These Retro 60s and 70s Costumes Will Make You Want to Get Up and Dance [Costume Guide]

Woodstock, The Village People, the Summer of Love, Motown, and Disco... The decades of the 60s and 70s are still well-remembered for their music and culture. While Baby Boomers and Generation Xers may still remember these decades, many people only get to hear and learn about the good old days secondhand. We can still appreciate these decades without having lived through them, and decade-themed parties are one of the ways that we can have a little fun, dress in costumes, and get down with our favorite oldies hits. If you're on the hunt for 70s costumes or 60s costumes for a decade-themed party, you'll want to check out these retro Halloween costume ideas below.

Disco Costume Party Ideas

If you're ready to tear it up on the dance floor or hit the roller rink, we'll share some of our favorite Disco party tips and tricks to help you host the best party in town. Naturally, a costume party needs costumes (namely, the 70s costumes here; skip the 60s hippie costumes)! But you also need decorations, food, a playlist—you name it! After all, you gotta have that funk to keep your party fresh.

Disco Party Decorations

When you think of a disco party, you're immediately drawn to images of the disco ball—a disco party staple! Suppose you're having a roller disco party. In that case, you may not even need to worry about decorations because you'll be at a roller rink complete with all the fixings and disco lights, but an at-home party may have you scrambling for lighting solutions. However, make sure to contact guests to see if they're sensitive to any strobe lights or disco balls before you go all out. Otherwise, colorful string lights and silver or holographic streamers can be a fun solution to decorating for a disco party!

Disco Party Favors

If you love giving your guests goodie bags, there are some fun options for disco parties! Shiny beads or disco ball accessories are a plus, or you can keep it simple with candies in shiny, colorful wrappers. When you want to go all-out, give everyone a pair of fun disco glasses, glow sticks, or temporary tattoos. Keep it playful and bright, and everyone will have a blast!

Disco Party Food and Drink

Due to a disco party's more modern theme, you can get away with whatever food you want to serve. Burgers, fries, and milkshakes may evoke a feeling of roller disco days and the food you can get from the rink counter, but you're welcome to reach for some 70s favorites. Cheese fondue was on the rise, meatballs were all the rage, and pineapple was everywhere! If you're feeling especially vintage, toss together an ambrosia fruit salad.

Disco Party Entertainment

If you're hosting a roller disco party, you may already have your entertainment sorted out. Otherwise, dancing is likely to be on your agenda in some form. (Disco is the theme, after all!) You can also have a costume contest to see who best captures the disco spirit. Otherwise, break out the karaoke machine, make pet rocks, or arrange a leisure suit relay race—there are plenty of activities to keep your guests engaged all night long! 

Disco Party Music

Get ready to shake your groove thing all night long! Music shouldn't be a problem, as plenty of excellent disco party playlists are already compiled for you. If you're hosting a roller disco party, you may not even have to worry because they may already have their in-house music selection ready. Disco music, in general, is bursting at the seams with songs about dancing and partying, so it shouldn't be too hard if you still want to craft your own music list. Disco greats such as Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, and Gloria Gaynor are highly recommended!

Disco Party Dances

As mentioned earlier, having a disco party without dancing is hard! Get your guests involved and learn a few famous disco dance moves before you hit the dance floor. The hustle is a must, along with the disco finger, the Y.M.C.A., and the bump. Other dances you can find on YouTube include the Bus Stop, the Funky Chicken, the Butterfly, and the Snap. Learn a few of these with your guests, and you'll be ready to get down tonight!

70s Costumes for Adults

We might be looking at the world through rose-colored glasses, but the 70s were a great era, especially for music and dance! Groups like the Bee Gees, Queen, and the Eagles ruled the airwaves, and people shredded the dance floor with moves like the hustle, the bump, and the YMCA. Check out these dazzling disco outfits for adults, a necessity for any 70s party. You'll feel ready to get down and boogie oogie oogie in these excellent 70s Halloween costumes for adults.

70s Costumes for Kids

Teach the kids a thing or two about stayin' alive and Saturday Night Fever with these disco costumes for kids. (Maybe advise them to take off the platform shoes before hitting the dance floor!) If your child enjoys dancing, these kids' 70s costumes will be a hit. The dance floor lights will shimmer and shine off their sequins, making them feel like dancing queens.

70s Costume Accessories

Your 1970s costume won't feel complete without disco accessories such as a pair of gogo boots for the ladies or platform shoes for men. Back in the day, the disco era was all about looking flashy, and it would be tough not to stand out when your shoes added a few inches to your height. Also, whether they were real or simply an urban legend, you can get a pair of fake fish tank shoes that are much more animal-friendly than rumored shoes from the past. (It was a weird time, but thankfully we're more conscious of being friendly to our furry, finned, and feathered friends now.) If you're still looking to push the boundaries of your already showy 70s party costume, adding this pair of disco ball earrings should do the trick! 

60s Costumes for Adults

The 60s was an era about the British Invasion and seeking peace and love. Beatlemania swept the streets, Sonny and Cher were the ultimate power couple, and flower crowns became the go-to accessory. If you're looking to throw the ultimate 60s party, toss in some Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Rolling Stones CDs, buy some of these adult hippie Halloween costumes, and hit the dance floor! (If you really want to do your research on your tunes, look for charts of the top songs to hit the airwaves in the 1960s. Picking a few from Woodstock wouldn't hurt either.)

60s Costumes for Kids

Decades-themed parties or spirit-week days are common for kids, so your child might be on the lookout for a 60s outfit. Take the chance to introduce the kids to your favorite oldies tunes. Songs like "Louie Louie", "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Twist and Shout" are bound to get them groovin'! You can also turn the costume fun into a teaching opportunity by talking with them about historical events and how they impacted culture. Peace, not war, was what many people looked forward to in the 1960s as the world seemed to be on the edge of World War 3. While the Civil Rights Movement made some giant leaps, there was still turmoil on American soil, including the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy.

60s Costume Accessories

Flower crowns, tinted glasses, and peace signs are typical 60s accessories connected with the hippie movement. So pairing items like these with your hippie costume is a wise choice. You may also want to wear your hair long if you can, and finish off your look with a pair of sandals. Don't forget to pose with a peace sign!

60s Mod Costumes

The 60s also brought us mod fashion, probably the most famous piece of which is the mod dress. These mini-dresses were short-shift dresses that often featured bold patterns or color block styles. They were much more comfortable than previous dress styles, and we can still see their impact on fashion today! Pair these mod Halloween costumes with a pair of gogo boots, and you're ready to style in no time.

We hope you picked up a few ideas when looking for costumes for your next decade-themed party idea or Halloween event. What is your favorite part about the 60s or the 70s? Do you have a favorite decade? What are some of your favorite songs from these years? Feel free to let us know in the comments below!