The 70s look dominated the catwalk and events at Norwich Fashion Week, but how can you wear the trend for flares, platforms and chiffon blouses? Emma Harrowing shows you how to create a softer take on the 70s look that is easy to wear and stylish. Photographs by Denise Bradley.

They were the days when all you cared about was if your trousers had wider bottoms than your mate's, or your blouse was splattered with a technicolour rainbow of clashing shades and your platforms had the highest soles in town.

Now that 1970s fashion has made a comeback among independent retailers and the high street stores many of us with bigger bottoms and thighs are rejoicing at the fact that flares are available to buy once again from the shops.

This doesn't mean that the skinny is out. Far from it, the skinny, it seems, is here to stay and the 1970s take on the skinny jean is to wear them with a floaty, patterned chiffon tunic belted on the hips with a skinny leather belt. But if you do like to balance your hips out, a pair of flared jeans is a godsend. Wear with this season's must-have blouse and accessorise with chunky bracelets or a long necklace.

There are many ways to wear the new 1970s trend as independent retailer Vanilla showed on the Norwich Fashion Week catwalk: wear a pair of high waisted wide leg trousers with a chiffon top and layer with necklaces, wear this season's must-have voluminous blouse with flared jeans and a multicoloured cardigan or go for a burnt orange tunic dress belted around the waist and layer with a printed cardy.

You can also wear last season's high waisted shorts with this season's voluminous blouse. Then of course there is the jumpsuit. Still a fashion favourite and perfect for imitating the 1970s trend if you put an animal print scarf around your waist or hang a chain belt loosely around your hips and, of course, put on a pair of platform heels.

As for colours the burnt orange/brown look rules, or choose between the clashing block colours seen in Marilyn Thomas's collection at Norwich Fashion Week and on the SS11 catwalks in London and Paris, or tone it down with the more sublime tones of burnt orange, cream and beige.

Take a look at the Life Matters fashion shoot for more 70s inspiration. Just click on the photo gallery link at the top right of this page.