Revival Vintage Rewind - Northern Soul Nostalgia

It has been 50 years since journalist Dave Godin coined the phrase “northern soul” and the movement’s style revival is fast turning into an all-nighter itself, with many all-nighters still in full swing around the country. By the start of the 1970s, mod clothing found itself gliding across Northern Soul dancefloors but with an adapted look to accommodate the energetic dancing, which required a looser and easier fit. So let’s style the northern soul way for this one…

For the ladies, Northern Soul style evolved from mod A-line skirts to include both midi-length and ankle-length skirts, with plenty of give for those dance moves.

Of course, no Northern Soul outfit would be complete without a 60s or 1970s vintage skirt. Our favourite pick is the blue spotty St Michael skirt. High-waisted for maximum comfort, this skirt is a gorgeous piece to twirl in! It is a versatile skirt that will soon qualify as a staple to your vintage wardrobe and it’s certain that it will pair beautifully with a wide range of blouses. We’ve matched it with one of our C&A vintage blouses for a boost of colour in the middle of the northern soul dancefloor. Sleeveless is a must for maximum movement and comfort and the colour clash of this bright orange and blue is to die for.

If you’re more of a dress girl, don’t fear. These green gems will make heads turn. Our favourite is the plain green belted vintage 1960s dress. Featuring classic large white buttons to decorate the bodice, the addition of a lace-trimmed colour adds a feminine touch if the block colour is a bit too plain for you. Add the matching belt to flatter your figure as you dance your heart out!

We can’t forget the classic bowling bag. This was a handbag present at every northern soul all-nighter. Originally existing as a holdall for your rare soul records to hand to the DJ, the bowling bag became an iconic piece for every woman in the dance movement (complete with an abundance of patches sewn on). For our picture above we've chosen a red vinyl 1960s bag – a timeless piece for any woman’s vintage wardrobe. This would soon become your go-to bag, not to mention there’s plenty of room for your things (maybe a couple of them soul records!).

For the gentlemen, wide-legged trousers were a must for those moves! We’ve paired a geometric Van Heusen shirt with our deluxe hand tailored brown trousers. The orange, black and white colour combo screams 70s, not to mention the pattern. It will add a lift to the outfit on top with the dark bottoms below!

All items featured are available on Revival Vintage and don’t forget, sign up to our newsletter to receive a 10% off voucher code!

And, if you’re itching to get to a northern soul all-nighter, you can check out Soul Sorce’s list of events here.

Brianna Riley

Guest Blogger