The 1970s vampire angle isn't really about horror, it's about the dark aristocrat of the disco era
It's completely different from Dracula-style Gothic horror, and has nothing to do with Twilight's teenage angst. The '70s vampire carries a kind of weariness of someone who just left an all-night party and has to find a place to hide as dawn approaches. Wide collars, bell-bottoms, dark velvet, a touch of silver shimmer, and that unfocused look of someone who may have had more than one drink
This direction is making a comeback in 2026, largely because TikTok searches for Disco Vampire are climbing. Fashion bloggers have started digging out old '70s shirts and turning them into Disco Vampire looks with exaggerated collars and cuffs. You don't need to buy a whole new costume, you need an old shirt and a little imagination to make the collar bigger
The shirt is the soul, the collar is the core
The 1970s vampire shirt is not an ordinary shirt. It has to have an exaggerated pointed collar — the kind of wide collar that covers a suit lapel
Fashion Wanderer's tutorial gives a very specific method: take an old shirt, cut two triangular pieces of fabric 6 to 8 inches long, sew them under the existing collar so the points extend outward by several inches. If you don't want to sew, you can attach them with temporary fabric glue and just peel them off after the party. This enlarged collar is the visual anchor of the whole look — it instantly turns a plain shirt into a 1970s disco silhouette
The shirt fabric should ideally be satin or silky. Black, burgundy, deep purple, or a dark patterned fabric. If the collar isn't big enough, the collar extension step is essential
Pants: bell-bottoms are the only answer
For the lower half of a 1970s vampire, there is only one choice: bell-bottoms
If you already have bell-bottoms, just wear them. If not, Fashion Wanderer's tutorial is clear: open the outer seam of a pair of straight-leg pants from the hem upward about 10 to 14 inches, cut two triangular fabric inserts, put them in, and sew them shut. The hem instantly becomes flared. This alteration sounds complicated, but it actually just takes a pair of scissors and a sewing machine, or a needle and thread
For colors, black is safe, deep burgundy or midnight blue is a bonus. Don't wear jeans, 1970s vampires don't wear denim
Outerwear: a small cape or velvet suit jacket
If you want the vampire element but don't want a floor-length Gothic cloak, a short cape or velvet blazer is a better choice
In an interview, Dark Shadows costume designer Colleen Atwood mentioned that the Barnabas Collins look she created for Johnny Depp was centered on the intersection of the 18th century and 1972. She made a little cape coat, not a traditional big cloak, but a short, collared piece you can wear as a jacket
If you don't want to sew it yourself, a dark velvet suit works too. Velvet catches the light in shifting shades, and that faint glow in the dark is the perfect seventies vampire vibe. The slim-fit suit Eva Green wears in Dark Shadows, in that Virginia Slims ad-girl style, is a great reference — sharp, modern, but with a hint of gothic
Makeup: pale, but not overdone
The seventies vampire makeup is different from the modern vampire look of pale skin plus dark circles
Use a foundation one to two shades lighter than your skin tone, but don't paint yourself into a white wall. In the seventies aesthetic, pale means not getting much sun, not being dead for three days. Sweep a cool-toned contour under the cheekbones to create a hollowed effect
The eyes are the focus. Blend a deep brown or wine-red eyeshadow generously across the eye socket, but don't go for a smoky eye. Soften the edges, like the look of eyes a little puffy after an all-nighter. Add a touch of dark red on the lower lash line to hint you've just finished feeding
Use a deep wine or berry lipstick. Fill the lips fully but skip the lip liner. The seventies lip look is about a slapped-on feel, not a carefully drawn one
Hair and accessories: voluminous, messy, and period-appropriate
Seventies hair is fluffy, voluminous, and a bit frizzy. If your own hair isn't enough, use pomade or volumizing spray to get that just-woke-up texture. Don't comb it too neatly and don't overdo the hairspray
For accessories, a silver necklace or medal is a plus. Fashion Wanderer's tutorial mentions adding an old necklace or medal. Sunglasses work too, but skip modern styles and go with round, metal-framed ones like a seventies rock star would wear
Finally
The core of the seventies vampire isn't horror, it's disco in the dark
You're wearing a black velvet shirt with an exaggerated collar, flared pants, and a bit of silver shimmer. You look like you just walked out of some underground club, dawn is approaching, and you haven't decided where to go yet
You don't need to be scary. You just need to look like the night isn't over yet
