Harry Styles performs on NBC’s “Today” at Rockefeller Plaza on May 19, 2022, in New York City. Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images via TNS
Aesthetics from the ‘70s and ‘80s have become fashion and music staples again in the modern era, and the effect of nostalgic fashion is frequent with celebrities as well.
Celebrities like Lana Del Rey and Harry Styles share uncanny resemblances to icons from before their time, such as Elton John and Hedy Lamarr, leaving pop culture audiences with a sense of familiarity and nostalgia, Dane Harter, a second-year in fashion and retail, said. Whether it‘s the result of conscious decisions by the current music and fashion industries or not, the idea of cyclical nostalgia is not new.
“This form of nostalgia will always be prevalent in pop culture because there are iconic decades we’re always referring to in history and culture,” Harter said.
Harry Styles, known for his flashy outfits and commitment to color and sequins, is not the first one to adopt this concept. Elton John was known for this aesthetic as well, Elena Cruz-Lopez, a graduate student in musicology, said.
“Styles is really pulling from ‘70s artists right now,” Cruz-Lopez said. “Mick Jagger and Elton John were big artists at this time, and all three happen to be British as well.”
In the music industry, artists like Lana Del Rey — an indie rock singer from Manhattan— tap into nostalgia from a variety of eras with her fashion choices, Harter said.
Del Rey has characterized her look with old Hollywood glamor reminiscent of the 1930s, according to Dazed Media. Del Rey frequently dons a red lip and dry finger waves, which were staples of the time, according to GlamourDaze.
Del Rey is also typically seen with a bold cat eye similar to the style of Priscilla Presley in the 1960s, according to Billboard Media. Now, the cat eye makeup look is fall’s biggest makeup trend, according to Allure.
“This 1940s film actress Hedy Lamarr was in a film and wore this star dress with this beautiful star crown,” Harter said. “And then Lana Del Rey wore a very similar outfit to the 2018 Grammys, with just a more modern construction.”
Harter said this trend is likely to continue as people continue referencing “iconic decades” throughout history and culture
However, the return to past styles doesn’t have to mean unoriginality, Cruz-Lopez said. She said reusing these old styles can lead into a new powerful piece of art.
“I don’t think recycling styles or trends has to be a bad thing,” Cruz-Lopez said. “It’s just about taking what exists and adding a new twist to it.”
Cruz-Lopez said the reason why nostalgia in the form of new sampled music and styles always sells is because the sense of familiarity is met with a new creation.
“It’s new, but it’s recognizable,” Cruz-Lopez said. “I don’t know, I think it may just feel like home.”
