How to Make Retro Clothing
- 1
Bell bottoms give room for platform shoes, adding length to your legs.Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images
Identify your style. There are many types of retro clothing, so pick a style that fits your personality and body type. The 1960s mod dresses, for example, are more suitable for a slim body, while rockabilly dresses are quite flattering on a full figure. - 2
The paisley print has reincarnated so many times, it now comes in all colors and styles.Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Find the right fabric. When choosing the clothing material, it's OK to wander outside the box. Polyester may have been popular in the 1970s, but that doesn't mean you have to use it. Use modern versions of retro prints to give your style an updated look. Remember, you're making retro clothing, not retro costumes. - 3
Don't feel bad about adding inches to an old pattern.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Find and alter a vintage pattern. You can find retro patterns on the Internet, in thrift stores and in fabric stores. Since body sizes have changed quite a bit through the ages, you'll probably have to make a few tailoring adjustments. Focus less on the inches, and more on the overall silhouette. - 1). Identify your style, choosing one that fits your personality and body type.
- 2
You may already own a tie-dyed shirt, which gives you the hippy look.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Find clothes that match your chosen retro style. Focus more on the fabric, print and color, and less on the cutting. You can always re-tailor your clothes to better mimic a particular retro style. - 3
Cut the sleeves off a shirt to make a 1980s punk rock top.Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
Alter your clothes. Sometimes all it takes is a belt, but chances are you'll have to make a few adjustments. Study the cutting of the fashion period -- were the skirts cut above or below the knees? Did people wear puffy sleeves or no sleeves? Make your alternations accordingly. Change the buttons or add new accessories to complete the transformation.