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Studio 54's best fashion moments: get the look

Get sartorially inspired by one of the most famous clubs of all time and its iconic guests


bianca jagger cover image© Photo: Getty Images
Clare Pennington
Style Writer
Updated: August 16, 2024
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Surely there will never be a nightclub quite so glamorous as Studio 54. Regular faces at the iconic celebrity haunt included the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, David Bowie, Diana Ross and Elton John to name a few, so it's no wonder that the club has become synonymous with some of the most fantastic fashion moments of the 1970s. 

What is Studio 54?

Jerry Hall, Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote, and Paloma Picasso at at a party at Studio 54 in 1979. Just your average night out then...© Sonia Moskowitz
Jerry Hall, Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote, and Paloma Picasso at at a party at Studio 54 in 1979. Just your average night out then...

Disco, dancing and decadence was all the rage over on Manhattan's 54th street. Launched in 1977, Studio 54 has become one of the most famous nightclubs of all time. Believe it or not, the legendary New York venue was only open for a total of 33 months, clearly star-studded guest lists, fascinating entry policies and rampant partying left an impression that will last forever. 

MORE: Liza Minnelli's 16 best fashion moments of all time

RELATED: Best vintage summer dresses to shop now

While the club imposed no specific dress code, the vibe was 'avant-garde-glitz meets sexy silhouettes'. The only big sartorial no-no? If you rocked up in a polyester shirt you would have been turned away because of the fabric's tendency to melt under the lights, according to former Studio 54 security staff. Things got pretty steamy inside the legendary club's doors, that's for sure. 

Bianca Jagger

 Bianca Jagger wearing Halston at the club in 1977 with the must have accessory of the moment: two white doves.© Ron Galella
Bianca Jagger wearing Halston at the club in 1977 with the must have accessory of the moment: two white doves.

The Nicaraguan actress' marriage to Mick Jagger didn't quite last the decade, but her ingénue in-white look will live on forever. Bianca totally casually balanced white doves on her palms while sporting a white off-the-shoulder lace ballgown by Emanuel. The husband-wife designer duo would later go on to design Princess Diana's 1981 royal wedding dress just a few years later. 

Another fun fact about Bianca's adventures at the club: she once rode around the dance floor on a horse led by a naked man covered in glitter. This nugget of trivia cements the fact that Oceana Watford and all of our famed local haunts were never quite up to par with good old Studio 54. 

  • Tessa Off Shoulder Gown

    Rebecca Vallance

    The Details

    • Composition: 98% Polyester/ 2% Elastane
    • Sizes: 4-16

    Editor's Note

    Ok, so technically a wedding dress but that doesn't matter one iota. Petition to bring back wearing gowns to the club immediately!

    Australian brand Rebecca Vallance are known for their statement pieces and streamlined silhouettes. 

Jerry Hall 

Jerry Hall at Studio 54 in 1976 in a glorious shimmery   sliip.© Ron Galella
Jerry Hall at Studio 54 in 1976 in a glorious shimmery sliip.

The model skyrocketed to the top during the 1970s, wearing some incredible outfits that came to define the decade's fashion scene. Here Jerry's pictured wearing a shimmery chainmail sleeveless dress, alongside Barbara Carrera, George Willig and Buy Burgos to attend the "A Salute to American Designers" party in 1978.

  • Celestial Dress

    Georgia Hardinge

    The Details

    • Composition: 100% PL
    • Sizes: 6-18

    Editor's Note

    Oh who doesn't covet a Georgia Hardinge ruched dress and an invitation to a fantastic party to wear it to. 

    The shirred design is super flattering and gives a perfect fit, while metallic satin brings slight lustre. 

Cher

American singer and actress Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) dances at Studio 54, New York, New York, July 26, 1977© Robin Platzer
Now this is the energy we want to channel every single Saturday night.

Can Cher ever put a foot wrong? We say emphatically, absolutely not. Braces and a straw cowboy hat? Consider us sold.

  • Dew Drops Embellished Straw Fedora

    Ruslan Baginsky

    The Details

    • Composition: 100% Straw
    • Sizes: S-L

    Editor's Note

    Ruslan Baginsky should be your first port of call for statement hats that will turn heads time after time. 

    You can't have missed the Cowboy Renaissance that lasso-ed us all into its wake this year and it shows no signs of slowing. 

Diana Ross

Singer Diana Ross dancing at Studio 54 in New York while in town for an engagement, 17th August 1979.© Bettmann
When we find ourselves in the centre of a dance circle, this is exactly what we look like in our heads...

Diana Ross was so upset when Studio 54 closed, that she temporarily stopped going to clubs at all. Now that's commitment. Here she is dancing the night away in a white top and the perfect pair of jeans.

  • Loose-fitting Baggy Jeans With Turn-up Hems

    Bershka

    The Details

    • Composition: 100% Cotton
    • Sizes: 4-16

    Editor's Note

    This slouchy shape will make your partywear look gorgeously nonchalent. Like you just fancied popping by the greatest club of all time after a quick trip to Sainsbury's. 

    Pair with something itsy-bitsy up top and trainers so you can really tear up the dance floor. 

Diane von Fürstenberg

What a way to display one's tights and platforms? Sorry Mum, but we'll be putting our feet on the coffee table from now on. © Ron Galella
What a way to display one's tights and platforms? Sorry Mum, but we'll be putting our feet on the coffee table from now on.

Esteemed Belgian fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg certainly knew a thing or two about party dressing back in the 1970s. Seated next to Cedric Lopez and Vogue hair stylist Ara Gallant, she looks super chic in sheer tights and black pumps at the launch event for her then-husband Prince Egon von Fürstenberg's book, The Power Look.

  • Dot 15 DEN Women Tights

    Falke

    The Details

    • Composition: 91% Polyamide, 9% Elastane
    • Sizes: S-XL

    Editor's Note

    Patterned tights are a brilliant wardrobe go-to, adding an element of interest (and a bit of warmth!) whenever you feel your outfit lacks a little oomph. 

    Throw out the rule book and wear with open-toed shoes or team with summery dresses when the mercury drops. 

Liza Minnelli 

Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov dance together at Studio 54 in Manhattan during a night on the town.© Bettmann
Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during this 1977 night out.

Liza's dance partner of choice? It's only ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, aka Carrie Bradshaw's artist beau Alexander Petrovsky in the last series of Sex and the City (we'll never forgive you for Paris,  Alex).

  • Belted Pleated Stretch-Jersey Jumpsuit

    Norma Kamali

    The Details

    • Composition: 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex
    • Sizes: XXS-XL

    Editor's Note

    The stretch jersey in this jumpsuit makes it perfect for throwing shapes à la Liza.

    Note the 70s nods in design courtesy of the sharp lapel, pleated legs and skinny waist belt. 

Jules Dreyfus

Robert Kennedy Jnr with his fiancee, model Jules Dreyfus hitting the club in 1979© Central Press
Robert Kennedy Jnr with his fiancee, model Jules Dreyfus hitting the club in 1979

Robert Kennedy Jr.'s model fiancée Jules Dreyfus was all about the monochrome moment, opting for a glitzy black sequin jacket, patterned top and high-wasted trousers. Plus, a beanie? Inspired. 

  • Cholena Sequined Tulle Jacket

    IRO

    The Details

    • Composition: 95% Rayon 5% Spandex
    • Sizes: FR34-FR40

    Editor's Note

    Sequins don't have to be confined to night-time, wear your sequins in the daytime with pride. We'll be pairing ours with jeans. 

    This jacket is properly structured with shoulder pads and is fully lined. We reckon Jules would approve. 

How we chose:

Aesthetic: I looked for the most sumptuous 70s inspired designs that would turn heads (but only in the best way) on the door of Studio 54. 

Price: I've selected items from a wide range of price points to try and suit most budgets, without compromising on quality. 

Why you should trust me?

Working in fashion is simultaneously the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to me because spending all day surrounded by gorgeous pieces and trends lit a fire under my (already substantial) shopping habit. I love to shop. I live to shop.  In a previous life, I worked in Personal Shopping, and I’m the person to take out with you if you want to be wholeheartedly talked into a purchase.

HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.

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