By Ali Boknevitz   Published Mar 25, 2017 at 3:01 PM

Fashion is cyclical. Most trends never truly disappear; they simply take an extended vacation and reemerge in a new decade. This year’s most popular styles seem to be a mashup of the ‘70s and the early aughts, with inspiration from other decades sprinkled in for variety. Whether you’re seeking elegance or something more jocose, you’re sure to find a vintage-inspired trend that piques your attention.

1. Embroidery

Gucci is leading the way with imaginative embroidered finery that’s intricate enough to make Marie Antoinette envious. Even little Blue Ivy made headlines in an embroidered Gucci dress. Whether you’re shopping for a bag, bomber jacket or summer dress, embroidery is going to be huge this year.

gucci-embroidery.PNG

(PHOTO: gucci.com)

Clockwise, from top left: Embroidered denim jacket, men’s embroidered velvet coat, embroidered leather espadrille, embroidered drawstring backpack. All items are from Gucci.

Stylish on a Budget:

embroidery-affordable-1.PNG

(PHOTOS: Clockwise from right: us.asos.com, oldnavy.gap.com, us.asos.com)

Clockwise, from top left: Bomber jacket in velvet quilt with embroidered patches, $106, Asos; Mustard embroidered long-sleeve shift dress, $106, Asos; Embroidered off-the-shoulder midi dress, $36, Old Navy.

affordable-embroidery-2.PNG

(PHOTOS: Clockwise from top left: anthropologie.com, lordandtaylor.com, shein.com, hydeparkmke.com, marcjacobs.com)

Left column, from top to bottom: Elevenses embroidered solstice bomber jacket, $148, Anthropologie; ‘Toast My Heart’ patch, $30, Marc Jacobs. Right column, from top to bottom: Steven by Steve Madden ‘Jsimba’ embroidered wristlet, $75, Lord & Taylor; Blue vertical-striped embroidered tie blouse, $27, SheIn; En Creme Blush embroidered dress, $48, Hard Park MKE (Tosa).

2. Robes & Smoking Slippers

While the words "robe" and "slippers" may evoke thoughts of Netflix, hot cups of tea and lazy days spent entirely inside, you’re going to see a lot of people intentionally leaving the house in these items. That’s because we’re talking about old Hollywood glamour and garments crafted from fine materials, not your old, stained bathrobe from Target. Dressed up, these beautiful robes and smoking slippers can be worn on date nights, at Sunday brunch with friends, for evening cocktail parties and possibly even to the office.

robes1.PNG

(PHOTOS: From left: natori.com, modaoperandi.com, forever21.com)

From left: Layla robe, $180, Natori; Moda Operandi X De Gournay printed silk robe in pink (also available in blue), Moda Operandi; Belted robe trench in dusty pink (also available in black and tan), $29.90, Forever21.

(PHOTOS: Clockwise from top right: neimanmarcus.com, pendleton-usa.com, wolfandbadger.com,
donaldjpliner.com, zappos.com, Merlutti on Etsy)

Clockwise, from top left: Black velvet slippers with gold tassels, $139.99, Merlutti; Tory Burch embroidered suede smoking slipper, $295, Neiman Marcus; ‘Bee Happy’ embroidered velvet flats, $180,  Pendleton; Bohemia handmade decorative babouche slippers in orange (also available in black), $47,  Wolf & Badger; ‘HAZELSP’ embellished suede loafer, $198, Donald J Pliner; Soludos flamingo embroidered smoking slippers, $64.95, Zappos.

3. Dramatic Sleeves

Bell sleeves, fluted sleeves, trumpet sleeves -- whatever you refer to them as, voluminous sleeves are back. Add ruffles for a more dramatic flair.

dramatic-sleeves.PNG

(PHOTO: Clockwise from top left: finerylondon.com, marcjacobs.com, shoprabbithole on Etsy, jcpenney.com, anntaylor.com)

Top row, from left: Aintree flute-sleeve v-neck dress, $69, Finery; Bishop sleeve button down, $425, Marc Jacobs. Bottom row, from left: Bell-sleeve silk blouse in golden chartreuse (also available in navy and bright geranium), $98, Ann Taylor; Worthington lace bell-sleeve dress in rose smoke (also available in white), on sale for $59.99, JCPenney; ‘70s vintage bell-sleeve maxi dress, $77, shoprabbithole on Etsy.

4. Vintage-Inspired Denim

For better or for worse, those button-up denim skirts and ripped flares you donated to Goodwill years ago are coming back in a big way. Denim with patches and unfinished hems will also be popular all year long.

denim1.PNG

(PHOTOS: Clockwise from top left: us.topshop.com, mathyssinclair.com, uniqlo.com, saksfifthavenue.com, levi.com)

Top row, from left: Moto rose embroidered skirt, $68, Topshop; ‘Milla’ denim skirt, $173.25, Mathys Sinclair. Bottom row, from left: Orange Tab ‘70s western denim romper, $74.50, Levi’s. Current/Elliott denim Bermuda shorts, $208, Sak’s Fifth Avenue. Slim boyfriend fit ankle jeans, $29.90, Uniqlo.

Local Picks:

denim2.PNG

(PHOTOS: Left: HarlowGirls on Etsy. Right: Courtesy of Urban Laundry Boutique)

Left: Vintage stonewash denim jean jacket, $38, HarlowGirls (Milwaukee-based Etsy seller). Right: BB Dakota ‘Tavon’ tunic top ($69) with Henry & Belle high-waisted skinnies ($180), Urban Laundry Boutique in Tosa.

5. Band Tees

What do Alessandra Ambrosio, Lily Allen and Atlanta De Cadenet Taylor have in common? They’ve all been known to sport a vintage band tee. This look is extremely accessible, as you probably already have at least a few old band t-shirts folded away in a dresser somewhere. In my humble opinion, you can totally get away with wearing one of these t-shirts with a blazer and skirt to work (but I work at a digital agency, so don’t blame me if corporate HR calls you into their office for dress code violations). The only rule is to wear t-shirts with names of bands you actually like; lest you provoke the outrage of hipsters (again, I’m in no way liable for your wardrobe decisions).

(PHOTO: Left: shopbop.com. Images, right: urbanoutfitters.com)

Clockwise, from top left: Madeworn Rock Guns N’ Roses tee, $160, Shopbop; Blondie long-sleeve tee, $39, Urban Outfitters; Aaliyah tee, $39, Urban Outfitters; Madeworn Rock Rolling Stones printed tee, $180, Shopbop