Somebody tell Zara that the ’70s called and they want their clothes back. No, seriously! Zara has been majorly leaning into retro-inspired prints for spring 2021 and I’ve got half a mind to order myself a hippie costume from Spirit Halloween Store and call it a damn day. There’s really only one word that accurately describes these vibrant florals and swirls: Groovy, baby. So of course, I had to style them up and see just how wearable they really were.
For reference, I’m a 5’1, mid-size gal who typically wears a size ten. Sometimes, the Zara large is too small! Other times, it’s weirdly massive. Sometimes the XL is too tight—what I’m getting at is that Zara’s trend pieces can be kind of a minefield for me, so I never know what’s going to look great and what’s going to blow up in my face and leave me crying in the dressing room (Remember when we could try on in store? Oh, to shop like we did pre-pandemic!).
Still, I felt like it was my duty to check out their groovy new range, so I’m happy to announce that it was actually a major success. I felt amazing in my picks. I went for this Printed Crop Top and the matching Draped Printed Skirt, co-ords that set me back $100 total. Not outrageously expensive, but not cheap, either! So trendy or not, I had to make sure I was actually vibing with the look. I got both pieces in a Large, but both go up to XXL.
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Courtesy of Zara.
Printed Crop Top + Headband $49.90 buy it
While the swirly green, yellow and blue pattern drew me in, I was a little nervous when I realized the top had shoulder pads. Would it make me look super boxy? As a 34E, I also questioned that drawstring cinching the top at its middle. Could I really pull that off? As for the matching headband, she was a hard pass. Too costumey!
Courtesy of Zara.
Draped Printed Skirt $49.90 buy it
I felt a little safer about the skirt, especially when I felt how stretchy it was. I figured that, if I ended up hating how it looked with the matching shirt, I could totally end up styling it with a simple white or black crop top instead.
Courtesy of Bella Gerard.
Reader, I’m happy to report that I do not need to style this skirt with a simpler top—although I could, and I’m sure I will at some point to get the most bang for my buck. What I’m getting at, though, is that the set altogether was a total hit. I noticed that, on the Zara model, the strings on each piece were tied around the waist, but my short torso said “Not today,” so I went for little bows and liked it just as much, if not more. The print is busy enough without any add-ons!
I styled my set with some white Betsey Johnson boots to lean into the ‘retro go-go vibes and finished it off with the Gabbi Bag from JW Pei in a perfectly-coordinated shade of green. My friend and I dressed up in our groovy Zara best (she was serving looks in these Printed Flare Pants, no?) and did our thing on Self Timer to capture some of my favorite photos to date. Feel free to hype us up on my Instagram, if you so please.
Source: Instagram
All in all, I’m giving Zara’s retro-inspired prints for spring and summer 2021 the green light. Buy a set, wear it together or break it up and dress each piece down with your basics. You can do this! And you won’t look like you bought a hippie Halloween costume.
#Retro #Review #Shop #Shopping #70s
