The 1970s get revived in fashion so often that “70s is back” has practically stopped being useful as a trend headline. What’s actually useful is being specific about which version of the 70s is having its moment, because the decade contained at least two fully distinct aesthetics that rarely get separated in trend coverage: the glossy, sequined, nightclub maximalism of Studio 54, and the earthier, folk-influenced, natural-fabric look associated with the Laurel Canyon music scene in Los Angeles.
This year, it’s clearly the second one. Trend analysis has specifically called out earth tones, flowing fabrics, and natural textures as the dominant 70s note for 2026, alongside a smaller but genuinely notable medieval-inspired sub-trend — laced bodices, bell sleeves, rich jewel tones — that has real 1970s roots of its own, since the original decade borrowed heavily from pre-Raphaelite and medieval references in the first place.
Why Laurel Canyon over Studio 54 makes sense right now
Fashion tends to revive the version of a decade that matches the current cultural mood, and the mood right now isn’t nightclub maximalism — it’s something closer to grounded, textural, a little bit escapist. Laurel Canyon style, associated with the singer-songwriter era of Southern California in the late 60s and early 70s, was built around exactly that feeling: suede jackets, denim, crochet, prairie-influenced dressing, a general sense of being dressed for a porch rather than a dance floor.
It also happens to be a much easier aesthetic to actually wear day to day than full disco maximalism, which is likely part of why it’s the version getting picked up broadly rather than staying a niche runway moment.
The core wardrobe of this trend
Suede. Jackets, skirts, vests — suede is the fabric doing the most work in this revival, and it’s a category where vintage genuinely outperforms new. Original 70s suede tends to have a softer hand and richer color depth than a lot of current tanning processes produce, especially in the fringe-trimmed silhouettes that defined the look.
Crochet. Crochet tops, vests, and dresses were everywhere in original Laurel Canyon style, largely because handmade and craft-adjacent pieces fit the era’s DIY, back-to-the-land sensibility. Vintage crochet, especially pieces made by hand rather than machine-replicated, carries a texture and irregularity that’s very hard to source new.
Bell sleeves and flared silhouettes. The flare that defined 70s bell-bottoms extended up through sleeves and dress silhouettes too — flowing, movement-driven shapes rather than fitted ones. This is one of the easier vintage categories to shop broadly, since flared and bell-sleeve silhouettes were genuinely common across the entire decade.
Denim, worn loose and faded. Faded, softened, well-worn denim fits this trend’s general “lived-in” quality far better than anything crisp or dark-wash. This is a case where actual vintage wear and fading — the kind that takes years to develop honestly — is doing exactly what the trend wants, rather than something to avoid.
Earth tone everything. Rust, olive, mustard, deep brown, burnt orange — this is the color story tying the whole look together. These tones were genuinely common across 70s dyeing and fabric production, which means they show up consistently across categories, from denim to knitwear to leather.
The medieval sub-trend, explained
The smaller medieval-inspired thread running alongside this revival is worth calling out specifically because it’s genuinely surprising and, right now, mostly undersaturated — meaning it’s a great way to feel ahead of a trend rather than catching it after it’s already everywhere. Laced bodices, structured long sleeves, bell sleeves with dramatic volume, and rich jewel tones (deep burgundy, forest green, midnight blue) all read as both medieval-influenced and completely at home in a 70s-revival wardrobe, since the original decade was already pulling from those same references.
A single piece — a laced vest, a dress with dramatic bell sleeves, a jewel-toned velvet piece — is enough to nod at this sub-trend without needing a full renaissance-fair commitment.
How to wear this without it reading as costume
The failure mode for this particular trend is leaning so hard into “boho” signifiers that the whole look reads as a costume rather than an outfit. A few ways to keep it grounded:
Anchor with one clearly 70s piece — the suede jacket, the crochet vest — and keep everything else simple and contemporary in cut. Let the color story do more work than the silhouette; earth tones alone will nod at this trend even in modern-cut pieces. And resist head-to-toe fringe or crochet in a single look; one textural statement piece reads as intentional, three starts to read as a theme party.
This is a trend with real staying power built in, precisely because it’s rooted in genuinely wearable, comfortable, texturally rich pieces rather than a hard-to-repeat red carpet moment. It rewards patience and real hunting — which is, conveniently, exactly what vintage shopping already requires.
The accessories that finish the look
This trend leans heavily on accessories to feel complete. Wide leather belts, worn over dresses or loose tops, echo the era’s silhouette-defining habit of cinching flowing fabric at the waist. Fringe — on bags, on jacket hems, on boots — is one of the most immediately recognizable signifiers of the look and is genuinely abundant in the vintage accessories market. Round or slightly oversized sunglasses, layered pendant necklaces, and wide-brimmed hats round out the picture without requiring a single additional piece of clothing. If you’re easing into this trend rather than committing a full wardrobe to it, accessories are the lowest-risk, lowest-cost way to start.
Footwear that actually matches the mood
Platform boots, suede ankle boots, and low block-heeled boots all belong to this aesthetic’s original footwear vocabulary, and all three categories are well represented in vintage supply. Avoid anything too sleek or minimal underfoot — the whole point of this look is texture and warmth, and a pair of clean, modern shoes will undercut an otherwise well-assembled outfit faster than almost any other single choice.
Where this sits next to the rest of the year’s trends
It’s worth noting how this earthy 70s revival relates to the other movements defining 2026 style. It shares real DNA with the maximalism replacing quiet luxury — both reward texture, personality, and pieces with a point of view over safe minimalism. And its medieval undercurrent connects directly to the standalone medieval-core micro-trend gaining ground this year. None of these trends exist in isolation; they’re overlapping expressions of the same underlying shift toward dressing with more warmth, more texture, and more visible personality than the last several years of quiet, minimal styling allowed for. Understanding one makes the others easier to shop for, because a suede jacket or a piece of chunky 70s jewelry genuinely works across all three.
The takeaway: 2026’s 70s revival is specifically the Laurel Canyon version — suede, crochet, earth tones, and a surprising medieval undercurrent — and it’s a trend built almost entirely around textures and fabrics vintage does better than anything new.