Written By: Krista Mitchell
I have been dressing in 1960s and 1970s inspired fashion for four years now. Building an affordable wardrobe that felt both authentic to myself and true to the time period took years of thrifting and research. While watching styling videos online, I stumbled across several amazing YouTubers from across the globe who embrace a sustainable, retro-inspired fashion sense. If you are looking to change up your wardrobe and explore vintage clothing (as well as the history behind it), then I would highly recommend checking out these channels!
Devyn Crimson
From Chicago, Illinois, Devyn Crimson is my main source of inspiration for 1960s and 1970s style fashion. Always working on new creative projects to revive vintage fashion and music, she is also the bassist for the 70s punk and glam rock-inspired band The Knee-His. Over the past few years, Devyn shifted from recreating historically accurate versions of 60s and 70s outfits to exploring a more eclectic (but still heavily vintage-inspired) style that is more true to her personal tastes. Her fashion journey inspired me to take more risks with my closet instead of simply copying the styles I observed in old photographs, and to be creative with simple items I found thrifting or second-hand.
Elise Buch
From Odense, Denmark, Elise Buch started out her YouTube journey by posting content about having dreadlocks. Now that she has brushed out her hair, she focuses her videos on thrifting, gardening, home renovation, and running her webshop Bohemian Wonders, which sells vintage and vintage-inspired clothing, accessories, and home decor. I admire Elise’s elegant take on 1970s fashion, and her weekly videos always give me a much-needed moment of calm in the midst of my hectic schedule.
Sage Lilleyman
Sage Lilleyman draws inspiration from 1950s domestic fashion and lifestyle. All the way from Melbourne, Australia, she recently completed her nursing degree while growing her YouTube channel on the side. I’ve been following her series “Dining Through the Decades” as well as her retro home makeover content for years now. Sage recently got engaged and moved to the Australian countryside, and I can’t wait to see what she will create next during this new chapter. Her upbeat dedication to balancing her education, YouTube channel, and family is incredibly inspirational and uplifting.
Rachel Maksy
Hailing from Massachusetts, New England, Rachel Maksy’s content is the pinnacle of cozy autumn vibes. Her channel originally focused on 1940s and 1950s hair and fashion, but now centers more on craft projects and cosplay, all with a whimsical, cottagecore flair. I relate so much to her awkward sense of humor, and her out-of-the-box projects (including a circus-themed dress with a carousel skirt that actually spins!) have helped me better understand my own creative process as an artist.
Karolina Żebrowska
Karolina Żebrowska is a Polish expert on historical fashion who often applies this knowledge to commentary on modern pop culture, fashion, and social trends. I am loving her new podcast Textory, in which she examines and interprets (often humorous) historical documents like diaries and even break-up letters to humanize people from the past and show how they were not so different from how we are today. With this one-of-a-kind sense of humor, she is known as the “MemeMom” of the historical fashion community. Karolina is also in the midst of renovating a 1930s flat with authentic furniture and decor, and I am holding my breath for the final reveal!
Dressing in vintage fashion can truly make someone stand out in a crowd, and all of these YouTubers were fundamental in helping me not only develop my own sense of style, but also embrace my own uniqueness and dress in a way that filled me with confidence and purpose. Even though I have finished curating a vintage wardrobe of my own, I still return to each of these inspirational women’s videos for motivation to be myself and keep creating my art. If you are interested in getting into vintage style, fashion history, crafting, and the like, I recommend you check them out and subscribe to their channels!