02 September 2021

The most fabulous Abba outfits we’d still wear today…and some we probably wouldn’t

02 September 2021

Abba fans are poised for big news from their favourite band after a Twitter account appeared called Abba Voyage, with an ‘historic livestream’ promising to reveal all on YouTube (at 5.45pm, 2 September).

Rumours are now swirling about whether the Swedish foursome, Agnetha Faltskog,  Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – who are all now in their 70s – will be returning with new music, a tour, or something else entirely.

Formed in Stockholm in 1972, the group was phenomenally successful, scoring nine UK number ones before they split in 1982. The band reunited in 2016 and announced a ‘digital entertainment experience’ – featuring avatars of the four members from their 70s heyday – would launch as a world tour in 2019, but the project has since been delayed due to the pandemic.

If that’s what the Abba Voyage turns out to be, fans are in for a treat fashion-wise. The quartet rocked some fabulous outfits during that decade, both on and off stage. Here, we look back at the good, bad and the bonkers…

The boots

(PA)

Over-the-knee boots have made a major comeback in recent years. Fältskog looked so chic with trousers tucked into her heeled versions, and we love Andersson’s shearling pair too.

The capes

(PA)

Talk about making a style statement… Fältskog and Lyngstad wafted around on stage in a variety of glamorous capes, as seen (above) in 1977 and during their North American and European tour in 1979.

(PA)

The tunic dresses

(Alamy/PA)

The Abba ladies rocked these incredible super-short satin tunic dresses emblazoned with big cat motifs on the cover of the 1976 Mamma Mia single, teaming them with matching white go-go boots.

The gowns

(Alamy/PA)

Complete with feather-embellished headdresses, these beautiful 1920’s inspired gowns are quite demure by Abba standards.

The tailoring

(PA)

Seventies style is back in fashion at the moment and suddenly the band’s wide-collared jackets and flared trousers are looking very cool. Here they are posing with Princess Margaret (above) in 1978.

(PA)

The trousers

(PA)

On the other hand, we’re not ready for a revival of the weird satin and velvet trousers that three of the band wore for their iconic Eurovision performance in 1974, which they won with the song ‘Waterloo’.

The catsuits

(Alamy/PA)

Nor are we in any hurry to don a skintight white catsuit, as seen on both the male and female members of the band throughout the seventies.

(Alamy/PA)

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