankets in fashion and decor. If we came through hard times then, we can do it again. It’s a cheering thought.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel